It’s no secret that bed bugs are a hot topic of conversation.  They have become a nuisance everywhere, not only in hotels but in restaurants, movie theaters and even stores!  Even more concerning is the virtual ineffectiveness using traditional means of eliminating bed bug infestations.

That’s because bed bugs are becoming resistant to the pesticides that have been used to treat them.  Massey Services began to understand that this was occurring and so five years ago, we began testing alternative treatments to eliminate bed bugs and developed our bed bug heat remediation program.

This treatment completely eliminates entire populations of bed bugs – from egg to adult.  The process uses forced air heaters to raise the temperature in bed bug infested areas, killing bed bugs at all stages of their development.  These heaters, in conjunction with an integrated pest management approach to pest elimination, have proven to be significantly more effective than other methods of bed bug control.

Our bed bug heat remediation treatment was recently patented as well!  Click here for more information.

Here in the Southeast we can usually depend on plenty of afternoon thunderstorms to bring ample precipitation to our yards. But along with the natural benefits of rain, come a few problems as well. Summer rains leave standing water that can create a mosquito breeding ground.

There are 80 species of mosquitoes in Florida and they vary in biting preferences, breeding habits and location around the state. The Florida Medical Entomology Lab (FMEL) has produced a database of these species and their distribution, habits and importance.

There are a few simple precautions you can take to help avoid mosquitoes:

• Make sure windows and doors are closed and screens are well-sealed.

• Avoid working or playing outdoors at dawn or dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

• When outdoors, be sure to wear loose fitting light-colored clothes, and apply an insect repellent containing DEET.

• Use mosquito netting to protect children under 2 months of age.

• Discard old cans, tires, bottles, broken appliances and other items that can accumulate stagnant water.

• Remove stagnant water at least once per week from bird baths, kiddie pools, outdoor toys or potted plants.

• Make sure gutters drain properly so that they do not hold stagnant water and that gutter drains are not clogged.

• Cover boats and stored vehicles with tarps to prevent water accumulation.

About five years ago, as bed bugs continued to make a resurgence in the United States, we recognized there was a need for a different type of bed bug treatment that would eliminate bed bugs at all stages of life. We began testing several treatment types and found that heat was very successful at doing this. So we partnered with a company that specialized in heat and the bed bug heat remediation process was born.
This process is not only effective but also very efficient. It requires that hotel rooms be off market for only 48 hours, compared to what can be weeks when using a liquid treatment. Not only that, you don’t have to destroy the contents of the room because the heat will eliminate all bed bugs – no matter where they are hiding.
Earlier this year, it was announced that we were receiving a patent for our heat remediation treatment and we couldn’t be more proud! This is just another example of our commitment to innovation, which allows us to provide outstanding results for our customers!

Now that the warm weather is back, unfortunately so are fleas and ticks.  Even worse, they’re seeking out your pets as a host.

Here are a few tips you can follow to prevent fleas from becoming a problem for your furry companion:

• Always check your pet’s bedding daily for evidence of fleas.  The eggs are slightly smaller than a pin head, oval and cream colored and are usually found in cracks, crevices and bound with strands of carpet.
• If pets are to be outside at all, be sure you have a veterinary-prescribed flea treatment that is applied regularly according to the label.  Adult fleas usually stay clinging within the fur of the pet but will die if a flea protection has been regularly applied to the pet.

If fleas are discovered, here are a few additional tips to follow:

• If fleas are found on the pet, comb out or remove and kill the fleas.  Vacuum all areas of the floor, especially under sofas and chairs and under sofa and chair pads.  Throw the vacuum bag out and replace with a new bag.
• If fleas are found, inspect your yard for fleas by dragging an old towel or rag across areas where pets usually walk.  If fleas are present they will jump onto the towel.  If this occurs, the yard will need immediate treatment.
• If live fleas are found indoors, a flea treatment should be performed immediately.

Fleas can get out of hand fast so it’s important to stay vigilant and constantly inspect for the above signs of infestation.

Recently an article was written in The Orlando Sentinel about killer bees invading the Southeast. As if we didn’t have enough pests that we have to worry about here, now we have to be fearful of coming in contact with a hive of killer bees!

The reason why the Africanized honey bee is known as a “killer bee” is because these hives are much more aggressive than the well known European honey bee that has been around for as long as I can remember. When an Africanized honey bee hive is disturbed, these bees come out and attack in numbers. So it’s not the sting that is necessarily dangerous (unless you’re allergic of course – then any sting is dangerous) but it’s the fact that there are hundreds of these angry bees that want to sting at the same time!

Here are a few tips of what you can do if you are under attack or see someone else in trouble:

1. Run away in a straight line, protecting your
   face as bees will target the head.
2. Avoid other people and animals or they will
   be attacked as well.
3. Do not try to hide underwater; the swarm
   will wait for you to come up for air.
4. Remove the stinger by scraping with a credit
   card or a blunt knife and wash with soap and
   water & apply ice.
5. Seek medical attention immediately even if
   you have never had an allergic reaction.

And, if someone else is being attacked, take refuge
and call 911. Inform the operator of the
situation and advise them that sirens and flashing
lights will threaten the colony further.

Evidently, some of us do!

Just saw this video today and had to share…These friendly young protesters, members of “BLOOD: Bed Bug Lovers Opposing Oppression and Death,” are carrying signs and chanting, “Bite! Bite! Let them bite! Killing bed bugs is not right!” The video was posted to YouTube in November.

Although this video is humorous, bed bugs are a serious problem. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Every day we see more and more headlines on the bed bug epidemic. Below are some recent favorites:

• News spread last week of a bed bug lawsuit filed against singer Norah Jones for allegedly bringing a bed bug infestation to her Brooklyn neighborhood. Neighbors blame her recent home renovations and the moving in of new furniture.
• Awoken by bed bugs biting his body, University of South Floridastudent Michael Bennett packed up his stuff and left his apartment keys at the front desk- during the week of finals! Creeped out by the critters, Bennett refused to return to the apartment. So management sent him an “early termination of lease” bill for $3,850.30!
• Bed bugs top AOL’s list of 2010 Hot Searchesunder the Health category. Other winners included Tiger Woods, the iPad and Betty White.
• Known in French as “punaises de lit” or “bed drawing pins,” bed bugs grabbed public attention when a French radio news station reported in November that several Parisian hotels had been infested. It said one hotel threw out all of its carpets and furniture after guests complained.
• New rules for New Yorkers! The sanitation department hopes to curb bedbugs from squatting in the crevices of homes and apartments by requiring residents to fully encase within a sealed plastic bag all mattresses or box springs being discarded for DSNY collection. City residents who fail to follow the new rules properly will receive a $100 fine starting Jan. 3, 2011.
• Fairview Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska (yes, Alaska!) had to be heat-treated one weekend after bed bugs were found inside the school. The temperature was raised in the classrooms to 135 degrees for five hours and children returned to school the following Monday.
• Ireland is accusing travelers returning from New York for bringing bed bugs back with them. A pest management company in Ireland stated that the majority of calls are from people who have returned from New York carrying the insects. Traditionally, this is the time of year when many Irish people go to New York to shop. The company also recently treated a taxi driver’s car that had become infested after picking up travelers at Dublin airport.

Have questions about Bed Bugs? Give us a call and ask our experts!

According to a report on msnbc.com earlier this year, a species of horned dung beetle took the title of world’s strongest insect. The beetle, Onthophagus Taurus, was found to be able to pull a whopping 1,141 times its own body weight- that’s like a 150-pound human lifting six double-decker buses!

The determination of what bug was the strongest was made after months of grueling tests. To test strength, the researchers attached a cotton thread to the rear of each beetle participant, and then let the insect walk into a tiny tunnel created in the lab. Once in the tunnel, the beetle got a tug from the researchers pulling on its little leash.

Although it probably won’t get as much attention as the “Strongest Man Competition,” this is pretty exciting news in the bug world! Congratulations horned dung beetle!

As we all know, bed bugs are still making an appearance on broadcast news, as well as in printed newspapers across the country. Bed bug infestations are not only a problem for the lodging industry, but have been reported in public transportation, office buildings and retail stores. If you are nervous about encountering these little creatures, below are the top 10 tips, courtesy of the EPA:

1. Make sure you really have bed bugs, not fleas, ticks or other insects. You can verify your insect here or contact us for a free inspection.  
2. Don’t panic! Eliminating bed bugs is difficult, but it is not impossible. Don’t throw out all of your belongings; most of them can be treated and saved. Throwing out your stuff can be costly, unnecessarily stressful and may actually spread the infestation. 
3. Think through your treatment options – don’t immediately reach for the spray can, as that won’t be effective in eliminating them. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach by a professional pest management company will reduce bed bug populations and limit pesticide exposure to you and your family. IPM is a different approach than traditional pest control in that it excludes pests from the home while using the safest pesticides in the safest manner – and only when necessary.  
4. Reduce the number of hiding places – clean up the clutter. A cluttered home provides more places for bed bugs to hide and makes treating for them more difficult.  
5. Frequently wash and heat-dry your bed linens. Wash bed spreads, dust ruffles and any other bedding that touches the floor to reduce bed bug populations. Bed bugs and their eggs can hide in laundry containers/hampers, so clean them before you place clean laundry back in. 
6. Do-it-yourself freezing is not usually reliable for bed bug control. While freezing can effectively kill bed bugs, temperatures must remain extremely low for an extended period of time. Home freezers typically are not cold enough to kill bed bugs.  
7. High temperatures can kill bed bugs, but raising the indoor temperature with the thermostat or space heaters won’t do the job. Space heaters must always be used with care, as they have the potential to cause fires and serious burns. Specialized equipment and very high temperatures are required to successfully heat treat a structure.  
8. Don’t pass your bed bugs on to others. Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers. If you throw out a piece of furniture that is harboring bed bugs, take steps to destroy/deface the item so that no one else picks it up (along with the bugs). 
9. Reduce populations to reduce bites. Thorough vacuuming reduces populations so carefully vacuum rugs, floors, under beds, around bed legs, bed frames, and all cracks and crevices around the bedroom. Thoroughly vacuum upholstered furniture. Change the bag after each use so the bed bugs can’t escape. Place the used bag in a tightly sealed plastic bag and then in an outside garbage bin. 
10. Turn to the professionals, if needed. If you hire an expert, ensure it is company with a reputable history and that they use an IPM approach.

For more information, visit the EPA’s special bed bug section of their website or the National Pest Management Association’s Bed Bug Hub.

I’ve received several requests from frequent travelers who are curious as to what they can do to prevent bringing bed bugs home from their trips. So I sat down with our resident bed bug expert, Tom Jarzynka, who provided me with a few a helpful tips that I wanted to share with you.

1)    As bed bug behavior is fairly predictable, it is important to do a quick inspection of your hotel room as soon as you check in. Pull the pillows and sheets down about one-third of the way from the top of the bed. Look for reddish-brown or black spots on the sheets near the bed’s headboard. Similar spots may be found on mattresses, pillows, headboards and the walls behind headboards.

2)    Check the inside of dresser drawers for insects and black spots. Bed bugs often hide in the cracks between the wood that forms the drawers and dresser cabinet.

3)    The closet and luggage racks are often the first place travelers place their belongings. If bed bugs are brought into a new room, these could be the first places they appear.

4)    Once you have returned home, isolate the items in your suitcase and travel bags from other items in the home. This can be done using garbage bags. Put clothing and other heat-tolerant items into your dryer for a minimum of 20 minutes. Heat will kill all life stages of bed bugs– eggs, nymphs and adults. After thoroughly heating these items, launder as normal. It is important to note that washing the items first has not shown to be as effective as heating them initially.

5)    There are a number of consumer products available that tout their ability to kill bed bugs on contact. These can be utilized while traveling as well as after you get home. The active ingredient in these products is often alcohol or plant oil that does indeed kill on contact. They will not prevent bed bugs, but applying one of these products to the hard surfaces of suitcases, computer bags, or other items may kill bed bugs that have hitched a ride back home with you. Most importantly, in order to be effective, the product must actually touch the bed bug.