Continuing from Wednesday…

• 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.

April has been designated as National Pest Management month by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).  The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA), is the “consumer education arm of the National Pest Management Association” which provides information to consumers about “the value of our industry and our ability to protect health, safety and property” according to the NPMA’s website.

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.

New York City has been touted by some pest control experts in other parts of the world as being the bed bug capital of the United States.  Nearly wiped off of our radar screen in the 1950’s, bed bugs have certainly made a comeback on America’s landscape.  They have now reportedly been found in all 50 states.  Larger U.S. cities, with more dense populations, understandably have had more trouble with the bloodsuckers, but bed bugs are indiscriminate blood thirsty characters.  They do not care where you live or what your economic status is.  They are after one thing…blood…preferably from a human host.

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.

It’s one of the simple pleasures in life.  Whether dripping down from a hot fudge sundae or melting into a glorious goo in your mouth, for many people, chocolate is a delightful treat in their lives.

You might be shocked to hear that your favorite sinful treat has a few additives that you did not know about.  Worse yet, those additives, despite being considered “safe” are making some people sick!

Insects are in abundance throughout the world.  Without a doubt we have all consumed pounds of them during our lifetime, without even knowing it.

ABC News reported on March 26, 2012 that people who are allergic to chocolate may actually be allergic to something else entirely…cockroaches!

According to their report, the Food and Drug Administration allows for up to 60 insect pieces per 100 grams of chocolate to be present before it is rejected for consumption.  On average, there are eight…yes, eight insect parts that can be found in one single chocolate bar that is produced in the United States.  These “parts” are considered to be safe for consumption.  If you think you can just stop eating chocolate to avoid eating bugs, you would be mistaken.  “Other foods like peanut butter, macaroni, fruit, cheese, popcorn, and wheat also contain this material.”  You may read the article here.

What has been revealed is that these trace amounts of insect parts can adversely affect people who suffer from asthma and allergies.  According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the diagnosis of asthma has been on a steady increase in the United States for the past 30 years.  Cockroach waste has been proven to trigger acute asthma attacks, especially in children.  Studies have shown that “from 23 percent to 60 percent of urban residents with asthma are sensitive to the cockroach allergen.”

So the question remains…will you still eat chocolate?  Despite the insect parts, I know I won’t be able to give up such a decadent treat!

NJ pest control experts report that all stages of bed bugs reach certain death when they are subjected to temperatures over 113 degrees.  Stern Environmental Group offers the perfect solution to killing bed bugs on personal property.  The PackTite Portable Bed Bug Killing Heat Chamber is available in small and large sizes.  Use the small one for killing bed bugs and their eggs in backpacks, luggage, blankets, coats, toys, or other sensitive items.

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.