McCall Service Hosted 2019 North Florida Bedbug Summit

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — McCall Service hosted the 2019 North Florida Bedbug Summit on Sept. 12, at the University of North Florida. The summit brought together experts from across the bed bug industry to on legal matters regarding bed bugs, new research in the field, control methods, and how to identify and stop bedbugs from invading your facilities and your home.

The North Florida Bedbug Summit is the only pest management seminar in the region with a focus entirely on bed bugs and the health and quality of life of those we serve, McCall reports. Pest control professionals from around the country attended the summit. One of McCall’s own entomologists, Cory Goeltzenleuchter, facilitated a robust discussion and knowledge sharing session at the event.

Dr. Phil Koehler, University of Florida, provided attendees an opportunity to learn how to identify bed bugs, important biological features that make them such a pest, status of the be dbug market and the latest in industry research on this pest.

Bed Bug Central came all the way to Florida from Princeton, N.J., to discuss the importance of proactively monitoring for bed bugs and how to establish an effective program to limit the amount of large-scale infestations in your facility.

McCall’s in-house BBQ Pit master cooked up an excellent lunch and guests were able to walk through the "Hot Room" to see (and feel) a mock thermal remediation in action. It was hot: 130F to be precise.

The State of Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) traveled from all across the state of Florida and discussed their experiences with bed bugs in assisted living facilities and the audit and inspection process that facilities must be able to pass.

One of the industry’s leading attorneys, Mark Ruff, advised folks on how to stay out of the court room and other common legal issues when dealing with bed bug issues. It’s all about the provable protocols and responses to complaints

Dr. Ben Hottel, with Florida Agriculture & Mechanical University (FAMU), discussed a bed bug and German cockroach monitoring project he completed in public housing, as well as, research he completed on bed bug behavior.

Sponsors included Univar Solutions and McLaughlin Gormley King Co. (MGK). McCall says it plans to bring back the event in September 2020.