If bed bugs are found, treatment must be completed to the unit and all of the surrounding units as well.  PHAs may offer special services to tenants such as inspecting furniture, non-chemical treatment of furniture prior to moving into a unit, the use of bed bug detection devices or mattress encasements, but tenants are not required to use the services.  All special services must be incurred at the expense of the PHA.

Public Housing Agencies cannot deny residency to tenants who have had previous bed bug experiences.  Preferential treatment may not be provided to tenants based upon their response to the question regarding exposure to bed bugs.  Any person who lives in a HUD owned Public Housing Unit cannot be charged for bed bug eradication services.  All costs for bed bug eradication must be covered by the PHA.

Recognizing that tenants have some responsibility in controlling bed bugs, tenants must also take an active role in avoiding and eliminating the pests.

In the regulation, “tenants are strongly encouraged to immediately report the suspicion of possible bed bugs in a housing unit or other areas of the property.”  This should be a REQUIREMENT, not an encouragement!  Bed bugs spread very quickly.  It is imperative that pest control professionals be called at the first sign of a bed bug infestation.

Tenants will not be reimbursed for bed bug infested items so it is important for them to cooperate and aid in the eradication process.  When bed bugs are concerned, tenants, PHAs and pest control professionals must all work together for full eradication.

Public Housing Agencies and Pest Control Professionals are encouraged to keep abreast of the new HUD guidelines by reading Notice: PIH-2012-17 provided by HUD.

It has been recommended that Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans be implemented to help control bed bugs as well as other types of household pests and HUD is strongly encouraging Pubic Housing Agencies (PHAs) to incorporate a good IPM plan.  According to HUD, the procedures include:

“Raising awareness through education on the prevention of bed bugs.

Inspecting infested area, plus surrounding living spaces.

Checking for bed bugs in luggage and clothes when returning home from a trip.

Looking for bed bugs or signs of an infestation on secondhand items before bringing the items home.

Correctly identifying the pest. Keeping records indicating dates and locations where pests are found.

Cleaning all items within a bed bug infested living area.

Reducing clutter where bed bugs can hide.

Eliminating bed bug habitats.

Physically removing bed bugs through cleaning.

Using pesticides carefully according to the label directions.

Following up on inspections and possible treatments.”

In the new guidelines, PHA must respond to complaints of bed bugs within 24 hours and discuss what measures will be taken to get rid of the pests with tenants.  Inspection of the unit in question, as well as the units above, below, and on the sides must also be performed within three business days.  If bed bugs are not found, re-inspection must be completed periodically over the next several months.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.

• Always keep your luggage zipped shut.  For added protection, consider using the BugZip Luggage Bags and Zippered Hotel Drawer Liners Bags when you travel.   You’ll have the added peace-of-mind knowing that you have done all you can to avoid bringing bed bugs home from your vacation if you properly secure your luggage or seal your belongings in these zippered encasements when you use a hotel/motel dresser.

• What you do upon your arrival home could make the difference between having a bed bug infestation and not having a bed bug infestation in your home.  NYC pest control experts recommend that all luggage be emptied outside of the home.  Bed bugs cannot stand the heat so all clothing should be placed directly into the washing machine (clean or dirty) and washed on the hottest temperature setting.  All clothing should then run through the dryer on the hottest temperature setting to kill any hitchhiking bed bugs or their eggs.

• Luggage should be carefully vacuumed (inside and out), paying particular attention to the zippered areas and folds in the luggage.

• In locations known to have hot temperatures, placing the luggage in a sealed trash bag and placing it in the sun will help kill any bed bugs that could have been missed during vacuuming.

• Store the luggage in a sealed trash bag in the garage.

Despite your best efforts, you still may be unlucky enough to bring bed bugs home with you this summer.  Bed bugs are not a do-it-yourself type of pest that can be handled with a bug bomb or other type of store bought chemical.  Bed bug treatments require a trained professional with specialized equipment and knowledge of eradication procedures.  For expert bed bug extermination service in Secaucus, New Jersey, the greater New York City Metro areas, and Connecticut regions, contact Stern Environmental Group.  Our trained technicians will offer the best alternatives for fast bed bug eradication.

Recognizing that bed bugs are still a major problem throughout the United States, the PPMA has designed the last week of the National Pest Management month to be “Bed Bug Awareness Week”.  In such, they would like to remind consumers to be vigilant in their quest to avoid bed bug exposure this summer travel season.  The PPMA recognizes that having knowledge about bed bugs, their habits, and their harborage will help consumers avoid bringing the blood thirsty pests home with them this summer.

Stern Environmental Group is a leading authority on bed bugs.  We have extensive experience with bed bug eradication and offer a multitude of bed bug products to help consumers remain bed bug free.

Stern would like to offer some reminders for safe and bed bug free traveling this summertime:

• Check for bed bugs in any hotel or motel upon your arrival. Carefully examine the entire bed, headboard, furniture and room.  Remember, even 5 star hotels can have bed bugs at any moment in time!

• Check for bed bugs when visiting a relative’s home.  Having bed bugs is not a sign of uncleanliness.  Anyone can pick up bed bugs from any location.

• Use the luggage rack in a hotel/motel.  Never place your luggage on the bed or carpeted floor areas.  The slick surface of the bathroom is also a good area to store luggage.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.

Scientists in the United States have previously reported that bed bug infestations have become more difficult to kill from coast to coast.  Modern day bed bugs have been able to transform themselves so that they can withstand current pesticide treatments that are available to New York, New Jersey, and other pest control professionals across the United States.  Bed bugs that are found today have mutated and now have a stronger exoskeleton which is able to withstand pesticides that are used by pest control experts.  In additions, this new breed of bed bug has also changed its genetic makeup which has further enhanced its ability to survive.

JunkScience.com reported on April 16, 2012, that “mutant bed bugs” have now been discovered in Scotland.  Pest control experts are finding that Scottish bed bugs are now twice as difficult to kill in comparison to years past.  According to reports, policy makers and scientists in Scotland are looking at new ways to try to combat the bloodsuckers before they become more of a problem than they already are.  Their discovery of “mutant bed bugs” appears to be the same troubles that we are experiencing here in the United States.  You may read the article here.

Trying to kill NY or NJ bed bugs on your own will prove to be an uphill battle as they are masters at hiding in odd places.  Their tiny size and their ability to multiply quickly make them one of the most frustrating and most difficult household pests to eliminate.  Store bought chemicals have proven to be ineffective on bed bug infestations.  Your best bet for treating NY or NJ bed bug infestations is to contact a licensed pest control expert with extensive experience in bed bug eradication services.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln recently underwent a massive bed bug infestation problem in many of their student dorm facilities.  It has been reported that they spent over $300,000 ridding the campus of the bloodsucking pests by utilizing several bed bug sniffing dogs and heat treatment.  Not wanting to have bed bugs plague the facilities again, the University bought eight PackTite units that will be used to treat luggage, backpacks, and other small items that are brought in by students who have gone home for weekends and holidays as well as incoming students.

The PackTite Portable Bed Bug Killing Heat Chamber is an invaluable tool in helping curtail bed bug infestations.  Hotels will benefit from having a unit on site.  If a guest happens to find bed bugs in their room, the hotel can kill any bed bugs that have hitched a ride in their luggage or personal belongings in a matter of hours, causing minimal disruption to the guest.  The PackTite Closet is a perfect solution for hotels as its larger size allows for more air and heat circulation.  Any bed bugs or their eggs will not stand a chance in this unit when the temperature reaches 120 to 140 degrees.  It has been proven to kill all bed bugs, in all life stages, in just two hours!

You can find both the large and small size PackTite Portable Bed Bug Killing Heat Chamber at Stern Environmental Group.

Bakersfieldnow.com reported on April 13, 2012 that a woman claims that she rented a bed and two couches from a national furniture rental store.  She claims that her son began receiving strange welts in October of 2011, but she did not know what the marks were.  After several months, she eventually went into her son’s room late at night and turned on the light only to find bed bugs crawling all over his mattress, pillow, body and face.  She called the furniture company and had the bed removed. The son then slept on a couch and began receiving bed bug bites.  A Pest control expert flipped the couches over and found bed bugs continuously crawling in and out of the underside of the sofas.  Bed bug eggs were also in abundance.  The couches were completely infested.  A call to the rental company met with their speedy removal, but no admission of guilt for causing the bed bugs.

You may read the article here and be sure to check out the video link showing the massive amount of bed bugs popping out of the couch and their eggs surrounding them.  Gross!

Bed bugs can be costly to eradicate.  When dealing with rental furniture, many companies are quick to blame the renter for causing the infestation, even when the bed bugs are discovered immediately.  When a renter does not discover the infestation until months down the line, it opens up the possibility that bed bugs were caused by the multi-unit housing complex and a battle usually ensues as to who is legally responsible for the bed bug eradication procedures.

For fast NJ and NYC bed bug removal services, contact Stern Environmental Group.

Preparing your house for bed bug treatment by a pest control professional is an arduous task. Laundering your bed bug infested items can be frustrating and time consuming.  In an effort to provide our customers with the best and most convenient alternatives, Stern Environmental Group offers the Mobile Bed Bug Heating Trailer.  No longer do you have to throw away expensive furniture or suffer though the frustration of laundering a houseful of clothing and bedding.  When you use the Mobile Bed Bug Heating Trailer, heat sensitive bed bugs are killed at one time using heat that reaches temperatures over 122 degrees Fahrenheit.  Our special temperature probes and computer monitoring ensures that all bed bugs and their eggs are dead, even ones that are hidden deep within the confines of furniture.

Having bed bugs invade your home is a difficult task to deal with.  Let Stern’s specially trained team safely pack up your belongings and move them into the Mobile Bed Bug Heating Trailer for fast and accurate thermal remediation.

Treating bed bugs on clothing and other fabric items should be handled carefully.  Consumers should take special care when moving things around and taking items out of infested rooms.  Items should be packed up or placed in a bin so that bed bugs cannot drop off and spread to other locations in the home.  Some pest control experts report that running bed bug infested items through the dryer only is sufficient in killing all stages of bed bugs.  It should be noted that some consumers have reported that they have found that some bed bugs have been able to survive this would-be cycle of death by slipping into, and lurking in the dryer vent area.  NYC pest control experts recommend washing AND drying all bed bug infested clothing on hot heat in order to obtain absolute kill of bed bugs.

According to the “Insects in the City” article authored by Dr. Mike Merchant at Texas A & M AgriLIFE Extension, the research performed will help in the disinfection process of laundry.

According to their findings, all stages of bed bugs are killed during the dry cleaning process.  Some consumers are finding that some dry cleaners will not provide treatment for bed bug infested clothing.  It is important to advise a dry cleaner of the infestation as they typically have special protocol that is followed so that they do not become infested.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.

Bed bugs are masters at hitchhiking from place to place on any person that they encounter.  Because of their tiny size and elusive behavior, they can and will hide anyplace that they have hitchhiked to.  It would not be uncommon to find bed bugs lurking within the confines of the sheets, blankets, or pillows on a bed.  It would also not be uncommon to find these bloodsuckers hiding among clothing in drawers, closets, and laundry baskets.

One of the dilemmas that bed bug exterminators and consumers face when bed bugs are present is what should be done with fabric items (ie…clothing and bedding etc.) that are crawling with bed bugs.  Dr. Mike Merchant, author of “Insects in the City” at Texas A & M AgriLIFE Extension shared important information about research that was conducted by two scientists at the University of Sheffield in England.  Their research about how to kill bed bugs and their eggs via laundering will help both consumers and bed bug exterminators stop bed bugs from spreading so that they won’t be moved from place to place via fabric items at the onset of the eradication procedure.

Please check back on Wednesday for Part 2.