MGK’s Onslaught: Easy-To-Use
Microencapsulated Formulation
Onslaught Microencapsulated Insecticide is a controlled release product that provides tough control of tough insects, including bed bugs. Onslaught is a low-odor product in an easy-to-use formulation that is labeled for use as an indoor broadcast surface spray, including for carpet. Featuring a flexible label, it can be used indoors and outdoors, as well as in food and non-food areas of commercial structures.
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Central Life Sciences’ Gentrol Features IGR
Gentrol from Zoëcon Professional Products is available in multiple formulations to fit the needs of any Integrated Pest Management program. Gentrol products are effective to combat a variety of insects including bed bugs, cockroaches, stored product pests, drain flies and fruit flies. The product is ideal for sensitive accounts such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, day-care centers, residential homes and is registered for use in food processing and service areas.
Gentrol contains the Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) (S)-Hydroprene, which prevents insects from developing into adults, breaking the life cycle and preventing infestations from rebounding. Gentrol products are odorless, non-repellent, and have an excellent toxicity profile, the company says. Gentrol has the unique ability to translocate. It is heavier than air, allowing it to penetrate deeply into crevices, wall cavities, and other hard-to-reach places. It is this mobility that allows Gentrol to be an effective pest control agent to pests that may otherwise go untreated. As a general surface spray or spot treatment, Gentrol Aerosol is applied to pest harborages providing control for up to four months. Its visible, dissipating foam virtually eliminates the chance of missing any areas.
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Protect-A-Bed’s Mattress Encasements Provide Protection
Protect-A-Bed’s full mattress encasements ensure total protection from allergens, dust mites and bed bugs, the company reports. The firm provides both mattress and box spring protection for a healthy and allergy-free sleep environment. Protect-A-Bed allergy control bedding prevents bed bug bites and protects against allergens while significantly extending the life of customers’ mattresses and box springs.
Encasing a new mattress and box spring aids in the early detection of a bed bug infestation by eliminating two of their favored hiding places. Because they are unable to get into the deep inner workings of the mattress and box spring, seeing bed bugs becomes a lot easier, Protect-A-Bed says.
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GBS Enterprises Offers Encasements
GBS Enterprises has developed a new box spring encasement for use in bed bug pest management programs. The specially designed product provides a lower cost solution to box spring protection, the company reports.
"The box spring is one of the most easily infested and difficult to treat harborage areas for bed bugs," said Mike Svoboda, CEO of GBS Enterprises. "This new product creates a barrier around the box spring. Bugs can’t go in or out, thus eliminating the box as a hiding place."
Just like GBS Enterprises’ other encasement products, the new box spring encasement features the patent-pending Bug Guard closure system. The system provides total protection against bed bugs with a Velcro closure seal, an inner wall construction and microzipper.
"We strive to be the best partner we can be," said Svoboda. "Our clients asked for a low-cost alternative and we were excited to provide one."
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Cornell Hotel Installs ActiveGuard
The Statler Hotel, a 153-room property on the campus of Cornell University, has installed ActiveGuard mattress liners on 200 beds and box springs. "Cornell is the finest and most innovative hospitality training institution in the world," said Gus Carey, managing director at Allergy Technologies, manufacturer of ActiveGuard.
The Statler Hotel is a primary teaching tool for the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, allowing faculty members to work closely with hotel leadership to integrate operations into the curriculum. The hotel also enables students to gain practical experience by working alongside professionals in the field.
"Bed bugs are a tremendous problem facing our industry, and we recognized the need to educate our students on the best ways to address this issue," said Rick Adie, general manager of The Statler Hotel. "ActiveGuard’s unique technology offers a proactive approach to keep bed bugs out of the hotel, protecting the quality of life of our guests."
Impregnated with permethrin, ActiveGuard mattress liners kill bed bugs and prevent infestations on mattresses, box springs and sofa beds, the company reports. They are made of a soft, odorless and durable material that can be installed by one PMP. The product’s design and slow-release formulation provide maintenance-free protection, killing bed bugs for up to two years.
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New IPM Tool Provides Passive Detection
When it comes to pest control, New Yorkers Gil Bloom and Doug Stern have long been proponents of passive monitoring. Both believe that monitoring is an effective IPM tool for all pests, including bed bugs, which have been generating high-profile headlines across the United States for the past several years with no end in sight.
A well-respected authority on bed bug management and president of Standard Pest Management, Astoria, N.Y., Bloom is also a member of New York City’s Bed Bug Advisory Board. His company has field-tested Atlantic Paste &Glue’s (AP&G) new bed bug monitoring system called the Catchmaster BDS (Bedbug Detection System). The unique device, about the size of a business card, was introduced to the market in April, with Standard Pest Management reporting some early successes with the product.
Stern, managing partner of Stern Environmental Group, Secaucus, N.J., says the product offers "exciting potential" for the pest management industry and for his company in particular. "These days, about 50 percent of our business is devoted to bed bug management," he says, "and we recently saw the wisdom of incorporating the Catchmaster BDS into our bed bug jobs.
"We know it to be the first passive monitor that’s intended not only to focus on the bed area, but on other areas that are attractive to bed bugs. That gives us the flexibility to place it in couches, night tables, behind TV sets and other bed bug hot spots," he says.
"Unlike bed bug scent dogs, the Catchmaster BDS is very discrete, and because it’s relatively inexpensive, it allows us to monitor on a large scale basis and to reach residential clients that can’t afford expensive bed bug control products," Stern says. "And you can actually place hundreds of these monitors in large office buildings or in schools without attracting unwanted attention. That’s important for facilities that are open 24/7, such as hospitals, municipal and federal sites, offices of large corporations, apartment complexes and union headquarters."
PROPER PLACEMENT IS KEY. "The Catchmaster BDS is an affordable bed bug monitoring device created specifically to give PMPs an extra edge in detecting bed bugs before they proliferate and infest a new location," adds Ed Dolshun, Northeast regional manager, AP&G. "By placing it in a proper location you can attract them because you’re actually providing a very favorable habitat — from the bed bug’s point of view."
The product, which simulates the conditions that appeal strongly to bed bugs, was created based on knowledge of their biology and behavior, according to Dolshun. "We know that they need to feed on blood, so we know that they’re going to try to get their meals from us in our bed, on our clothes or on our couches. We know that we need to place our monitors in their pathways."
The protocol developed by AP&G, according to Dolshun, involves placing the Catchmaster BDS in locations frequented by bed bugs in bedrooms. "Bed bugs want to reach us but can do so only in certain ways," he explains. "The four bedposts are prime areas for activity. They’ll crawl up those posts to get at us. Another bed bug hot spot is behind the headboard. A less likely location is found between the mattress and the box spring, although the regular activity of changing sheets could discourage them from hiding there."
Research shows that bed bugs favor small spaces and uneven textures and materials. The Catchmaster BDS, therefore, was created as an ideal harborage site, providing tight, dark tunneling and rough woodsy material, similar to the small grooves of corrugated boxes, mattress creases and wood furniture. If bed bugs are located nearby, they’re drawn to it and trapped in its patented and unique adhesive matrix pattern coated on untreated paper.
"If they should escape from the monitor, chances are they will leave fecal matter behind which will also help us make a positive identification," says Dolshun.
Bloom says that common adhesive monitors (such as the roach monitors currently on the market, including those manufactured by Atlantic Paste & Glue) have limitations for bed bugs. "They often avoid entering those monitors. But using them en masse is a good idea because they may give you some indication of the presence of bed bugs — and that’s better than nothing."
"There’s a stigma associated with having bed bugs," says Dolshun. "People think they are caused by bad sanitation and that’s the furthest thing away from the truth. Bed bugs can infest the homes of billionaires as readily as they can the bedrooms of low-cost apartment complexes."
According to Jonathan Frisch, vice president, AP&G, the Catchmaster BDS product initially has been used in apartment complexes in the Boston and New York City areas, as well as in parts of the Midwest and West Coast. "It’s an affordable product that can help expand a pest management’s business and area of expertise to include bed bug control. The relatively inexpensive pricing of the BDS will allow a pest management company to readily employ this tool to identify a bed bug problem before it gets out of control. It could also be installed after a bed bug treatment to either illustrate that the treatment was effective or to assist in identifying continued post-treatment activity," he said.
"Although the Catchmaster BDS is new to the market, the more we learn, the more we will evolve and improve the product. Today it’s not precisely what it was when it was first being tested in the field. We as a manufacturer continually strive to put the best product forward," says Dolshun. — Jordan Fox
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ThermaPure Heat
Kills Bed Bugs and Eggs
ThermaPure has been awarded a new patent for aspects of its heat technology.
The ThermaPureHeat process uses a combination of carefully applied and monitored heat, air circulation and particulate filtration to achieve a penetration of heated air molecules into the structure — including wall cavities, structural members, and cracks and crevices and building furnishings like bedding, mattresses, box springs, carpeting, closets and couches — with a level of heat that is lethal to bed bugs and their eggs.
"ThermaPure has spent many years and millions of dollars to research and develop the ThermaPureHeat process, and I am proud to have been rewarded by the U.S. Patent Office for important aspects of our outstanding heat and filtration technology," said David Hedman, CEO of ThermaPure, and the patent’s inventor.
ThermaPure has more than 50 licensees across North America deploying the ThermaPureHeat process and enjoying the benefits that licensing provides, the company says. These include proprietary equipment packages, an extensive training program, a website referral system, marketing and public relations support, and ongoing business counsel from the ThermaPure executive team.
In addition to eliminating bed bugs, ThermaPureHeat is also used to sanitize structures; kill bacteria, various types of viruses, many types of mold, insects, odors; and reduce allergens. ThermaPureHeat also reduces numerous types of volatile organic compounds, including formaldehyde, which is often found in prefabricated structures, such as portable school classrooms.
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Rutgers University, BedBug Central Receive $20,000 Grant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Rutgers University and BedBug Central a $20,000 partnership grant to develop educational materials aimed at increasing public awareness of bed bugs and effective strategies for community-centered Integrated Pest Management.
The grant was awarded to Rutgers University entomologist Dr. Changlu Wang and Richard Cooper, research entomologist and vice president of BedBug Central.
The grant will be used to develop multimedia material to educate the public on bed bugs and IPM methods. BedBug Central will work in collaboration with the Rutgers University Entomology Department to create educational video material and website content detailing a step-by-step approach to community-wide bed bug management and IPM programs.
In addition to educating the public, step-by-step instructional videos will be readily available to the pest management industry to demonstrate how to control bed bugs using IPM strategies.
"The body of research available has shown that bed bug populations are increasing at a troubling rate," Cooper said. "Public awareness initiatives such as these are absolutely essential for curbing the spread of bed bug infestations. Public education and community participation are often essential in meeting the goals of greater bed bug control."
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Mattress Safe: College Students Beware
College students are at risk for bed bug infestation via used furniture, particularly in dormitory mattresses. Bed bugs are transferred through backpacks, books, suitcases and are commonly found in locker rooms and gyms. They are especially found in dormitory rooms where they can get a quick meal while the unsuspecting students sleep on mattresses that have been used by many other previous students.
Mattresses should be totally encased with a bed bug-certified mattress encasement designed with an enclosure such as the hook offered on the "Superior" and the "Ultimate" by Mattress Safe, the company reports. The hook guarantees the zipper will not back away from the opening and will not allow bed bugs to enter the mattress, thus preventing an infestation in the mattress. Because bed bugs can live up to 18 months without a blood meal, a dorm room left empty over the summer months is not a threat to the multiplication and survival of bed bugs.
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10 Steps to Effective Bed Bug Management
Communication has always been critical to IPM, and never more so than when dealing with bed bugs. It is critical for a PMP to engage clients and their clients’ tenants by asking pertinent questions: How many people have been bitten? Where do victims spend the most time? When was the problem noticed? Have they seen live insects? What "home remedies" did they try?
As bed bugs draw more media attention, the public becomes sensitized to bite marks, marks that look like bites or any mark they’re sure wasn’t there when they went to bed. These and other general "itches" they associate with being infested are symptoms that may be indicative of other pests or sometimes have non-pest causes. Listening to the client or his tenants/guests can often help confirm that bed bugs are the causal agents and help determine the location and extent of the infestation. The following 10 steps will help PMPs handle a bed bug management program:
1. Start with a detailed inspection. Focus on sleeping areas and places where occupants spend time resting, as well as furniture and objects directly near beds, couches and easy chairs. Thoroughly check mattresses and bed frames and carefully inspect items such as headboards (a common harborage area), nightstands, end tables and electrical appliances. Don’t overlook luggage and other personal bags. Rooms and/or apartments adjacent to the infested area should be inspected.
2. Record what was found. Include live bugs, fecal staining, blood smears and cast skins. Documentation will help your pest management firm design your treatment protocol, provide an ideal tool to use when you describe your services to your client and provide written confirmation of the pest condition that existed before your treatment.
3. Obtain a population estimate by placing monitoring devices under and adjacent to beds and suspected infested furniture. Leave them overnight. These monitors also may help in determining the origin or location of an infestation.
4. Prepare a well-defined plan of action with goals for treatment and share them with your clients. Create a drawing of the room(s) to be treated.
5. Develop an easy-to-understand checklist of things the client needs to do before treatment. It is sensible to have the client sign a copy of this checklist to acknowledge that they understand the recommendations you have provided.
6. Do not remove anything unless it is securely bagged. Place clothing, linens and other washable items in bags for removal and laundering. Dispose of bags outdoors and return the cleaned items to living areas in new bags. Consider dry cleaning items that cannot be laundered.
7. Prior to any treatment, have the carpets, floors and furniture vacuumed to physically remove as many bugs as possible. Discard vacuum bags outdoors immediately after use. Arrange for removal of all electrical plates, phone jack covers and light switches. Make sure all pets are relocated before conducting any applications.
8. Ask the client to discard mattresses or treat with a product that has EPA-approved label language permitting mattress treatment. Mattress encasements are available to seal mattresses after treatment if you or your customer so desires.
9. Use a multifaceted treatment strategy, including perimeter treatment, mattress and furniture treatment, crack-and-crevice treatment, and dust treatment for wall voids, electrical outlets and other places a liquid product is not appropriate.
10. Schedule a visit after initial and follow-up treatments are completed. Evaluate results and help educate customers by providing instructions and advice that will help them prevent future bed bug infestations. — Chris Bowley, pest control product manager, FMC Professional Solutions
Author’s note: FMC Professional Solutions has a comprehensive suite of tools for bed bug control, allowing PMPs to manage bed bug populations in any type of infestation. For more information, contact your local FMC sales representative or distributor.
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Temp-Air Releases Lighter, Narrower Heater
Temp-Air released its new EBB-460V, a lighter, narrower and more efficient thermal remediation electric bed bug heater. Nearly 100 pounds lighter and 10 inches narrower than its predecessor, the EBB-460V efficiently delivers 7,000 watts at 2,400 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of heated air. Also equipped with lockable swivel casters, the updated unit can be moved easily from room-to-room and through narrow doorways.
The EBB-460V delivers high volumes of air at a high velocity, ultimately reducing heat up time. Designed with a digital temperature control, the EBB-460V is locked not to exceed 135°F based on air intake. This controlled application of heat ensures lethal temperatures are reached while minimizing damage to the space and its contents.
The EBB-460V is UL approved and listed as an insect control device and is the only heater specifically designed for the application of heat to control bed bugs, the company says.
The EBB-460V is standard in the trailer, expanded and house power equipment packages. The most popular equipment package combines a trailer equipped with a 40 kW generator, 4 EBB-460V (460 volt, 3 phase) heaters, fans, a wireless temperature monitoring system, and various treatment accessories.
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Bed Bug Solution Case Study
In 2009, M&M Pest Control received hundreds of bed bug complaints in New York City alone, many from people living in multi-unit dwellings. To help control these infestations, M&M Pest Control knew that it was going to need the right solution.
When conditions change in bed bugs’ environments — because of things like pesticides or items that cause a change in temperature — they can migrate to locations with more favorable living conditions. Some bed bug populations have also developed insecticide resistance towards pyrethroids. Between resistance issues and bed bugs’ ability to migrate quickly, M&M recognized the need for a new solution — one that needed to be eco-friendly and follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines.
"M&M has always employed Integrated Pest Management so nothing was going to stand in the way of our following these guidelines," said Timothy Wong, technical director at M&M.
The specific goals of M&M’s IPM program were to:
• Change the living environment of the bed bugs to make their survival less likely.
• Use inspections and monitoring tools to determine where pests were active.
• Use only EPA-accepted pesticides.
• Apply pesticides to area(s) where pest activity had already been confirmed.
"Staying green was at the top of our list of our priorities but we still wanted to be able to use a liquid residual and an eco-friendly dust that we knew would work," Wong said.
Many of M&M’s clients required a low level of toxicity in chemicals to be used in their treatment programs because of health- or environmental-related reasons. Additionally, M&M needed an effective residual that would not repel bed bugs into other non-affected areas. The firm’s solution needed to include non-repellent products that were effective. Wong met with Tom Dolan, sales specialist, BASF Pest Control Solutions, to discuss using the BASF SmartSolution for bed bugs as M&M’s new treatment program.
BASF’s SmartSolution for bed bugs includes Phantom SC termiticide-insecticide, Prescription Treatment brand Phantom Pressurized Insecticide and Prescription Treatment brand Alpine Dust Insecticide, all of which control pyrethroid-resistant and non-resistant bed bugs, the company reports. They utilize different classes of chemistry to avoid the development of resistance, BASF says. "M&M needed a program that fought off pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs and prevented relocation to other units," Dolan said. "The long-lasting residues from the foundational nonrepellents in the SmartSolution for bed bugs can control bed bugs for an extended period."
"M&M’s attention and devotion towards constantly looking for new ways to improve their current programs is a great example of how companies should be adapting their methods as conditions that affect pests change," Dolan said.
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Control Solutions
Vector-Ban Plus is a versatile weapon against a variety of pests (including bed bugs) for a variety of treatment applications, including outdoor and indoor applications, crack and crevice, ULV, space spray, and automatic misting systems in residential, commercial buildings and animal housing. PMPs can apply Vector-Ban Plus to mattresses and other harborage areas for control of bed bugs, as well as a perimeter spray for general structural-infesting pests. Utilized in a residential or commercial misting system, Vector-Ban Plus can reduce populations of various disease-transmitting mosquitoes as well as other nuisance flying insects, the company reports.
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