Since 2006, BugGirl has been writing articles about bugs for DoMyOwn PestControl.com, an online business started by her brothers in 2004. Despite her bitter distaste for bugs, she has written over 400 articles about them to date. She simply reconciles her job and her hatred of bugs as this: cruel fate.
The title of the article above says it all. Bed Bugs are no longer just a pest of the North East region. They are spreading fast. This article takes a closer look at what is happening in Ohio, where four cities have made the list of the Top 15 Worst Bed Bug Cities.
Cynthia Bowers reports that “no state is tackling this plague as aggressively as Ohio. It’s even petitioned the EPA for permission to continue using the pesticide Propoxur indoors as its last best option. Even as they await approval, time and stores of the toxin are running out.”
Propoxur has been called the one thing that can stop bed bugs in their tracks, especially since the critters have developed a resistance to most other pesticides. Propoxur keeps killing for up to 5 weeks. However, the chemical is no longer being manufactured due to a recent ban on the product by the EPA. The reason for the ban is potential danger to children if ingested or inhaled.
CBS News reports on which 15 travel destinations you should be avoiding like the plague. Is your city on the list? Here’s a clue - we know New York will be #1 and Ohio has four cities on the list.
If you live in Georgia anywhere near Athens, here is an upcoming bug event you might want to check out. I am pretty sure I will be attending and taking my kids. Any other staff for a Do My Own Pest Control company field trip??
“Join Garden staff and volunteers for this creepy, crawly, and definitely fun Family Festival. Discovery stations, roach and beetle races, puppet shows and of course, lots of live insects, will also highlight this year’s event! Children can complete a series of discovery station activities to receive a special insect prize. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to view dozens of native butterflies flap their wings above your head at the amazing butterfly release on the lawn of the International Garden! These native butterflies are reared locally and sustainably. The Insect-ival is sponsored by the Garden, the UGA Lund Club, the UGA Department of Entomology, and the Georgia Museum of Natural History. Pre-registration is not required.”
By BugGirl | Thursday, Aug 26th, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Cases of bed bug infestations are on the rise in nearly every major US city. It should not be overlooked that the most common way of picking up and spreading bed bugs is through travel. If you or a spouse or roommate plan on traveling anytime soon, there is a new page for Bed Bug Travel Items (buy now) on the Do My Own Pest Control website you will want to check out.
I just noticed this addition to the website and found some really great products on this page at very affordable prices. The most expensive items listed - a Bed Bug Proof Laundry Bag and Bed Bug Proof Luggage Liner (pictured above)- are only $19.99. And the protection is definitely worth it. Far better than treating for bed bugs after you’ve brought hem home is to prevent doing so in the first place. You can do this by taking every precaution to protect yourself and your belongings while traveling.
In addition to the liners mentioned above, the list of essential Bed Bug Travel Products also includes a selection of sprays:
1 - Steri-Fab – 16 oz.: kills bed bugs on contact and can be sprayed almost anywhere.
2 - JT Eaton Bed Bug Luggage Spray: A travel-size spray bottle for spraying luggage and mattresses in hotel rooms and other places while traveling.
3 – Rest Easy Bed Bug Spray: Convenient all-natural bed bug spray that’s perfect for spraying luggage and belongings while traveling. 2 oz. size goes through airport security.
Click on any of the product links above for more information, customer reviews, Q&A’s, or to purchase the product. As always, shipping from DMOPC is free on every order, every day.
I would also highly recommend reviewing the following information to educate yourself on bed bug prevention before you travel:
And finally, if you are a frequent traveler or travel regularly for business, you will also want to check out this post on the Pack Tite Portable Bed Bug Heat Treatment Device. While I would not necessarily recommend it for twice-a-year travelers (due to the price) it is a very worthwhile investment for those hitting a new hotel room weekly or even monthly.
By BugGirl | Thursday, Aug 26th, 2010 | No Comments »
It used to be that you only had to worry about bed bugs at home. Now they are showing up in places of leisure: clothing stores, movie theateres, etc. And most recently? The office.
Is any place safe?
Among some of the more well-known offices that have made headlines lately for bedbug infestatins: publishing giant Time, the District Attorney’s office in Brooklyn, and IRS offices in Philadelphia and Kentucky.
This article from USA Today discusses some of the repercussions of bedbugs at the office, such as mental anguish, lawsuits, and the blame game – trying to figure out who brought them in. Ron Harrison of Orkin Pest Control calls the recent trend of bedbugs showing up at work a “national issue…Not all of us have to go to work and worry about it, but we all have to be sensitive to it.”
Hey Mr. Boss Man, I think its time that Do My Own Pest Control invested in some bedbug sniffing dogs.
Mike Masterson, owner of the LA pest control company headlined above, calls bedbugs the biggest epidemic hitting the world right now, at least as far as bugs go.
Alec Gerry, a veterinary entomologist on faculty at UC Riverside, cites at least two reasons for the massive increase we are seeing in bedbug cases: 1) Some of most powerful and long-lasting chemicals we could and should be using for bedbugs are no longer legal and 2) Travel is on the rise worldwide and as people travel to other world regions, they bring back the bugs with them.
According to Masterson, there are 3 ways to treat bedbugs:
1) A long-term spraying plan
2) Heating the infected premises to more than 160 degrees
3) Tenting -which is where an entire home or dwelling is covered by a tent to hold in fumigation. Very expensive and not practical for most people.
After all is said and done, Masterson recommends having bedbug sniffing dogs coming in every 6 months to make sure the bugs do not return. His own bedbug dogs are already booked for the entire next year.
At the close of the article, Gerry predicts that bedbugs are back in the US in greater numbers forever and that we are never likely to eradicate them entirely. Yikes.
By BugGirl | Thursday, Aug 26th, 2010 | No Comments »
Congratulations to all of the Do My Own Pest Control staff for the recent honor of being ranked #700 on the prestigious 2010 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies, with athree year growth of 438%.The company also ranks as the 17th fastest growing company in Atlanta.
Why the success? In their own words:
“Our success at DoMyOwnPestControl.com is measured by how closely we keep to our company’s mission:
Make happy and satisfied customers by providing the absolute best customer experience.
We accomplish this through competitive pricing, a website that is customer-centered and easy to use, a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and fast free shipping.
… Whether you’re a homeowner, state or federal government agency, hotel, apartment complex, pest control company or small business, we can handle your pest control needs!”
We also want to thank our awesome clients and customers – we couldn’t do it without you!
By BugGirl | Wednesday, Aug 25th, 2010 | 1 Comment »
In any pest control treatment it can be all too easy to overlook the importance of an IGR, or Insect Growth Regulator. But the IGR is one of the most important elements you can add to your arsenal of bedbug control products. You probably already understand the purpose of chemical sprays and dusts when it comes to bedbug control. Adult bedbugs come in direct contact with these chemicals and soon die. But did you know that such pesticides do not affect premature forms of bedbug life such as eggs and larvae?
Think of Gentrol IGR (buy now) as birth control for bed bugs. Really, this is exactly what it is. When applied according to the label, Gentrol IGR Concentrate travels deep into cracks, crevices, and wall cavities, reaching the areas and insect life forms that other treatments miss. Hydroprene, the active ingredient in Gentrol IGR, actually prevents pest larvae from progressing to the pupal stage of development so that the larvae die before they become breeding adults, thereby preventing future infestations.
By BugGirl | Wednesday, Aug 25th, 2010 | No Comments »
I came across this link today reporting that by creating a dry ice trap, you can determine whether you have a bed bug problem. Apparently the carbon dioxide released by the dry ice attracts the bed bugs and lures them inside of a plastic jug.
I had not heard of this before so I can’t tell you if it actually works, but if you are desperately paranoid and just happen to have some dry ice sitting around you might give it a try. Just be careful and wear some heavy duty gloves, dry ice can burn! (And if there are young children on the premises you probably should skip this experiment altogether.)
By BugGirl | Tuesday, Aug 24th, 2010 | No Comments »
I spend a lot of time on this blog bug-bashing. Sometimes I feel bad about that. I think I do it because it is therapeutic for me, seeing as I am terrified of most species of insects. Deep inside my innermost soul however, I realize the world needs bugs. They are beneficial in many ways. Just not when they are wanting to move in with me and invading my personal space.
So I thought that perhaps as an exercise of goodwill towards bugs, I would go out on a limb and write a positive bug-related post. Not an easy feat to be sure but one made easier when my husband presented me with the perfect post material.
Without further adieu, I give to you the Boll Weevil Monument. Erected in 1919 by citizens of Enterprise Alabama to honor the boll weevil. No joke. This thing is absolutely real and still stands today. Some people even drive great distances just to pay homage to it.
There is also a plaque in front of the monument that reads: “December 11, 1919- In Profound Appreciation of the Boll Weevil and what it has done as the Herald of Prosperity this monument was erected by the Citizens of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama.”
I know what you are thinking. A monument to an insect? I am still in awe myself.
Plus, when you finish reading you will have something interesting to bring up at parties when the conversation lags. You could start by saying something like “Hey, did you guys know there is a statue in Alabama of a Greek goddess hoisting a boll weevil over her head?” Trust me, everyone listening will think you are profoundly cool for sharing such unique information and instantly want to be your friend.
If however, after reading about the monument you are not convinced of the other-worldly status of the weevil and still consider it just another annoying pest, feel free to click on this link to access a slew of product designed to get rid of various weevils.
In closing, if there is any bug out there worth revering it might just be the boll weevil. The fact that this song called The Boll Weevil Song (sung by Brook Benton) reached #2 on the Top 100 Hits charts in 1962 says it all. In honor of the weevil. Enjoy!
