It may not be as effective as our Cryonite extermination system, but it’s definitely a new wrinkle in the fight against bed bugs. At the exclusive Jurys Boston Hotel, bed bugs are going to the dogs. In its nearly 4 years of operation, Jurys has never had a bed bug incident. Even so, last year the hotel instituted canine patrols of bed bug-sniffing dogs to patrol its 225 guest rooms.

The specially trained canine pest hunters have only barked twice, apparently detecting the scent of the tiny blood-suckers or their eggs. In both cases, Jurys took no chances. They immediately fumigated the room for bed bugs and burned the mattresses.

“At the first sign or suggestion of a problem, our reaction would be to treat the room with chemicals, no questions asked,” said general manager Stephen Johnston in an interview with The Boston Globe. Johnston calls in the canine patrol for an inspection every three months.

While guest comfort is high on hotels’ lists when contracting for pest control, avoiding potential law suits must run a close second. A couple from New Jersey sued the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers last fall after claiming they were bitten by bed bugs during a two-night stay.

Jurys isn’t about to take any chances, and they’re not the only hotel whose pest control service is going to the dogs. About 10 Boston hotels use the services of Advanced K9 Detectives in Milford, Connecticut.

It’s like a scene for the Alfred Hitchcock’s classic horror film Birds. Only this time, the people are attacking the birds. Pigeon poachers have been rounding up birds in NYC parks and high-tailing it off to parts unknown with truckloads of the urban pests. City Health Department Commissioner Thomas Frieden said some rustlers are selling the birds for $5 to $10 each to out-of-state pigeon shoots. The pigeon shoots may be legal, but absconding with the city’s ubiquitous park dwellers and transporting them across state lines without a permit isn’t.

In the early-morning hours, men spread seed on city park pavements and uninhabited streets to lure the pigeons. As dozens come to feed, the men throw large nets over the cooing throng, toss the whole flailing mass into the back of a truck and screech off. The Health Department, in concert with several state and local agencies, has been trying to head the rustlers off at the pass, so far without success.

Birders and the New York Bird Club are upset, and some have formed their own posse to track down the bird-nappers. “We’ve followed the netters to a warehouse in Queens that sells poultry,” said one bird advocate. “We’re still trying to pull together evidence.” Commissioner Frieden urges any citizen observing the illegal netting of pigeons to report details by calling 311.

Bed bugs are public enemy #1 in NYC. The city is launching a comprehensive effort to educate New York residents about the pesky blood suckers and crack down on landlords who don’t get rid of them. On Monday, January 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the city will host the first of a series of informative Bed Bug Seminars in the first floor conference room of Russ Berrie Pavilion at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. The hospital is located at 1150 St. Nicholas Ave. at 168th St. in the city. The program will include:

• How to recognize bed bugs.
• How to prevent bed bug infestations.
• How to eliminate bed bugs from your home.

Click the post title for complete information or contact the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. For immediate answers to your bed bug questions, click here.

Here at Stern Environmental, we’ve been in the vanguard in the fight against invading bed bugs for some time. Last year saw record hordes of the annoying little chompers spreading across the city. This year promises to surpass even 2007′s record nationwide resurgence of the nasty pest. Some are predicting 2008 will be the Year of the Bed Bug. Cindy Mannes, spokesperson for the National Pest Management Association, said bed bugs have become a serious problem in every state, including frigid Alaska. “There are some who call it the pest of the 21st century,” she said.

In 2004, NYC received 1,800 complaints about bed bugs. Last year saw that number more than triple to 7,000 complaints. The same thing is happening nationwide. All but eradicated in the U.S. following WWII, the banning of powerful DDT-based pesticides, coupled with increased international travel, has brought about a nationwide resurgence of the pesky critters. The new chemical-free Cryonite system may hold the key to the total eradication of bed bugs. Using pressurized carbon dioxide “snow” to reach, freeze and kill bed bugs where they hide, the Cryonite system is the only treatment program that kills adult bugs, larva and eggs simultaneously.

We urge you to attend the city-sponsored bed bug seminars or visit our website to get educated about bed bugs and how to prevent them. But if you have or get bed bugs, don’t wait another minute. Call Stern immediately. Don’t spend another sleepless night as the main course in a bed bug orgy. Let “The Cryoniter” put paid to your bed bug problem — permanently.

Sometimes the cure seems to be as bad as the disease. Having bed bugs invade your bed and your home and is horrible enough. But what if the pesticides necessary to kill the critters make your lungs or your skin feel like they’re on fire. People with sensitive skin, allergies or asthma often have as much trouble living with the cure as they did the pest.

That’s the beauty of Cryonite. The revolutionary new bed bug eradication treatment does not use harsh chemicals, nor does it leave noxious or poisonous residues. Cryonite is a completely “green” solution to killing pests. It’s safe for people with sensitive skin, asthma, medical conditions, babies, young children and pets, which makes it the perfect choice for day care centers, nursing homes, schools and hospitals. It’s fast, effective and kills even pest-resistant bed bugs (and roaches). A totally dry method of pest elimination, Cryonite leaves no liquid residue which allows for immediate use of your home or business after treatment. Click the post title to find out how Cryonite works.

Cryonite is becoming the “pesticide” of choice in the fight against bed bugs. A recent customer with severe skin allergies chose Cryonite so there would be no pesticides on her clothes, shoes or linens after treatment. A woman who was obviously channeling Imelda Marcos, she had an extensive shoe collection that she thought she’d have to throw away when bed bugs were discovered in her condo. She was thrilled to learn that with Cryonite we could kill the bed bugs and she could keep the shoes. One of the significant advantages of Cryonite is that it kills bugs quickly and completely — at every stage of development, including eggs — and leaves no telltale residue. Your clothing, shoes and possessions are pesticide-free and ready to wear when we leave.

If you’re buying a house or looking for a new apartment or condo, take to heart the old adage “Buyer Beware.” You may be moving into new digs that have been invaded by bed bugs. According to a recent article in the New York Times (click here to read the full article), the New York state Property Condition Disclosure Act requires home sellers to provide buyers with an accurate statement disclosing the property’s condition, including pest infestations. (Similar laws are in effect in most states.) But there’s a loophole.

Under New York’s disclosure act, the seller must complete a 48-question disclosure statement about his property. Only one question asks about pest problems; and it doesn’t specifically ask about bed bugs, just “pest infestations.” Here’s the loophole: Sellers can choose not to fill out the disclosure statement and pay the penalty, a $500 credit to the buyer. Many sellers figure that’s a cheap price for making the sale when there’s been a bed bug problem.

An even greater problem for buyers looking for new digs in the Big Apple is that the law does not apply to co-op and condo owners. Common law is on the side of the seller. The Times quotes real estate attorney Edward Sumber of White Plains:

“Under the doctrine of caveat emptor — let the buyer beware — the seller has
no affirmative obligation to reveal circumstances about the apartment to the
buyer.”

However, the seller does have to answer honestly if specifically asked whether the apartment has had bed bugs. Additionally, real estate brokers are obligated to reveal a bed bug problem to the buyer if they know about it. Unfortunately, sellers are not required to tell their real estate brokers about bed bug problems. Essentially, that means buyers must rely on the integrity of landlords and sellers anxious to make a sale. This could definitely create a buyer beware scenario if any of the parties are less than honest.

If you’re shopping for a new home, apartment or condominium, you might want to consider hiring a pest control company with an expertise in bed bug elimination to inspect the property before you sign on the dotted line.