Bed Bug Treatment Gone Wrong

It appears nightly news is now regularly including stories on bed bugs. Right here in New York, just south of our main office in New York City bed bugs are spreading like crazy. From hotels, movie theaters, stores, hospitals and now schools, it is scary to think where they may show up next.

Our local ABC news aired a story about bed bugs in a NYC School. A exterminator was hired to service a school for bed bugs, however he did much more. Upon returning to the school, teachers found fluid from the exterminator's product on their desks, children's desks, the floors, on books, etc. When reading this, the most important thing to do before hiring a pest professional or anyone, is to check their credentials.

The National Pest Management Association Lists Tips for Finding A Pro:

1. Always deal with a qualified and licensed pest management company. Consider asking to see the license or other credentials of the pest control professional that comes to solve your pest problem.

2.Evaluate pest control companies that are members of national, state or local pest management associations.

3.Consider an NPMA QualityPro company.
4.Ask friends and neighbors to recommend pest control companies they have used successfully and how satisfied they were with the service.
5.Be wary of the exterminator who comes to your home uninvited and offers to give your house a free inspection for pests. He or she may try to scare you into authorizing immediate and costly treatments.
6.If a sizable amount of money is involved, get bids from several pest management companies.
7.Don't rush a decision. Since you are paying for professional knowledge as well as skillful application of pesticides, look for someone whose judgment you can trust.
8. Before signing a contract, be sure to fully understand the nature of the household pest to be exterminated, the extent of the infestation, and the work necessary to solve the problem.
9.Find out if the pest control company has liability insurance to cover any damages to your house or furnishings during treatment.
10.If a guarantee is given, know what it covers, how long it lasts, what you must do to keep it in force, and what kind of continuing control, prevention and management are necessary.
11.Buy value, not price. Beware of exterminators that offer bargains that sound too good to be true.
12.Homeowners can call state pest control regulatory agencies for information regarding the status of pest management companies. In most states the regulatory agency is the State Department of Agriculture.

Although those tips apply to general pest control, what about bed bugs? How to you choose a professional, BEdBugCentral provides these helpful tips:

Not all pest control companies are created equal and are equipped and knowledgeable enough to treat bed bug infestations. Listed below you will find questions we recommend you ask before contracting a pest control company to treat your bed bug infestation.

Questions to Ask

Is the company licensed and insured?

Although this question may seem basic, it is a very important question many people may forget to ask. Pest control operators (PCO) may need to work with pesticides and chemicals, which are only effective when used properly by a licensed PCO who has been trained to do so.

What experience does the company have treating bed bug infestations at structures or sites similar to your own?

Be sure to confirm that the pest control company has not only treated bed bug infestations before, but ones at structures similar to your own. As you learn more about bed bugs, you will realize that the way an infestation is treated varies by site and structure (ie. apartments, rowhomes, etc.).

Get references.

Make sure to not only ask if they have treated infestations at structures similar to your own, but to ask for references of the previous work they have done. Make sure to follow up with these references before taking further action with the pest control company.

What is the plan of action to handle infestations?

Do not hire a bed bug company unless they can provide you with some type of bed bug protocol for your type of structure beforehand and/or after the inspection.

Does the company endorse or require the use of encasements?

We believe that the most effective bed bug eradication plans require the use of encasements on all mattresses and box springs. For more then one reason, we believe this to greatly aid in managing and treating a bed bug infestation.
Is the pricing a flat fee does it vary by job?

We think that every bed bug infestation is unique and should be treated that way. We may be wary of a flat fee pricing system because depending on the level of your infestation, the pricing may or may not be fair.

Other things to keep in mind

IPM

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to pest management that involves using both chemical and non-chemical measures to manage pest infestations. This approach is used to manage and reduce the amount of pesticide damage done to the environment.

Vacuum and Steam.

The use of vacuum and steam has proven to be a very effective and useful tool in bed bug management program. This is usually part of an IPM protocol, and is an effective alternative to pesticides.

Educational Materials

A knowledgeable pest control company will provide you with educational materials educating you on the behavior and biology of bed bugs, and what you can do to aid in the eradication process. They should also provide you with directions, written or spoken, or what to do during treatments.

For more specific information on how to choose a pest control company, you can email BedBugCentral at questions@bedbugcentral.com or contact Craig Thomas Pest Control at info@callcraig.com.

We at Craig Thomas Pest Control are proud to be members of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). NPMA an organization including many pest management companies, whose many goal its to protect the health, home and/or property from pest. Craig Thomas is even on the board of directors! As division of NPMA includes QualtiyPro. Craig Thomas Pest Control is proud to be one of the 303 companies (as of February 2010) to be QualityPro. QualityPro increases the professionalism of the pest management industry, by instituting background and reference checks on all new employees, drug testing, clear contracts and warranties among a host of other items. On top of all of these qualifications, we are BedBugFree Certified. This certification shows the commitment Craig Thomas Pest Control has in controlling bedbugs.

We are a licensed and trained in bedbug control and would like the opportunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or facebook.

Picture Source

The True Ghouls of Halloween

Bedbugs, Spiders, Bats and Other Pests

Give Homeowners Nightmares During the Halloween Season

This Halloween, vampires, ghosts and goblins will not be the only ghoulish creatures haunting the night; bedbugs continue to make a startling resurgence in U.S. residences, spider infestations are up, and wildlife pests such as bats plague homeowners across the country. 



According to the Sarah Thomas, Marketing Specialist at Craig Thomas Pest Control. “Scary  movies aren’t the only thing giving homeowners nightmares this season. As temperatures begin to plunge, pests everywhere begin to seek respite in the very areas you want them the least – your home.”

Pests such as bedbugs are actually very similar to one of our favorite Halloween characters – the vampire.  A nocturnal creature, bedbugs are bloodsucking pests.  As they bite human skin, they inject an anesthetic-like liquid that numbs the skin and allows them to bite undisturbed.  In fact, humans don’t usually wake up when they are being bitten; however, they do find themselves scratching circular, red, itchy welts in the morning.

“Luckily, a bedbug bite doesn’t transform you into a bedbug; the way a vampire bite makes you a vampire,” says Thomas.  “In fact, the only good news about bedbugs is that their bites do not transmit disease to humans.”

Other ghoulish pests cannot make the same claim.  Bats are the culprits behind 72% of rabies cases in the U.S. between 1990 and 2002; and various species of spiders found in the United States pose serious health threats and require vigilant control procedures.

“Homeowners have an easy way of waking up from this type of house nightmare,” commented National Pest Management Association Vice President of Public Affairs Missy Henriksen. “Pest professionals have the training and expertise to assist homeowners through this type of home horror.”

Craig Thomas Pest Control is licensed and trained in insect and rodent control and would like the opportunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or facebook. For more information on pest control, visit http://www.pestworld.org/ and http://www.callcraig.com/.

Picture Source: overstocktober.

Stink Bugs

The newest invasion sweeping the Eastern U.S., now includes stink bugs! However, bed bugs are still the prominent insect invading the U.S. currently. According to a CBS Article, stink bugs are worse than ever invading homes, businesses and destroying crops.

To learn more about stink bugs, this informational sheet is great!

Although stink bugs are not a prevalent in the Hudson Valley, Craig Thomas Pest Control has received and responded to calls regarding these insects. We are licensed and trained in insect and rodent control and would like the opportunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or facebook. For more information on pest control, visit www.pestworld.org and www.callcraig.com.



STUFF THE BUS

We need your help!

Craig Thomas Pest Control is very excited to join Star 93.3fm in their annual campaign to

Stuff the Bus

 against hunger. All proceeds are donated to The Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

If you are a customer...You can provide your technician with a nonperishable item at your time of service. Your technician with collect the donation.

If you are not a customer...You can still help. Come drop off a donation November 18th - November 20th at Stop & Shop on Route 9, Poughkeepsie;

 November 20th at Stop & Shop in New Paltz and Burnette Blvd in Poughkeepsie.

Help families put food on the tables as the holidays approach.

SECOND HOMEOWNERS MAY FIND UNINVITED PEST GUESTS

What is lurking in your home away from home?

Second homeowners may find their vacation properties have become home to such crib crashing critters as raccoons, squirrels, mice, birds, termites, spiders, ants and even bears in their several season hiatus. With the purchase of vacation homes on the rise, more and more second homeowners are starting their vacations with a common creepy crawly problem— ridding their getaway of unwanted pest guests.

As more people purchase vacation homes in natural settings and leave them vacant during the colder months, it is only natural to discover that Mother Nature has moved in while they were out. “People are upset when they open up their cabin or beach house for the season to find ants in the kitchen, spiders in the bathroom, and small wildlife in the chimney or crawlspace,” said Missy Henriksen, Vice President of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). “If you don’t properly pest-proof your home, nature will find its way in through cracks, crevices, holes, vents and chimneys and can create a really dangerous situation.”

Insects can sting and bite, cause minor skin irritations and extreme allergic reactions in some cases, while termites can cause thousands of dollars in property damage. Animals that seem cute and harmless in their natural environment can attack and become defensive if they are trapped or have set up camp indoors.


“Pest management is important for all homes especially second homes, since they are left vacant for long periods of time,” said, Sarah Thomas, Marketing Specialist at Craig Thomas Pest Control, Inc. "As a homeowner the last thing you want to be doing is dealing with insects or rodents. Instead you should be enjoying your property," said Thomas.  “If possible, second homeowners should try to open their home for the season prior to the whole family coming for vacation, but either way, they should at least go prepared with the phone number of a local pest professional to safely remove their pest and wildlife problem.”

We are licensed and trained in insect and rodent control and would like the opportunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or facebook. For more information on pest control, visit http://www.pestworld.org/ and http://www.callcraig.com/.

We at Craig Thomas Pest Control, Inc. are grateful to: the National Pest Management Association for the pest information and/or photo images incorporated into this work.

Bed Bugs: What Parents & Students Need to Know

Bed Bugs: What Parents & Students Need to Know

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are brown to reddish-brown, flat, oval insects, which feed on the blood of people while sleeping. When the bite occurs it is painless, which occur in a straight line. The area may develop into a large, itchy welt similar to a mosquito bite. Bed bugs do not transmit disease, but can cause anxiety and sleeplessness.

Bed bugs are known as hitchhikers, transferred from one infested environment to another. They travel from one place to another on clothing, bedding, luggage, furniture, backpacks, books and more.

Why bed bugs are on the rise!
Factors contributing to the resurgence of bed bugs:

• Unregulated sale, donation, importation and smuggling of second hand clothing, mattress and furniture.
• More clutter and belonging in which the bugs can hide such as, conducive building, decorating practices and turnover of occupants. 
• Denial/lack of reporting by tenants, workers, landlords, hotels, businesses, universities, etc.
• Economic expansion enabling people to travel.
• Global health officials focusing their efforts on disease vectors rather than bed bugs.
• Changing lifestyle, greater reliance on communal laundries rather than washing items at home.

Avoid getting bed bugs.
To prevent bed bugs from getting into a room, do not bring any used or discarded items into the room. If you think you were somewhere with a bedbug problem, inspect your items. Pay attention to seams, folds, zippers and any other location.

Backpacks, lunchboxes, and other items that travel to and from school should be inspected daily and sealed in plastic containers or plastic bags to prevent bedbugs from getting into them at home. During inspection look for physical bedbugs, black stains created by fecal droppings and eggs which are pearly white and 1mm in length.

Suspect bed bugs.

• Do you wake up with unexplained bug bites on your body?
• Do you see any live bed bugs? 
• Do you see dark brownish black staining on your linens or mattress?

Notify housing immediately if you suspect bed bugs. If you suspect bed bugs at home, call a licensed, trained, BedBugFree professional.

What not to do.

• Do not throw items away or remove them for your room.
• If items are moved correctly, it will prevent the spread in the hallways, other room and areas. You certainly do not want another student picking up the contaminated items and spreading the problem to a greater level.
• Do not attempt to control the bed bugs on your own.
• Contact housing immediately to allow a professional pest management provider who is trained in this area.
• Do not relocate to another room.
• Initially the first thought is to get out of the room. However, in doing so you carry the risk on carrying bed bugs on yourself and your belongings into another room. 

What you should do.

• Notify housing immediately. If home, call a licensed, trained, BedBugFree professional.
• Bed bugs can spread at a rapid rate, do not be embarrassed and notify someone immediately.
• Clean up clothes and general clutter in the room.
• Clutter provides an ideal place for bed bugs to hide and also makes bed bug service difficult.
• Bag laundry and launder in hot water.
• Laundering your clothing will reduce the spread of bed bugs. Place linens and other items in plastic bags and have laundered in hot water. Bed bugs exposure to heat will kill any insects and their eggs. Place in hot dry cycle as well. Throw bags into dumpster and place clean items in clean garbage bags.

I’m going home, what can I do.
Transporting bed bugs is definitely something to be concerned about. Limit what you bring home; bringing home items that can be placed in plastic bags. When you arrive home place items in hot dryer to kill any insects and/or eggs. Leave suitcase in garage and do not bring into home. Do inspect around zipper, folds, etc. before and after your travels.

Again most importantly, if you suspect bed bugs, do not be embarrassed take action NOW, before the problem it out of hand.

We are a licensed and trained in bedbug control and would like the opporunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or  facebook.



We at Craig Thomas Pest Control, Inc. are grateful to: the National Pest Management Association, University of Florida,  BedBug Central, Bugs without Borders and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for pest information and/or photo images incorporated into this work. 

BedBugs Resurgence

CRAIG THOMAS PEST CONTROL REPORTS RESURGANCE IN BEDBUG INFESTATIONS

Bedbugs Infesting Residential and Multifamily Homes, Apartment Complexes, Residence Halls, Hospitals and Hotels

September 10, 2010 (Hyde Park, NY) – According to the National Pest Management Association, pest control companies are reporting a significant increase in the number of calls regarding bedbug infestations. Renowned hitchhikers, bedbugs catch rides in luggage, shoes, pant hems and any other mobile material. Although there is no way to determine the actual cause of the resurgence, experts are attributing the increase to several things, which include global travel and the mobility of the pest.

These infestations can be difficult to detect due to the elusive, nocturnal and transient nature of the pest. Although their name suggests otherwise, bedbugs can be found in carpets, peeling wallpaper, light fixtures, and any crack small enough for a thin insect to hide. According to Craig Thomas, President for Craig Thomas Pest Control, bedbug infestations are not a sign of unsanitary or unclean living areas.

Adult bedbugs are about the size and shape of a lentil. Their color depends on how recently they have eaten. They turn red after consuming a blood meal and then begin to gradually turn a brownish color. Capable of living up to ten months without a meal, a single bedbug can lay up to 500 eggs in its lifetime.

As bedbugs bite human skin, they inject an anesthetic-like liquid that numbs the skin and allows the pest to bite undisturbed. In fact, humans don’t usually wake up when they are being bitten; however, they do find themselves scratching circular, red, itchy welts in the morning.

“Bedbugs are definitely back here in the Hudson Valley. Our bedbug business has exploded with a 600% increase compared to last year alone.” said Craig Thomas, President for Craig Thomas Pest Control.

“Bedbug infestations should only be treated by trained, licensed, BedBugFree profession al pest management companies,” says Thomas. “This is not an infestation that can be treated by do-it-yourself measures. Professionals know where to look and can offer the most up to date methods of bedbug control.”


For more information, please contact us by phone 1.800.255.6777, email, twitter, facebook, our website or the National Pest Management Association.