Homemade insect spray

Well I found it! They say you can find just about anything on the web and I believe now it’s true.
Let’s forget for a moment that it takes the better part of 10 years and millions of dollars to bring a new pest control spray product to the market. Hundreds of thousands of man hours in research, testing, lab work, field tests etc. and in the end there is no guarantee people will buy it. Most medicines are not even so tightly scrutinized.

Some excellent products get shot down by rumors or bad press when a mishap occurs or a rouge exterminator tries to cut corners to save a buck. Others may not deliver fully and slumping sales cause manufacturers to go back to the drawing board. Either way the products you buy today or have a professional place for you have made it through all these hoops and if nothing else you can rest assured that some modicum of diligence was put into developing the product.

Alas, fear not, some people have figured out how to ‘create’ their own powerful insecticide and want to share it with you. I doubt they have put much in the way of research into it and yes they have filled their blog post with ‘caution’ words and be careful speak and they even have the good reasoning behind them in saying, “you’ll save money.”

I actually have half a mind not to link it at all but since I’ve gone this far, here you are. Your homemade insecticide awaits.

For those of you who may wish to try this I’ll ask you, do you make your own gasoline? How about mixing your own alcohol? While we’re at it let’s make some rat bait in between homemade bullets. Can you do this? Sure, but it’s not a good idea whatsoever and I only share this with you to illustrate a point.

Bad things happen when one does not know the ins and outs of creating such a mixture. Nicotine is a very powerful insecticide and should be handled by those who have the equipment, training and the resources to get it right. If these folks want to tell you it can be done in your cooking pot that you’ll later use to make chili then I say they are whack!

Be safe, save your hard earned dollars as much as you can but not at the risk of you or someone you love.

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Bombadier to pilot

So you have a bug problem right? It could be fleas, wood roaches, ants, gnats or any host of things you just want gone. Undoubtedly you want the fastest most effective solution that costs the least. A professional pest control company may cost big bucks so you head off to the big box store and peruse the many selections in the home and garden isles. So many choices and so many tiny words on the packages it boggles the mind.

Now I’m not trying to insult your intelligence (much) but after trying to look for the perfect antidote to your specific problem and only getting more confused you’re reduced to looking at the pictures on the box. Ahhh, that looks like what I have! So into the cart it goes and it’s off to the plumbing section, oh better get 2 more boxes just to make sure I get them.

More times than not your purchase for indoor bug infestations are ‘bug bombs’. Little cans of fogger insecticide that will fill the room and rid you of that tiny creature the $ 4.00 can of raid just couldn’t.

Now you’re home and it’s time to BOMB. You sort of read the label and you know you should really pull out all the food stuffs and cover them but man that’s a lot of work. Besides the Cheerios are in a box all closed up so it won’t affect them. The silverware, aw you’ll wash it when you are done. Just then you spot two little buggers peeking at you from inside the clock window on the stove. You’ll fix them as you place your first can of death in the optimum place. You take out the other 3 cans from your box of 4 and your assault is taking shape.

With your bandanna wrapped around your mouth, (it won’t stay up on your nose) you click the trigger and the ‘hiss’ of death begins to sound as a foggy mist begins to spew upward. You take another can a go closer to the sink and click again. The cans don’t seem to be putting out that much and you’re a little disappointed, so thinking quickly you’ll need to angle this one directly into the open cabinet. You look for something to lean the can on and fumble through the drawers and wella! A can of tomato soup will do nicely. Now the 4th fogger has to angle the other way to catch the cabinets to the left and so you use some Ritz crackers in a plastic sleeve to get just the right angle. Hey, that’s thick plastic it shouldn’t be a problem.

Ok, kitchen’s done but still where is the cloud you were expecting? Better put 2 more out. Quickly now because your mouth covering is obviously not keeping out the smell. You rip open the extra box you bought and fumble and click as fast as you can. A little nauseous by now you place them on the floor and scurry out of the house.

Outside you sit on the front stoop taking the protective covering from your face. Light headed and a little nervous you take a minute to breathe in some fresh air. A minute or two later you feel slightly better so now it’s time to kill 4 hours. Oops, you left your keys inside. While you could just sit for the duration you really thought you’d get some things done, so back on the bandanna goes and you take a deep breath and rush in. The keys are glistening now on the kitchen counter as you cut through the fine mist, swoop them up and back out.

Finally you can leave and come back to a pest free home.

Was that worth it? Has that happened to you or someone you know? I realize in today’s economy we all need to save some money and believe me I’m a do it yourself kind of guy. I have a date this week with a toilet bowl that needs a new wax seal and I’m not looking forward to it. Perhaps some plumber is reading this right now and just shaking his head.

I’ll write later on the failings of fogging and certain pests you’ll never get using them but I thought this example would ring true to so many readers. It should because I hear so many times from new customers who say they’ve fogged the place multiple times with no results.

So tomorrow morning while you’re eating your Cheerios (which may taste a bit odd) and your contemplating the idea of ‘bombing’ your house for bugs just think about the entire process. You may just change your mind, especially when you see those bugs still in the stove clock window who you just know are laughing at you.

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Special Delivery: Pest proofing your home part 3

Let’s take a look at another way unwanted pests enter your home. You won’t need your caulking gun this time & if you haven’t already, you can come down out of the attic.
One of the most under estimated ways in which a bug, mouse or other creepy crawly can enter is by ‘delivery.’ It goes without saying that most people understand this and so many of my customers can even site times that they know exactly when and on what they brought a pest in. So why is it important? Why not wrap this article up by saying “inspect everything that you cart into the house?” I guess we could and I’m quite sure I’ll end with that same notion. What I’d like to point out however is the many ways I’ve seen ‘pest delivery’ so that you can broaden your scope of understanding and perhaps be a bit more vigilant with your increased awareness. Let me start with the oddest way I’ve seen that actually happened to me.

Last year I declared war on my energy bill, it had climbed so high I knew I had to do something, anything before I went broke trying to keep my house comfortable. Insulation I thought would be the way to go. Being cheap I guess I decided to do it myself and I rented the machine and purchased 30 bags of insulation. These bags were tightly packed and hard as rocks. I instructed my boys how to cut the bags and feed the machine and I scampered up into the attic. We used walkie talkies to communicate and everything seemed to be going well. Right about bag 15 or so I got an urgent call.
“Dad, over”-( I insisted we talk walkie talkie lingo)”Go ahead, over”- “I don’t think you’ll believe this, over”- “What, over”-“There’s a roach in this bag, over”- “So what, he’s just a dead roach, over”- “He’s not dead, we opened up the bag & he’s running around the machine, over”-
A second later the roach got sucked through and was now on his way up. I never saw him & part of me wants to believe he didn’t survive the trip. The other part of me wondered HOW he made it through all the processing, got bailed into a tight plastic bag, trucked to the store and then waited there on a shelf until I bought him.
In 25 years I’d have to say that’s a first and one of the most unusual ways I’ve transported bug into my home. The following is a list for you to keep in mind to keep this from happening to you.

Groceries especially in boxed items
Items bought from yard sales or flea markets
New appliances or furniture
Flower arrangements
Neighbors dogs or cats come to visit (fleas)
Items brought home from storage facility
Luggage after a trip (bed bugs)
Firewood
Christmas or holiday items brought in from shed or attic
Mail or delivery of packages
Moving vans
New sod (bugs start outside but can move in looking for new home)
Plants brought in from the cold
Relatives or new roommates that visit or move in

Although this is not a complete list I’m sure, it may help you think ‘outside the box’ when a sudden< invasion of pests emerge and you really don't know why. One question I always ask in these situations is, "what’s the common denominator?" What has changed or is new that is right around the time you began seeing the problem? More times than not you'll have your answer and go right to the spot, treat it and remove any further dealings with the unwanted guests. Well, as I said up top, look at everything coming in with a little more discernment and you are one more step closer to pest proofing your home.

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Recession, what recession?

In today’s time of economic slowdowns, the stock markets downward spiral and families across America tightening their belts one sector seems to be thriving.
Food is in abundance, housing choices are no problem with new residences popping up every day. Old obstacles are slowly being removed that used to hold this group down clearing the path for population growth and a surge in freedom to pick and choose where and how they’ll live..

What sector you ask?

Why the pest populace of course. It seems that all kinds of businesses are feeling the pinch these days and the pest control industry is no exception. Households are cutting back to save money and it seems the bug guy is now on their list. Rats, mice, roaches and fleas now seem to have free run without those pesky ol exterminators around to hinder their pursuit of happiness. Populations of rodents and insects are beginning to explode in the northern states and reports of out of control infestations in other parts of the country are on the rise as well. While commercial establishments still need the pest control company’s, home owners have lumped pest services in with the luxury items and so they’re doing without.
I suppose homeowners are in the do it yourself mode trying to squeeze every dime they can. Interest in web resources such as this one are on the rise and local ‘u kill em’ stores seem to be increasing in sales. Most homeowners however, are doing nothing at all. Whether they are procrastinators or the task is to daunting pests are allowed to build up in these homes and soon I’m afraid they’ll have no choice but to hire someone or breakdown and “DIY”.
It has been said that pest control is a recession proof business. With the way things have been shaping up lately I guess we’ll be putting that to the test. In the meantime feel free to glean all the knowledge you can from these articles and ‘ask the bug doctor’ for any specific details you’re not sure about. We’d be delighted if you spread the word about www.pestcemetery.com to your friends who may have needs in this area or suggest a problem for a new article you may want to know more about. As always, if the bugs get out of hand, please call in a pro. More times than not they can do it faster and at less expense while offering at least a service guarantee you can fall back on.

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Things that go ‘bite’ in the night

A terrible thought really, in bed alone or with your significant other nestled down for some well deserved sleep. You aren’t aware of the army of things that await you. You have no idea that tucked under the mattress buttons are a small battalion of 6 legged creatures awaiting the call to charge! Smaller still, millions of mites lurk in the spring coils sharpening their ninja like skills ready to ascend and feast on sleeping tissue. Then there are the unthinkable hairy creatures that wait behind the portraits on the wall, they are solitary night hunters that move with amazing speed seeking their food by picking off the other small invaders one by one.
Your defenses are reduced to a twitch or a brush with your hand. You have no idea as you dream that another world is awake and thriving on your very existence. You don’t see the trail of ants moving up and down your night stand unimpeded as they raid your chip bag and drinking from your glass of water.
If you scratch, it’s to no avail since you just send tiny flakes of skin tissue up in a small cloud that only excites the mites more and more until it is frenzy. If you roll over you may just catch your 8 legged friend by surprise and her only recourse is to bite you in an effort to escape. The bed bugs use a numbing solution so you’ll hardly notice their biting in your slumber. The ants have now found the feast of chip crumbs you didn’t brush all the way on to the floor. They send out chemical signals to bring more troops to clean up the mess but if you were to awake it would hardly seem like a favor.
This onslaught wages all through the dark hours and as night wears on and bellies are getting full the morning light begins to creep into the room. Outside the birds sing in the morning and the invaders begin their retreat. Back to the buttons and seams out of sight, down the legs of the nightstand and into the electrical socket where it is safe. The only casualty who didn’t make it tucked beneath your shoulder near her bite mark which will be barely noticeable in a few hours.
You awaken slowly, stretch and yawn. A good morning kiss and you roll out to begin your day. Toothbrush in hand you emerge from the bathroom to straighten the bed. A small spider catches your eye limping on the floor and he escapes under the bed. “I’ll get you when I get home from work” you declare with confidence. You add the task to your mental lists of things to do as you rotate and stretch your sore shoulder.
Your day begins but for millions of others, their day is done and it’s time for them to snuggle down for a well deserved rest.

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Kitchen nightmares

There are some things in life I don’t like very much: going to the dentist, changing a flat tire in the rain or getting caught singing in the car at a red light. I’m sure you have a list too but there is one thing that out of marital obligation I must do but I sure don’t enjoy much. Going out to a restaurant to eat.
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Smoke em’ if you got em’

Some memories in our lives are seared forever between our ears. Whenever we think of them or it surfaces, those same emotions that stirred oh so many years ago still bubble up and are just as strong. For me this is one of those memories and oh yes, it still boils my blood to this day.

It’s the 2nd Tuesday at 5:00 pm and I pull into a monthly account. It was a clinic for expectant mothers. Most bug guy’s I know including me start early so this was not my favorite account because it was so late in the day. We did this though just so we wouldn’t add any undue concerns to the mothers to be.

As I pulled in and gathered my equipment I could see the last (or so I thought) of the patients leaving the building. As I entered and checked in as normal, I looked into our pest log to see if any pest activity had been reported. About then a young lady came from around the corner heading out. Oh man if her eyes were daggers I would’ve needed a doctor. I quickly thought, “Did I scrape her car when I pulled in, was she a disgruntled customer?”I didn’t know but this woman was visibly mad at me & I just knew she wasn’t going to walk by without a word. As she came down the hall I mustered a half smile and that’s when she went off. ” What the %$@ do you think you’re doing? I’m pregnant and you are poisoning my baby, you don’t dare spray that $%@) till I leave.” She kept on an on till she hit the door.
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Insect killing robots

I just may be out of a job soon. Scientist are developing exterminator robots. These little guys can hunt down and gobble up all the little creepy crawlies in your home 24 hours a day. I guess it was inevitable, we have automatic vacuum’s, lawn mowers and even some that can fetch your remote or get you a beer. Times they are a changing but somehow I think the bugs will figure it out and I won’t be in the unemployment line for long.

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View a termite swarm

Great video showing termite swarmers in Africa and the perils of ants.

Had to add this one: Termites and ants fighting

Kid freindly!

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Local links for pest control help

Sometimes it’s difficult to find help when you’re facing a potentially serious pest control problem. You know you’d like an answer but if you call a bug company, they just might try and sell you something. Perhaps it’s an odd looking swarm of bugs that you need identified. Maybe you want to hire a professional pest control company and want to see if they are licensed. Alot of you just want to see how and what to spray or fertilize. These answers and many more can usually be found at your states Department of Agriculture website. Information and phone numbers are just a click away and if you don’t find the answer at least you’ll have a resource as to who can help. We tried to connect you with the right page for each state and keep your ‘hunting and pecking’ down to a minimum. Some links go directly to State web sites while other are county extension or college program pages. Each one was picked because it offered the best chance for you to get answers. Let us know if you need further assistance or if this article was helpful in any way.

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut Delaware, District of Columbia Florida, Georgia Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming,

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Good news for bees

Finally a little good news concerning bees and perhaps a way to stop their decline. The loss of our bees can be devastating to all mankind. Not only billions of dollars in lost revenue but our food crops will suffer greatly. Well that won’t stop some of our bravest entrepreneurs and it’s because of that, things may just bee looking up.
View this interesting article and let us know what you think.

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Air currents: Pest proofing your home – part 2

We’ve discussed how looking for light and trying to seal it out will also help keep the bugs at bay. Our next step is a bit more difficult but if we get some understanding of what bugs are looking for we begin to see what draws them into our homes.
While air currents can actually deter insects it can also lead them to the Promised Land. Restaurants and warehouses for example use ‘air doors’ on back or bay entries to keep flying bugs out. Also called ‘air dams’ they churn out a powerful blast of air every time the door is open. While it may only muss up your hair or send loosely held papers flying it’s more than enough to shield the entry until the door closes again. Also a well placed box fan will keep German roaches off certain areas in your home (like counter tops). Simply turn it on and point the air to the area you want clear and they’ll leave it alone but that remedy is usually only temporary.

However air is beneficial to bugs in that it’s like a roadmap. Currents of air carry information to them that they can follow to find a mate, food, escape, water, nesting sites or life giving heat. If any of these things lead to your living room then that is where they’ll go. Insects can detect these things from great distances and in very minute amounts. For instance on the colder fall days it’s not unusual to find some of the occasional outdoor roaches inside. How did they know to come in? Simply put they were trying to escape the cold and your home at some point offered warmer air and even showed them how to get in.

Now for the tricky part, locating air currents or leaks is no easy task. First let me explain about the two types of air leaks you can have. They are ‘wind effect’ and ‘stack effect. Wind effect is more the air that comes into your home from the outside, even while I sit here typing I can feel ‘wind effect’ on my arm coming from the window next to my desk, when my heat kicks on I don’t feel it near as much because of the change in pressure. (It’s cold tonight). To find wind effect leaks it’s best to wait for a windy day or you can create the wind with a partner outside pointing a leaf blower towards the areas you’re checking. Then turn off your air system, which will depressurize the home. Choose either a tissue draped over a hanger, an incense stick or even a candle. Move through the home placing your device over windows, door frames, and electric sockets, plumbing areas that exit the home, dryer vent pipes, cracks or seams in drywall or trim. Fluttering paper or flickering flame indicates wind effect. Much like our search for light, you’ll need to seal those areas up.
Stack effect is inside to out and more difficult to find. It’s caused by warm air rising through the house. It may leak out in hard to follow paths through cracks or gaps then into the interior walls and finally up and out of the attic. In any event if it exits the house you have stack effect. In the basement / crawl look for cracks in the foundation or gaps in the bricks, basement windows are usually a prime source. Plumbing pipes, electrical or cable lines that are not sealed will also allow for air leaks. In the living areas check recessed lighting, gaps in trim, the chimney area that meets the ceiling and any areas similar to your wind effect check list. In the attic look at vent pipes that come up through the ceiling or any other plumbing areas, also un capped wall voids are huge contributors. No tissues on a stick here it’s more inspect and seal. Of note you can have a blower door test done which will detect many leaks however I have a hunch it’s kind of costly.
So there you have it, just another taste of how and why insects enter the home. If you know of anything I’ve missed please let us know. It always amazes me when I learn of new ways of insect survival and I almost always learn from others experiences. We’ll pick up on our pest proofing series again real soon, perhaps from something you’ve shared.

Posted in Pest proofing series | 3 Comments

Great ball of bees

In Santa Ana California a huge ‘ball’ of bees was discovered in a tree. Although the bees seemed not to care about the gawkers the fire dept. was called in to assess the situation. The ‘ball’ of bees was later moved to eliminate any possible problems with folks getting stung.

Almost every year bees exhibit this kind of behavior. It’s called ‘budding’. It’s one way in which large colonies can perpetuate the species. From the colony a new queen bee is determined and she takes flight. Sometimes 1/2 or more of the workers will follow, (oh and one lucky male get’s to go too) if she lands to rest they land as well surrounding and protecting her. This landing can occur almost anywhere, mailboxes, window ledges, car windshields, etc. The call to the exterminator is the next thing that usually happens. A seasoned pest control person will usually advise you to let it alone for the day and by tomorrow it’ll be gone. 99 % of the time they are right. The queen was probably just tired from her exodus and needed a break. If perhaps where she’s landed is suitable for a nest she may just stay and the work begins on hive construction. At that point if you feel you are in danger by the location of the nest throw out all do it yourself pest control ideas and call in a pro. Bee keepers will usually come out for FREE and remove the colony. Then they’ll relocate it to where they can utilize the honey making critters and everybody’s happy. Our bees are in serious decine right now anyway so why not call in someone who can do us all a favor.
So if you see ‘budding’ bees in the future don’t reach for the spray, rather just grab your camera and get a picture because chances are you won’t see it tomorrow.

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How to kill bugs using dusts

Dusts and powder have long been a staple in mans tool box for pest control. Earliest records of this date back to 2500 BC when the original do it yourself pest control exterminator used sulphur in a powder form to calm all sorts of bug infestations. Other powders came such as dursban dust, chlordane, sevin, diatomaceous earth, silica gel, boric acid and some are still here to this day.

Dust and powders can be very effective because they do not break down as quickly as a liquid mix insecticide. Placing dusts in a wall void for instance may provide an effective barrier for over a year. New dust layered on top of the insecticidal dust may render it ineffective or if the dust becomes wet it will clump up and be of no use.

The way dust works is tiny sharp fragments of either the material itself or silica which is added gets on the insect and cuts through the waxy covering over the exoskeleton. The insecticide can now enter the body or the pest simply dries out. If enough dust covers the bug it will fill the spiracles (air tubes) and the insect dies.

Dusts have a wide range of insects it will kill. Wood roaches, fleas in carpet, American roaches, German cockroaches, Palmetto bugs, Bed bugs, Black widow spiders, Recluse spiders, Earwigs, Crickets, Silverfish, Box elder bugs and the list goes on and on. The trick however is to use the dusts correctly in areas where it won’t become airborne going off target and causing unintended problems. For instance you’ll notice ‘fleas in carpet’ is listed. It’s on some powder labels to use this way and they even make some fancy applicator tools to make it very easy for you to spread the powder all over your carpets. While I agree it works very well, fleas do die but it exposes you and I on a daily basis to the powder. Every time you walk across the floor it get’s stirred up. Would you let your baby crawl on it? For me, I only apply dusts to voids in walls etc. or to spaces behind furniture or areas that will not be disturbed. Also while I’m at it, let me warn you. Dusts and powders in general are flammable. Never dust in fire or near an open flame such as a ‘pilot light’ in a stove. Years ago I found this out and had to walk around for about a month without eyebrows till they grew back. (You’ve been warned)

All right let’s look at how to dust correctly. First there are many types of dusters but we’ll just deal with 2 since the same basics apply.

The ‘puff duster’ also known as a ‘bellow’ duster is an awesome tool that everyone who does their own pest control should have. You can get a puff duster from any DIY pest control store. It’s sturdy, versatile and can apply a nice even shot every time. Key points; The duster should be held as if it’s upside down with the applicator tip up, do it the other way and the tip will clog. Never clamp down on the duster with excessive force, this too will force to much out to quick and it will clog even if held correctly. If it does clog however, simply unscrew the tip clean plunger tool from the back and ream out the tip to clear it. (Screw it back BEFORE continuing) Filling the duster is fairly simple. Remove the rubber stopper with a turning motion and pull gently. Today’s dust products such as Delta and Drione have the perfect size opening to fill your duster. Wear at least a dust mask and some gloves in case some gets airborne. (and it will) Only fill your applicator 1/2 to 3/4 full so you have air pushing out as well as dust. Now you’re ready to use your puff duster.

Shelf ready ‘Bottle Duster’; fairly simple to use but remember to remove the protective covering over the mouth of the bottle. The tip is pre cut but if for some reason you need more dust you can cut it for a larger hole. (Don’t cut too much) Mask and gloves apply hear as well. You’re ready to use your ‘Bottle Duster.’

OK lets dust; as stated you can dust so many different places. The trick is never dust to heavily. It’s a waste and it’s now an area the bugs will avoid like the plague. A light puff or two so that you can barely see the powder is perfect. For larger voids you can apply more force to get the dust to cover more fully but not to much more. If treating under appliances hit it from 2 or 3 sides to get your coverage and do the space behind as well. Oh one quick note, refrigerators are not good to dust around, the fans on the compressor will ‘puff’ the dust back at you and into the room every time it clicks on. Boric acid aerosols are better suited for this area and we’ll cover those products in another article. Be creative in as safe a manner as you can and you’ll be able to put a very nice, invisible, long lasting dust barrier in and around your home that will kill unwanted bugs for a long time.

Posted in Tools of the trade | 5 Comments

Collect call from Mr. Bed Bug

Dial 311 in New York and you won’t get local traffic, sports, or the severe weather alert system. Instead you’ll be connected to the Bed bug hot line where you can report infestations, bites and apparently get information on their control. The epidemic is so out of hand bed bug sprays are flying off the shelves and pest & termite control companies are using dedicated trucks set up just for the bed bugs to try and keep up. Complaints in New York are up 34 % and that estimate is probably extremely low. Some neighborhood calls to 311 of their bed bug infestations have doubled and there is no reason to doubt that a similar number of problems exist but are not called in. Many people are of the do it yourself pest control mentality and we may never get an accurate sense of the problem.

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