New York City and New Jersey pest control professionals know first-hand how difficult it can be to treat bed bug infestations.  Creepy bed bugs will hide in the smallest of cracks and crevices and come out to feed during the wee hours of the morning when you are fast asleep.  No person is off-limits to a hungry bed bug and no hiding spot is off limits once they are finished feeding which is why these bugs are so difficult to locate.

Out of panic, many people choose to discard their mattress immediately upon discovering bed bugs.  This however will not solve the problem because bed bugs can and will live and breed in other locations within a room.

Mattresses, box springs, nightstands, dressers, curtains, floorboards, electrical outlets, headboards, books, picture frames, and carpet can all harbor bed bugs in a home.  Cluttered living spaces make for a perfect living environment for bed bugs as well.  Stern Environmental Group has many products that will help keep bed bugs from biting you at night so you will receive a good night’s sleep.

Whether you have bed bugs or not, it is highly recommended that you use a mattress encasement that is specifically designed to keep existing bed bugs from biting.  The Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasement has a miracle membrane that won’t allow bed bugs to bite through the fabric.   Its seamless design means that bed bugs will not be able to hide within the piping or stitching areas on the mattress.  This mattress encasement’s easy installation, and the many sizes to choose from, makes it the perfect choice for homes and hotels alike.

You can find the Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasements as well many other useful bed bug prevention, travel, monitoring, and treatment products available at Stern Environmental Group.

As 2011 is nearing its end, you might have thought that you were becoming safer from bed bug infestations.  NYC pest control professionals warn residents to not let their guard down lest these creepy pests sneak in and wreak havoc in your home or business.  Published in August of 2011, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the University of Kentucky released their 2011 “Bugs Without Borders Survey”.  The compelling information provides insight as to where we stand in the war against America’s bed bugs.

The new survey from the NPMA reveals that 99% of the pest control professionals that were surveyed confirmed that they have treated bed bug infestations during the past 12 months.  Of those who responded, 73% believe that bed bugs are they most difficult pest to treat.  Infestations are occurring in homes as well as public arenas such as college dorms, hotels, schools, retail stores, day care centers hospitals, movie theaters, airplanes, taxis, buses, and apartment buildings.

Nationwide, the increase in reports of bed bug infestations is staggering in comparison to information collected just one year prior.  According to the NPMA, examples of bed bugs increasing include:

• College dorms:  Current: 54% – Previous 35%
• Hotels/Motels:  Current:  80% – Previous 67%
• Nursing Homes:  Current:  46% – Previous 25%
• Office Buildings:  Current:  38% – Previous 18%
• Schools/Day Care Centers:  Current:  36% – Previous 10%
• Hospitals:  Current:  31% – Previous 12%
• Transportation (train, bus, taxi):  Current: 18% – Previous 9%
• Movie Theaters:  Current:  17% – Previous 5%

You may read these and more bed bug statistics from the National Pest Management here.

A NYC pest control expert like Stern Environmental Group can help you pin-point the exact location of your bed bug infestation problem.  We have multiple treatment options available and state-of-the art equipment to kill bloodsucking bed bugs with the greatest of ease.

Could you imagine living with bed bugs attacking you each night for six very long years?  Residents in a Brooklyn apartment building claim that they have been living a hellish bed bug nightmare, with little relief provided by their landlord.

According to reports by the New York Daily News on August 30, 2011, tenants in the Bay Ridge building in Brooklyn have been battling the bloodsucking pests since 2005.  Long-time residents claim to have spent huge amounts of money replacing mattresses and furniture in an effort to escape the nighttime nibblers.  Residents have been forced to keep their belongings in plastic bags so that they can remain free of bed bugs.  Tenants claim that on occasion, pest control experts have been called to provide treatment to a unit here or there in the building, but the bed bug problem persists because the entire building has never received bed bug treatment at the same time.  “The landlord currently has 43 open housing code violations, with the most recent bed bug violation issued August 16th.”  The residents also complain of trouble with rodents running amuck in the building.

You may read the article here.

It’s important to educate yourself about bed bug infestations if you want to win the war against them.  Mattresses can be saved with the help of Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasements.   These amazing covers will trap any remaining bed bugs and their eggs inside of the encasement and keep any new bed bugs from being able to infest the exterior of the mattress. The special bite-proof cover guarantees that you won’t need to worry about any existing bed bugs biting through the fabric or escaping into your home.

There is a variety of bed bug monitors that can help trap and control bed bug infestations.  Working in conjunction with pest control services, these devices will help get an infested building or room under control in no time at all.

If you live in a rental unit, communication and cooperation with your landlord about how bed bug preparations, treatments, monitoring, and follow-up will occur is paramount to the successful elimination of any bed bug infestation.

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 Friday…

• Something is biting me, where should I look for possible bed bugs?  Bed bugs can typically be found within 20 feet of their host.  In a bedroom, look for bed bugs signs in the bed, paying particular attention to the seams, bed frame, headboard, bedding, and box spring areas.  Look for bed bug skins, fecal matter, or actual bed bugs in dresser drawers, light fixtures, floor boards, picture frames, mirrors, electrical components, books, papers, etc.

• I think I have bed bugs, can I treat them myself?  NO!  Although over-the-counter bed bug treatment products are available, they have proven to be ineffective in the killing of bed bugs.  Some types of products (foggers) will actually spread the infestation as bed bugs detect the poison and scatter through the walls and floors to seek shelter in other rooms.  NYC pest control experts have an arsenal of treatment methods that are proven effective in killing bed bugs.

• I’ve got bed bugs; does that mean that my home is dirty? NO.  Bed bug infestations are common occurrences and are not related to sanitation issues.  Even the cleanest living conditions are subject to bed bug infestations.  Cluttered conditions however do provide ample opportunity for bed bug harborages.

• When do bed bugs eat?  Bed bugs survive solely on blood…preferably from a human but they will seek out cats, dogs, rodents and birds in the absence of human blood.

• Do bed bugs spread diseases?  NO.  Although bed bugs are known to carry a variety of pathogens, to date there is no concrete evidence that bed bugs transmit any disease to humans or pets.

• Do I need to throw all of my belongings away?  NO.  Although some people opt to dispose of bed bug infested property, The National Pest Management Association and NYC pest control experts say that this is not necessary.  Bed bug infestations can be controlled with professional treatment.  Clothing and bedding items can easily be saved by washing and drying on hot temperature settings.  Mattresses can be salvaged by using mattress encasements.

Please check back on Wednesday for the conclusion.