Schools Teaching Parents about Bed Bug Prevention

Bed bug infestations can be really scary for parents, who don’t always know how to best eliminate bed bugs. Bedbug.com was recently notified that the Danbury School System will be hosting a bed bug information forum this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Danubury High School.

We are thrilled to hear that bed bug information is being distributed to parents in a preventative manner. Our mission at Bedbug.com is to prevent bed bugs from entering your home by providing entomologist tested bed bug mattress and luggage encasement products, specifically for children and families. We highly recommend that you encourage your child school administration to host similar bedbug forums to help reduce infestations in your neighborhood!

Bed Bug Protection in the Form of Arm Hair?

New studies indicate that bed bugs are less likely to bite individuals with more arm hair. Researchers believe this is because the hair slows down the bed bugs and warns the person being bitten. A few brave individuals volunteered to test this theory. Bed bug bites are in fact most likely to occur on the face, wrists and feet; where hair is least likely to grow.

Researchers have gone so far as to suggest that preventing bed bug and other insect bites are the reason why we have arm hair. While this theory may sound extreme, it is plausible considering that the thin hair covering our arms and legs is not quite long enough to protect us from the elements, as it does for other mammals.

Read more about bed bug prevention at our Bed Bug Knowledge Center.

Landlord Help! Tenant Complaining of Bed bugs

Bed bug infestations are stressful for anyone, whether you are a tenant or a landlord and no matter where you live.

Recently, we have received many calls from landlords in New York state exacerbated that their tenant has just complained that they have bed bugs. While these bed bug search and elimination tips may be helpful for anyone who suspects bedbugs, this post is geared towards New York State Tenants and Landlords in such a situation.

Find Pest Control Now!

1. Know the law: While we do not offer legal counsel, there are many laws about bed bugs in apartment buildings. A full list of bedbug laws in NYC can be found by clicking here.
2. Find a Pest Control Company: It is the landlords responsibility to get the apartment checked for bedbugs. Many times other bugs, such as carpet beetles or dust mites can be confused for bed bugs. You can find exterminators using the Find Pest Control tab on Bedbug.com’s website or simply click the image on the right. NOTE: All exterminators listed on Bedbug.com have been verified, and many even have coupons for free bed bug inspections or reduced price treatments!
3. Check for Bedbugs: Use your chosen exterminator to get the apartment in question checked for bed bugs. If that apartment does not have bed bugs, please skip to step 6 below.
4. Eliminate Bed bugs: If bed bugs are located, bed bug treatments to eliminate them must be initiated. Be prepared that killing bed bugs is often expensive, typically between 400 and 1,000 dollars.
5. New NY law! Landlords are responsible for checking adjacent apartments for bedbugs. While this is not extremely common, this is a new law in New York State because bed bugs have been found to crawl from one apartment to the next, especially in cases of heavy infestations.
6. Encase Mattresses and Laundry: Consider bed bug mattress and clothing encasements to prevent any bed bug scares in the future. This may also add a sense of security for both yourself and your frazzled tenant, and help to patch up any residual tensions from this episode. NOTE: When purchasing bed bug encasements, make sure they have been tested and certified bed bug proof and look at the warranty – entomologist testing and lifetime warranties typically indicate confidence in the preventative abilities of the encasement product.
7. Bonus Step: Bedbug.com coupon code! We know how hard bed bug detection and killing bed bugs can be; both emotionally and financially. Well, we’re here to help ease this in whatever ways we can. Just for reading this article, you get access to our highest 15% coupon code to be used by you and/or your tenant for your entire order at Bedbug.com checkout – Just click on SAVEAF15 and remember to enter ‘SAVEAF15′ as your coupon code at checkout.

Good luck with those critters and we hope these tips have helped you to sleep just a bit more secure tonight!

Bed bugs are now harder than ever to kill – Why can’t we kill bedbugs?

Popular Science recently reported that the bed bug resurgence is not just increasing vast, but also increasingly infuriating!

How exactly have bedbugs come back to infest homes and beds across the world? Research suggests there are a few reasons:

1. Thicker Skin –  New research seeks to measure their cuticle thickness and hydrocarbon content, which indicates how much wax is present and just how strong bedbugs are.
2. Faster Metabolism – Bed bug gene changes are allowing them to create more enzymes to metabolize oily toxins like pyrethroids, which are typically used by exterminators.
3.  Chemical Blocking - Bed bugs are constantly adapting. Current chemicals used for bed bug elimination target the sodium channel, but bed bugs are now mutated causing this method to be ineffective. Because they have to, pest control professionals are now learning to be more creative in killing bed bugs.
4. Physical bed bug elimination - The newest techniques are pretty old. Searching, cleaning and vacuuming to eliminate bed bugs in your home. It’s painstaking, but it may be what works currently. Bed bug dogs are often used to sniff out their hiding spots. However, if you have an infestation, I’d encourage washing all clothes and sheets in over 120 degree heat.

Some good news is that research in bed bug prevention is ongoing, and bed bug prevention options are available. If you think you may have bed bugs or would like more information bed bug elimination, visit us anytime at Bedbug.com.