Dogs have powerful olfactory abilities.  For years, the noses of dogs have been used to help humans in a wide variety of tasks.  Dogs are being used to sniff out missing persons, drugs, bombs, weapons, arson, mold, termites, and most recently as bed bug detectors.  They boast amazing accuracy, from 96 to 98 percent in finding bed bug infestations.  Like other types of detection dogs, bed bug sniffing dogs undergo rigorous training prior to being placed in the line of duty.  Once they begin work, they require daily training to keep their skills honed.

They are cute and cuddly and have names like Disney characters, and they are a new force to be reckoned with in New York City.  Two new beagles, with a powerful nose, and a will to please, have joined the fray of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development last week.  These well-trained pups are the new additions that will help Code Enforcement uncover New York City bed bug infestations throughout the city.

According to Reuters on November 18, 2011, the cost to acquire the bed bug sniffing dogs were $69,000 which covers “six months of training and pay for their continued schooling, veterinary care and insurance, and food and housing for their first year of service.”  Reports are the each dog and their handler will perform up to twelve inspections per day.  On their first day on the job, three violations to landlords were handed out.

You may read the article here.

Bed bug sniffing dog inspections are fast and accurate.  While human inspections for bed bugs are good, it can be several hours to complete an inspection thoroughly.  Bed bug dogs are able to breeze through any inspection in a short period of time.  If the dog finds bed bugs, their eggs, fecal matter, or bed bug skins, these amazing dogs will alert their handler to the location of the critters so that you will know exactly where treatment is needed.

Stern Environmental Group is proud to offer bed bug sniffing dog services to our customers as well.  We provide highly trained bed bug canine services to New York City, New York, and New Jersey.

Continuing from Monday…

To date, there have already been a number of colleges and universities throughout the United States that have reported having trouble with bed bug infestations.  Maysville Community and Technical College has found them in their tutoring center.  Wake Forest University had bed bug infestations thriving in 2% of their dorm rooms and the dorm rooms at Old Dominican University have the buggers lurking around too.  This is likely only the beginning of the bed bug nightmare for many college students!

New Jersey pest control experts report that many colleges throughout the United States are being proactive by having pest control experts at the ready in case an outbreak occurs.  If the bloodsuckers are discovered, colleges are using high tech devices such as heat treatment, Cryonite, pesticides, and bed bug sniffing dogs to clear any area of the infestation to have the least amount of disruption and to keep students healthy and safe.

The recent study from the National Pest Management Association called “2011 Bugs Without Borders Survey” revealed that 73% of pest control professionals believe that bed bugs are the most difficult pest to eradicate.  Upon arriving at any campus dorm room, New Jersey pest control experts recommend that you carefully examine the room for bed bugs prior to bringing in any personal belongings.  Bed bugs can easily be lurking in the tufts and seams of the bed so you so definitely buy a Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasement. The encasement will not only fully encase the entire mattress, trapping any potential bed bugs or their eggs inside (forever), they will also keep bed bugs from being able to make a nest on the mattress if any exist in the room or hitchhike their way inside at a later date.

Always remember, avoiding bed bugs is easier than dealing with an infestation!

Continuing from Wednesday…

• What do bed bugs look like?  Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and are brown in color.  Once they receive their blood meal, they turn reddish-brown and plump up.  They are visible and easy to spot with careful inspection of your surroundings.  Baby bed bugs (nymphs) are smaller and are white-ish in color.  They are more difficult to locate depending on their size.  Once they feed, they turn red in color.  Bed bug eggs are white/translucent and are difficult to locate by the naked eye.  A bed bug sniffing dog is a good tool to use to root out all stages of bed bug infestations.

• When should I look for bed bugs?  New York City pest control experts say that because bed bugs are so prevalent in the region, you should inspect for bed bugs on a regular basis.  It is recommended that a thorough inspection be completed each week when the sheets are changed on your bedding.

• Where should I look for bed bugs?  Bed bugs are elusive critters that are known for their sneaky nighttime antics.  Bed bugs can be found anywhere that humans inhabit, and are especially prevalent in bedrooms and other furniture within a home.  Bed bugs are fast moving bugs that will travel a good distance in order to feed.  Bed bugs typically lurk within 20 feet of their food source.

• How fast can a bed bug multiply?  After feeding, a female bed bug will lay from one to twelve eggs each day.  Tiny eggs are deposited in any crack, crevice, or rough surface and are adhered with a sticky substance to make them stay put until hatching.  Bed bug eggs will hatch in 6 to 17 days depending on the room temperature.  Nymphs will begin to feed immediately as they need a blood meal to reach their next life stage.  Pest control experts believe that if necessary, the resilient bed bug can abstain from eating for up to 18 months.

Please check back on Monday for part 3.

New York City pest control experts says that many of our Canadian neighbors have been suffering with bed bug infestations just as badly as residents have been in big and small cities throughout the United States.  Like Americans from coast to coast, bed bug victims are desperate to rid their homes and businesses of the nocturnal nibblers because of the physical and emotional stress they cause.

Similar to the United States, Canadian pest control experts utilize a variety of techniques to try to eradicate bed bugs once an infestation is discovered.  Insecticides, Cryonite, steam, and heat treatment are all commonly used by pest control professionals to eradicate bed bugs in Canada.

The Edmonds Journal reported on July 13, 2011 that there was a fiery blaze at an apartment building in Edmonton, Canada.  Authorities are still investigating the incident that sent a grandmother, mother and her two small children to the hospital with serious injuries from the fire.  Tenants in the building claim that they were given notification that an apartment within the complex would be undergoing bed bug eradication treatment on the day of the fire.  The article says that tenants also say that two 100 pound propane tanks were seen on the balcony of one of the apartments prior to the fiery inferno, which would indicate that bed bug heat treatment service was engaged.  Additionally, according to reports, one tenant claims to have called the property management company to report the smell of gas prior to the fire breaking out.  The cause of the blaze is being investigated by fire investigators so it is unclear as to the actual cause of the blaze.

The article can be found here.

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion.

New Jersey pest control experts agree that developing bed bug legislations throughout the United States is a good idea.  Assigning responsibility and explaining expectations will eliminate confusion, and potentially lawsuits, when a bed bug infestation is discovered.  It’s important for lawmakers to be mindful of the fairness to all people when creating bed bug legislation.

In an effort to provide statutory framework to guide renters, landlords and the court system in how bed bugs should be dealt with, North Carolina lawmakers have recently proposed the “Landlord/Tenant/Bedbug Liability Act.

The proposed details of North Carolina’s House Bill 721 are as follows…

The landlord cannot offer for lease any rental property that the landlord knows is infested with bed bugs.  “The landlord may, prior to leasing the premises, obtain a certificate from a licensed pest control company certifying that the premises are free of an infestation of bed bugs, and the certificate shall serve as conclusive evidence of the landlord’s compliance with the provisions of this subdivision.”

This portion of the new legislation appears to favor landlords over tenants.  As written, landlords “may” have a certificate issued from a pest control company stating that the dwelling is bed bug free.  It does not state how the inspection is to be completed.  Will a bed bug sniffing dog be used or a human inspection performed?  Bed bug sniffing dogs are generally considered to be about 98% accurate in finding bed bugs and their eggs, while humans are far less accurate at finding the bloodsuckers upon visual inspection.  Will monitors be set up within the unit?  How can a landlord be compliant with the provisions of the new legislation when no specific guidelines are given as to how the inspection must be completed and no requirement that an actual inspection must be completed?

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion.