Monthly Archives: June 2012

Bed Bug News

Bug Bombs And Foggers Are A Bust For Bed Bugs!

NYC and NJ pest control professionals have claimed for years that using bug bombs and foggers for bed bug infestations are not a viable solution.  Despite the warnings, in an effort to save money, many consumers have attempted to treat their bed bug infestations using these store bought products.

According to International Science Times on June 5, 2012, a new study has been released regarding the use of bug bombs and foggers by consumers.  An entomologist from Ohio State University reported to WebMD…”If you use these products, you will not get the infestation under control, you will waste your money, and you will delay effective treatment of your infestation” when speaking about the use of bug bombs and foggers for bed bug infestations.

The research study tested three bug bomb products on five different groups of bed bugs.  The bloodsuckers were then monitored for over two hours.  What was discovered is that the foggers had little to no effect on any of the bed bugs.

Bed bugs are tiny insects that hide in the cracks and crevices throughout a home.  They will most likely be found hiding where people frequently reside.  It is not uncommon for them to be hiding inside of walls, which fogger pesticides will never reach.  Bug bombs or foggers do not have the capability to penetrate into the cavities where bed bugs tend to hide which is why the researchers have come to the conclusion that these products are ineffective against bed bug infestations.

Bed bug infestations should only be handled by a pest control professional.  A delay in treatment will allow the infestation to thrive.

Stinging Insects

Painful Stings Can Cause Serious Consequences

If you spend any time outdoors during the spring, summer, or fall, it is not uncommon to encounter pesky insects that will deliver a painful sting or hone in on your CO2 to suck your blood.  Although stings and bites are a common occurrence, the itching, redness and swelling that is left in their wake can be painful and annoying.

For some people, a sting from an insect can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction.  Paper wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, domestic honey bees, bumble bees, and the Africanized “killer bee” are the most common types of stinging insects in the United States that deliver a venomous bite or sting.  Some ants are also known for their poisonous bite, in particular, the fire ant, which has not yet made it to New Jersey but is heading closer with each passing season.

Because many of these stinging/biting pests live in colonies, it is not uncommon to be attacked by more than one insect at a time.  Wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets in particular are known for their aggressive behavior.  Once one has stung you, they send out a signal to others in the colony that they too must be in attack mode.  This is particularly dangerous when a person happens upon a nest by accident.

Not all bee species lose their stingers and die after stinging you.  Many are able to deliver their venomous punch over and over again.  People who have not had a reaction to bee stings in the past will often find that being attacked by a colony of insects causes serious medical problems.

Call NJ pest control professional like Stern Environmental Group for help with bees, hornets, carpenter bees, and wasps.

Bed Bug News

Another Reason That Bed Bug Can Drive A Person To Drink! Part 2 Of 2

Continuing from Wednesday…

When I first began reading the article I imagined easy to squish, drunken little bed bugs, not knowing what their prey was and what was not, stumbling around stabbing anything in site as they searched for a blood meal.  That would be delightfully funny!

The scientific study on the bed bugs did not involve any person consuming alcohol.  Instead, hungry bed bugs were fed blood that was mixed with 200 proof ethanol which raised the blood alcohol content of the bed bugs to 0.010, 0.025, 0.050 and 0.100.  The legal limit for driving is 0.08, so it is safe to assume that the bed bugs used in the test study were likely a bit tipsy.  Twenty bed bugs were used for the study and each bed bug endured the testing six different times.

The results of the study were quite interesting.  According to the article in Life’s Little Mysteries on May 29, 2012, the bed bugs with a blood alcohol level of 0.010 fed only consumed 60% of the blood.  The researcher found that with each increase in alcohol came a decrease in bed bug feeding.  Bed bugs that fed on blood that was not tainted with any alcohol increased by over 100 percent according to the study.  The researcher claims that in the future he will also study how bed bugs are affected by different drugs.

The eggs that were laid in the control group study were greatly affected by the alcohol infused bed bugs, but the bed bugs still laid some level of eggs which would mean that even if you got bed bugs drunk, they would still be able to reproduce, just at a slower rate.