[Bed Bug Supplement] Bed Bug News & Notes

Verifi Bed Bug Detector Now Available

FMC Professional Solutions recently released its Verifi bed bug detector, what the company calls a breakthrough in bed bug inspection technology.

Verifi provides up to three months of active detection before re-activation is required with replaceable components, allowing for long-term monitoring.

According to FMC, Verifi allows pest management professionals to provide their customers with ongoing bed bug service while generating a valuable recurring revenue stream. The device is small, and can be installed on walls or behind furniture.

Components of the new device include:

• A CO₂-generating cartridge which mimics a living host for 24 hours
• A liquid kairomone lure that works to attract bed bugs seeking a meal
• A liquid pheromone lure that encourages bed bugs to aggregate in the device.

For more information and to view a video about the Verifi bed bug detector, visit www.verifibedbug.com.
 

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Bed Bug Flyer Aimed to Allay Customer Fears

Compelling Communications is now offering an informative flyer with bed bug facts and statistics to educate customers and ease their fears of bed bugs.

“We’ve created this full-color, high quality flyer to give pest control companies another communication tool they can use to educate their customers,” said June Van Klaveren, owner of Compelling Communications. “The flyer can be customized with a company’s logo, phone number and website and is available in a variety of quantities to meet the needs of even the smallest pest control company.”

Additional information and an order form can be found at www.HowToMarketPestControl.com

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Speakers for North American Bed Bug Summit Announced

Speakers for the 2012 North American Bed Bug Summit, set for Sept. 6-7 in Las Vegas, have been announced.

The conference is a BedBug Central learning event that provides education and information on all things bed bugs, including sessions and presentations led by industry experts. Topics will range from the latest bed bug research findings to practical, hands-on tips for the control of bed bugs.

Speakers include:

• Dr. Michael Siva-Jothy, University of Sheffield
• Dr. Camilla Ryne, Nattaro Labs AB — Sweden
• Dr. Paul Waggoner, Auburn University Canine Detection Research Institute
• Paul Ashton, Anticimex — Denmark
• Jeffrey White, BedBug Central
• Richard Cooper, Rutgers University and BedBug Central
• Dr. Dini Miller, Virginia Tech University
• Dr. Michael Potter, University of Kentucky
• Dr. Phil Koehler, University of Florida
• Dr. Roberto Pereira, University of Florida
• Dr. Stephen Doggett, Westmead Hospital – Australia
• Dr. Ed Vargo, North Carolina State University
• Dr. Klaus Reinhardt, University of Tuebingen & University of Sheffield
• Christian Hardigree, UNLV Legal Specialist
• Jeff Lipman, Lipman Law Firm
• Joel Greenwald, Greenwald Doherty LLP
• Denise McCurry, Gordon & Rees LLP
• Tom Jarzynka, Massey Services
• Kevin Sweeney, senior entomologist, EPA
• Susan Jennings, public health coordinator, EPA
• Marion Johnson, insecticides branch chief, EPA
• Kerry O’Brien, attorney, FTC
• Allie Taisey, BedBug Central

For a complete description of each of these speakers’ topics visit http://bit.ly/Phn8Fi.

To register for the Summit visit http://bit.ly/MwjpVC.

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Can Bed Bugs Jump?

It’s no surprise the “Ask the Orkin Man” section of Orkin.com is being inundated with bed bug questions. Here’s how the Orkin Man answered the question “Can bed bugs jump?”

Bed bugs do not have wings and are not capable of flight. Unlike other wingless insects such as fleas, bed bugs also are not equipped to jump long distances. Bed bugs may move from host to host, although this is typically accomplished by crawling.

However, bed bugs are skilled climbers. Some studies show that they climb great heights in order to drop themselves down to lower surfaces that were otherwise inaccessible to them. Bed bugs may scale walls in order to descend upon beds and other places to find food.
 

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Detroit Bus Drivers Battling Bed Bugs

About 50 Detroit bus drivers have reported bed bugs on city buses within the past year, The Detroit News reported.

The union representing the city’s bus drivers has asked City Council to put pressure on the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) to help curb the problem and stop the spread of the beg bugs. DDOT Chief Executive Ron Freeland told the newspaper the problem was not widespread, but said any buses reported to have bed bugs will be cleaned and fumigated.

However, the bus drivers’ union wants more aggressive action. Union president Henry Gaffney told The Detroit News DDOT should be taking preventative measures by treating the city’s bus fleet and terminals.
 

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Terramera Offers Cirkil Product Line

Terramera has announced two new neem-based biopesticides for the control of bed bugs, bed bug eggs and cellar spiders to be marketed under the Cirkil brand name.

Cirkil products kill bed bugs and prevent bed bug eggs from hatching. Residual effectiveness has been shown to last up to two weeks in killing live bed bugs and up to three weeks in killing eggs, Terramera reports.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registered the Cirkil products, Cirkil CX1 and Cirkil RTU, which will be available to U.S. pest management professionals in the fall. Cirkil CX1 is an emulsifiable concentrate containing 22 percent cold-pressed neem oil. It has a flexible, whole-room application, and is labeled for use in hand-pump sprayers.

Cirkil RTU is a ready-to-use formulation containing 5.5 percent cold-pressed neem oil. It is a quick-dry formula, flexible label, for spot treatments. Cirkil RTU will be available for professionals to sell to customers.

For more information, e-mail info@terramera.com.
 

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BedBug Chasers Franchises Bed Bug Killing Business

New Jersey-based firm BedBug Chasers announced in May it is franchising its service business.

The business features a low entry cost, is 100 percent chemical-free, and will be offered through the BedBug Chasers Franchise Corporation, the company said.

The company said the cornerstone of the new franchising program is its patented BedBug Chasers heaters and proprietary process. The heaters have shown a high return on investment by substantially decreasing treatment times and the ability to treat a larger area per heater, the company said.

For more information about BedBug Chasers visit the company’s website at www.BedBugChasers.com.
 

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Entomologists Say 2012 is Pivotal Year in Bed Bug War

Entomologists, pest professionals and manufacturers of products designed to stem the bed bug tide agreed that 2012 is a critical year in the fight against bed bugs, according to a release from Protect-A-Bed.

“Each year the challenges of fighting bed bugs change and grow,” said James Bell, CEO of Protect-A-Bed, a manufacturer of bed bug-fighting mattress encasements. “Now that the industry has begun working together it’s easier to see the best way forward.”

While anyone can be affected by bed bugs regardless of income level or where they live, the ability to deal with the situation can vary. “People with means tend to get bed bugs once, pay the costs to eliminate them quickly and learn ways to avoid them,” said Jody Gangloff-Kauffman, senior extension associate with the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University. “But for people that live in moderate-income, multi-family housing, it becomes less feasible to eliminate bed bugs once a certain number of units are infested.”

Wayne Walker, owner of Walker Pest Consulting, said bed bug treatments have become so expensive it is difficult for many Americans to afford the $500 to $1,000 cost of bed bug treatments. Home remedies are typically ineffective and can worsen the situation, he said.

“Even before an infestation occurs, people can protect themselves by using entry, escape and bite-proof mattress and box spring encasements,” Bell said. “They help people see the signs of an infestation while keeping the bugs from spreading to other areas of the home.”

For more information about Protect-A-Bed visit www.protectabed.com.
 

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Pest Barrier Introduces Green Bed Bug Killer

Pest Barrier has introduced Cimi-Shield, a product that kills bed bugs on contact, the company announced.

Cimi-Shield leaves a non-smelling, non-staining, non-toxic residual in cracks and crevices, and on textile surfaces like mattresses, furniture, drapes and carpeting that will kill for up to 12 months in managed sanitation sites, Pest Barrier said.

Cimi-Shield is available in two formulations: Knock-Out, for active infestation, and Protect, for sites where there is constant pressure such as healthcare facilities, hotels or dressing rooms. Cimi-Shield is not recommended for hard surfaces because the insects cannot make effective body contact with the residual, the manufacturer said.

Cimi-Shield is non-toxic, FIFRA 25 (b) exempt. The product’s active ingredient, Residulen, is derived from soy bean oil and dissolves the cuticle of the insect. Because it acts mechanically and is not dependent on entering through a receptor site, it is not believed to contribute to resistance, Pest Barrier said.

For more information, visit www.PestBarrier.com.
 

Suppliers: If you have a bed bug control control product you’d like see featured in an upcoming issue of PCT, please send a press release and high-resolution photo to jdorsch@giemedia.com.

 

Terminix Ranks Most Bed Bug-Infested Cities Philadelphia won the dubious title of most bed bug-infested U.S. city, according to the Terminix annual ranking. Philadelphia took the top spot from New York City, which had held the title for two years. The 2012 Most-Infested Cities include: Philadelphia Cincinnati New York City Chicago Detroit Washington, D.C. Columbus, Ohio San Francisco Denver New Haven, Conn. Dallas Houston Indianapolis Miami Cleveland The list was compiled using data from 300 Terminix branches across the country. The company created the ranking by evaluating service calls from customers, as well as confirmed cases by service professionals. The 2012 ranking proves bed bugs continue to be a problem across the country, with five cities — Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami and New Haven — joining the top 15 this year. Other cities, such as Columbus, Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., saw growing bed bug populations this year. Ohio continues to be a hotbed of activity, with three cities in the top 15. “Bed bugs continue to increase their presence across the U.S.,” said Stoy Hedges, entomologist with Terminix. “While major metropolitan areas are most at risk, it is important to note that bed bugs have been spotted in cities and towns across the country.” Terminix released its first bed bug ranking in 2010. The company said it expects bed bugs to continue to plague the nation throughout the summer as travelers encounter the tiny pests in hotels, airports and public transportation.