Monthly Archives: May 2007

Bed Bugs

New Info on Laundering Bed Bugs to Death

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Many experts have stated that washing clothing in hot water, followed by drying on high heat until bone dry is the most effective way to kill bed bugs and their eggs on clothing, bed linens and other washables. Many instructions warn you to dry items for at least 20 minutes to one hour to ensure killing all bed bugs and eggs. The problem is that many articles of clothing can’t stand up to such rough treatment, they require a more delicate touch.

University of Kentucky entomologist Michael Potter conducted experiments to test the effectiveness of laundering to de-bug clothing, bedding and personal belongings that cannot be treated with insecticides. The experiment placed three groups of live bed bug adults, nymphs and eggs into small nylon mesh bags, then tucked them inside cotton socks. Two trials were conducted:

  • The buggy socks were washed with a full load of clothing in a standard hot-water wash cycle.
  • The buggy socks were dried only by adding them to a load of unwashed clothing in a clothes dryer and dried for five minutes on high heat (greater than 175° F).

“No bed bugs or eggs survived the washing or drying cycles, suggesting that either regimen, alone or in combination, is effective,” the study reported. Click the post title to read about the study in PCT online, the web version of Pest Control Technology magazine.

The study results will make life considerably easier for bed bug sufferers. Not only will it save money on utility bills (or quarters if you have to trek to the neighborhood laundromat), but non-launderable items such as delicate clothing, footwear, area rugs, toys, stuffed animals, backpacks, etc. can be conveniently de-bugged by heating them for five minutes in a dryer at most settings. In five minutes a load of clothing in your average clothes dryer set to low, medium or high heat reaches temperatures of about 140, 150 and 180°F, respectively.

Of course, if you have bed bugs, you may decide to crank up the heat and keep the dryer running longer just to make sure. But the good news is, you don’t have to. For more information on bed bugs, check out the Stern Environmental Group website. If you have bed bugs, give us a call. We are the bed bug experts and can rid your home of the nasty bugs. You’ll sleep well tonight when you get “Stern” with your pests.

Bed Bugs, Pest Control

Have Bed Bugs? It’s Not Your Fault!

“I felt pretty much frustrated, helpless and really worried because of this bed bug problem. I could not sleep well, no more. I’m so happy I called the Stern Environmental Group for help. From the first moment they entered my apartment, they showed their professional and kind manners. They needed to come to my apt. more than one time, they are always available when u call them. Wilson is very professional and he’s the kind of expertise u can trust 100%. I would recommend this company to anyone, especially to my friends.” Alessandra

We get calls from good people like Alessandra every week — people who are distraught, anxious, at their wits’ end. You can hear the panic in their voices as they tell us they have bed bugs. They can’t sleep because their bed is infested with the creepy, crawly, blood-sucking insects. They don’t want to go out because their skin is covered with itchy red welts (let’s face it, not the most attractive look). They don’t want to stay home because the thought of being in the same house with all those little critters makes their skin crawl. Their friends don’t want to see them because they sure don’t want bed bugs in their homes.

Having bed bugs is a miserable experience made worse by the isolation and social ostracism. At Stern Environmental Group we understand how you feel. We know you want to get rid of your bed bugs instantly and get back to a normal life. We are the bed bug experts. Our highly trained bed bug experts will work with you to get rid of every last pesky bug — guaranteed!

To learn more about these annoying pests, click the post title. Our bed bug page explains what you’re up against. Bed bugs are very difficult to get rid of. It’s a job best left to pest control professionals. If you think you have bed bugs in your home or business, call the experts at Stern Environmental Group today. We’ll come out, assess the problem — there are other insects that to the unknowledgeable may appear to be bed bugs — and set about eradicating the nasty bugs from your home. If you think you have a bed bug problem, don’t delay for a minute. Call the bed bug experts at Stern Environmental Group. You’ll sleep well tonight when you get “Stern” with your pests.

Wildlife Control

Don’t Let Raccoons Take Over Your Home

My neighbors have stopped sitting on their front porch. Their lovely wicker furniture goes unused. Their porch swing sits stationary in the sunshine. I’ve seen them crack the front door open and dart a hand out to grab the mail. They’ve taken to using the side door to come and go. Afraid to step onto their front porch, they’ve become prisoners in their own home. The raccoon is nesting in their hollow porch columns again.

Last year they tried covering the openings with boards; she shoved them aside. This year they tacked screening over the openings; with a swipe of her claws she ripped right through it. She’s a big raccoon and when she’s not in the nest with her babies, she sits on top of the columns watching them and growling. On a few occasions she’s charged them which is why they’ve abandoned their porch for the duration. Of course, the noise is a factor, too. When the mama raccoon leaves to hunt for food in the evening, her babies set up a raucous caterwauling that’s not exactly conducive to a pleasant and relaxing evening. Sometimes my neighbors have had to close their front windows just to get some peace. It may be a great way to discourage solicitors, but it seems a tad extreme. It’s past time they called Stern Environmental Group and reclaimed their porch!

Wildlife experts say there are twice as many raccoons living in urban and suburban areas today as in traditional rural and woodland settings. Recent research in Chicago and its suburbs found 40 raccoons per 0.39 square mile, twice the number found in rural Illinois. It’s no longer uncommon to find raccoons setting up housekeeping in the city. Highly adaptable, raccoons find shelter in attics, crawl spaces, porch eaves, under decks and in chimneys.

“They do really well in urban areas, “said Suzie Prange, a wildlife biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife. “They’re able to utilize human refuse as food and buildings as shelter. They can live almost anywhere.”

Raccoons are attracted by outdoor pet food, birdfeeders, dirty grills and unsecured garbage cans, Prange said. They’ll even enter homes through pet doors to feast on Rover’s kibble. To prevent raccoons from moving in, homeowners should cap chimneys and inspect their homes for possible entry points, securely sealing any found.

Raccoons typically nest and have a single litter in mid-April but may invade your home at any time. Raccoons can carry fleas, mites and diseases that may infect your household pets. They are the leading carrier of rabies and canine parvovirus (distemper). Raccoon feces may contain a roundworm that can pass to humans so it’s important to have nesting sites professionally cleaned and disinfected or wear gloves and a mask if you do it yourself.

Stern Environmental Group provides safe, fast, humane removal of raccoons and their kits (babies) from your home. We remove nests and feces, disinfect the area to remove parasites and disease organisms, and deodorize the site. (Raccoons have a distinctive musky scent that’s not particularly pleasant and can linger for months after they abandon a nest.) For more information about our wildlife removal services, click the post title. At Stern Environmental Group we specialize in 24-hour emergency raccoon removal services in the New York City metropolitan region servicing New York City, parts of New Jersey and parts of Long Island. If you have a wildlife problem, call us today. You’ll sleep well tonight when you get “Stern” with your pests.

Residential Services

Satisfied Customers Are the Only Kind We Have

Thanks from another satisfied customer:

I just wanted to relay the positive experience we had with Stern. Our Brooklyn apartment and NJ home had a bed bug problem. From the moment I called Stern, your staff was courteous and helpful. It’s a very disheartening and horrible ordeal to go through, and your staff was very kind to us and sensitive to our dilemma. I have to mention our exterminator, Wilson. He was amazing. He took the time to walk us through everything and reassure us the problem would be taken care of in a professional manner. I would highly recommend your company to anyone who is having a bed bug or other sort of bug and animal issue.

Thank you, Liz & Dan

Satisfied customers are the only kind we get at Stern Environmental Group and we work hard to keep it that way. When you call us about a bed bug or other pest problem, we understand how distressing the situation is to you. Your life has been turned upside down and you feel powerless to cope with the nasty critters who are responsible. We may not don Superman’s skin-clinging tights (and I think we’re all glad of that), but we will be there faster than a speeding bullet! We understand you can’t bear to live with the problem one more second. Our highly trained bed bug experts will handle your problem with care and sensitivity — and speed. We’ll get rid of your bed bug problem — guaranteed!

If you have a beg bug problem, visit our website to find out more about the voracious little critters. Click the post title to go directly to our bed bug page. If you have a bed bug problem, don’t hesitate, give our experts a call today and we’ll come out and put the buggers to bed — permanently! You’ll sleep well tonight when you get “Stern” with your pests.

Commercial Services, Mice, Pest Control, Rats, Residential Services

Stern Introduces Innovative Track & Trap Mouse Eradication Solution

Do you have mice nibbling in your pantry? Do you find little brown mouse turds in your silverware drawer (ugh!)? Do your cereal boxes have gnaw marks on them? Stern Environmental Group can get rid of your mouse problems fast using our innovative smart Track & Trap solution! We don’t just trap a mouse or two. With our new system, we find the entry hole and seal out ALL of the mice, completely solving your problem. Our new mouse eradication system is perfect for restaurants, industrial settings, multi-family units and homes. It’s safe, environmentally friendly and highly effective.
How does it work?
  • First, Stern mouse control experts install a special mouse tracking box packed with tasty mouse treats that the little critters find irresistible. Unbeknownst to the mice, the box housing the snack bar also contains a special powdered fluorescent chemical. While the mice jostle around the buffet table, the chemical adheres to their feet and bodies.

  • When the mouse is stuffed and waddles home, he leaves a telltale trail our mouse experts can follow. (See photos.)

  • Our mouse eradication experts track the glowing paths using a special UV light to pinpoint the exact locations of entry points and nests. We completely seal all access points so mice can’t get in. If the nest is located in the home, the tracking system tells us where to set our traps to remove every last critter from your home, safely and without dangerous chemicals that could harm your children or pets.

To learn more about our innovative Track & Trap mouse eradication solution, click the post title. If mice are nibbling at your patience, call the pest control experts at Stern Environmental Control today. You’ll sleep well tonight when your get “Stern” with your pests.