Alarmed by reports of pesticide abuse and extreme measures being taken from some homeowners and apartment dwellers in do-it-yourself efforts to eradicate bed bugs, the U.S. EPA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a joint announcement last July warning consumers against using topical pesticide products in their homes in attempts to get rid of bed bugs. Reports from licensed pest control professionals in the field and news media of people dousing their bedstheir toddlers and also bathing their kids in garden insecticides has generated growing concern among government officials, the health community, public health guardians, and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). The use of harsh chemicals not approved by the EPA for home usage can lead to severe burn-like irritation of the skin and eyes, potential injury to the central nervous system, and might even expose one to carcinogens.
There have also been numerous news reports of house and apartment fires begun by distressed folks using highly flammable liquids to kill bedbugs. In January, a Cincinnati, Ohio man who was wiping his furniture down with a blend of insecticide and alcohol started a fire at his own flat when his smoke sparked fumes from the chemical mixture. Back in July 2008, an Eatontown, New Jersey man blew up his flat when attempting do it yourself pest control. A pilot light ignited the compound pollutants and spray resulting from an explosion which blew from front doors of the flat and resulted in a fire that destroyed the individual's apartment and caused serious harm to neighboring units.
"Pest control firms reported seeing many ineffective and potentially dangerous measures used by do-it-yourselfers, including ammonia, bleach, fire, smoke, kerosene, wasp spray, along with bug bombs, as well as concentrated pesticides bought online," University of Kentucky entomologist and national bedbug expert Michael Potter, writes in Bugs Without Borders, Assessing the International Bed Bug Resurgence, an international poll of pest control companies recently conducted at the University of Kentucky in conjunction with the NPMA. "As bedbug victims become desperate, serious injury may come from such applications, notably among people who choose to not employ a professional," he warns.
Bedbugs don't always react to home treatment. These apple seed-sized pests that feed on human blood are hard to kill, and a part of their biology and behavior. In the best, do-it-yourself home remedies can force bedbugs to relocate, dispersing infestations more quickly. These pests have a sturdy, protective carapace that isn't readily penetrated. To killpest control services and products must come into direct physical contact with an insectand their eggs are untouched byproducts currently approved by the EPA for residential usage. If not feeding, bedbugs hide in spaces that are inaccessible deep inside minute cracks, inside walls, behind baseboards, under floor boards, and interior electronics. Bed-bugs along with their eggs are also easily transported on clothing and belongings, allowing infestations to quickly propagate through a home or apartment building. This mixture of biology and behaviour causes it extremely difficult to kill an entire bedbug infestation with a single pest control treatment. Three professional pest control treatments spaced 2 weeks apart are typically required to successfully moisturizes a bedbug infestation and make sure all hidden bugs and also newly-hatched eggs are killed.
Expert extermination with a licensed pest control company having an expertise in bed bug elimination has become the most effective means to exterminate bed bugs. Even Pest Control Royston , to the Bed Bug Information Page posted on its site, says,"Getting a pest control professional (PMP) involved as soon as possible instead of just taking time for you to attempt to take care of the issue yourself is very capable of preventing further complications."
Speedy action is vital in combating bed bug infestations. Bed bugs replicate at an alarming speed and infestations can rise quickly. During its 6- to 12-month lifespan, a female bed bug will lay 500 eggs offspring capable of replicating within a month. It is common to find three or more bed bug generations present within a recognized infestation. Immediate treatment from the earliest stages of infestation may limit the infestation and keeps it from spreading.
To successfully cure bedbug issues, licensed pest control professionals hire a blend of environmental management procedures, called Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and an assortment of pest control materials approved by the EPA for home use solely by licensed pest management professionals. Effective bedbug extermination begins with meticulous pre-treatment preparation to remove clutter, clothing, bed sheets and other items which may allow bed-bugs to escape exposure to pest control substances. When site preparation is done, a combination of pest control materials is required to attack bed-bugs on multiple levels.
Concerns about health and safety issues that have arisen from abuse of pest control compounds by unlicensed or poorly trained pest controllers and unqualified contractors seeking to profit on public panic prompted the EPA to frighten consumers to prevent pest extermination services made with"unrealistic promises of efficacy or low cost."
Last July, a Newark, New Jersey pest control business was accused of illegal use of compounds never approved for residential use. While providing bed pest remedies to 70 flats and homes components, technicians sprayed powerful chemicals on mattresses and children's toys. Back in Cincinnati, Ohio last June, an undercover contractor hired to exterminate bed bugs soaked a apartment complex with a agricultural pesticide, sending seven tenants into the hospital and inducing public health police to quarantine the property.
In the hopes of averting such events, the NPMA recently developed Best Management Practices for Bed Bugs (BMP) to serve as a way for the industry and consumers. A set of consumer strategies for picking out a pest control pro provided in the BMP urges that consumers hire only qualified and certified pest control firms to secure their safety and health and make sure that the pest control services they receive are both secure and efficient. The NPMA further recommends that consumers provide preferential consideration to licensed pest control firms who've attained QualityPro certification, signaling that they exhibit the highest technical, ethical and educational standards in the industry.