For some unknown reason, Ohio’s bed bug infestation problem is nearly as bad as New York City and New York and New Jersey pest control experts are keeping a close eye on the problems within the state.  Bed bug infestations are so extensive in Ohio that the state has four major cities listed as the “most infested cities” in the United States, according to pest control experts.

Bed bugs are not known to carry diseases, but their persistent bites are annoying at best.  The nighttime nibbles from these bloodsuckers cause painful swelling, welts, and irritating itching.  Because of the seemingly never ending cycle of bed bugs within state run senior citizen homes, it was reported last week that the state of Ohio has now resorted to using valuable Medicaid funds to cover the cost of bed bug eradication services.

Earlier in 2010, Governor Ted Strickland, asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for emergency relief for the state of Ohio, for all of his constituents, in helping fight the war on bed bugs.  The Governor wanted permission to be granted so that pest control experts could use the pesticide Propoxur.  After some consideration, the EPA denied the Governor’s request.

In an interesting turn of events, the Environmental Protection Agency has decided that Ohio can use Propoxur, minimally, and with very strict limitations.  The EPA will be allowing Propoxur to be used in some state run senior citizen homes…but each of the homes that the pesticide is used in can only have ONE treatment of the powerful pesticide.  Understandably, outgoing Governor Strickland, thinks that limiting the location and only allowing one treatment is not fair to all of the residents of the state of Ohio because a considerable amount of people are suffering from the tenacious bugs.

It does not matter why the EPA changed their mind on the use of Propoxur.  Hopefully they will see that this powerful pesticide works well in killing all stages of bed bugs…as has been previously proven.  Hopefully Propoxur will not cause any illnesses or problems for humans.  If all goes well in Ohio with the use of Propoxur, perhaps there is a chance that the EPA will allow New York and New Jersey pest control experts, and others across the United States, a chance to use it as well!