CommentsDisplaying sargenjd01's 10 most recent comments.

• ‘Anguish’: US Grapples With Bedbugs as EPA Limits Options

  August 31, 2010 at 10:34am

  I am not sure where people get these silly ideas about certain things but a dehumidifer will absoutely, positively do nothing to prevent BEDBUGS. A female bedbug can live for well over a year without a blood meal and can even surivive over wintering in a un-heated building, reducing the ambient humidity level will do nothing to affect them, They are one of the hardiest insects around surving long periods without a meal and various temperature ranges. Bed bugs thrive in some of the worst conditions, As for the gentleman that prescribed using DDT, personally I would never use a chlroinated hrdrocarbon inside my home. These were banned for a good reason, their effects on avians and they have a 50 year half life and will contaminate the water tables.

• ‘Anguish’: US Grapples With Bedbugs as EPA Limits Options

  August 31, 2010 at 10:20am

  Again, no offense dannidee but dehumidifers will absoutely not prevent or control bedbugs. Believe me, as an entomologist I know, now maybe you were thinking about dust mites since it does help in their control. And I could care less about what the WHO says, you go ahead and use DDT in your home, any idiot that would use a chlronated hydrocarbon ath on the average has a half life of 50 years inside their home is crazy.

• ‘Anguish’: US Grapples With Bedbugs as EPA Limits Options

  August 31, 2010 at 8:54am

  Humanbean is close but unfortunately diatomaceous earth (DE) alone will never eradicate bed bugs in a home. As someone who works in this industry we have gone from 1 to 2 bedbug calls a month to 1-2 a week. As a rule of these calls only about 50% actualy have bed bugs. Often it is fear or something like an allergic reaction to carpet bettle larva. The increase in bed bugs has nothing to do with the removal of DDT, rather it is due to the increases in international travel and what we call bunk houses of illegal immigrants where 8-10 people are living in a single family home. I have often taught pepole how to control common insect infestations but bed bugs like termites is something you should leave to the professionals, sure you can do it yourself but eventually you will call a professional.The main treamtment requires little chemical application but rather a treatment of very hot steam or co2 freezing of beds, furniture, carpets, baseboards, headboard, picture frames, etc. are the first requirement. The cost is not associated with chemical since a proplery weill trained pest provider does not need to use long-term persistent chemicals to treat for bedbugs . The cost is associated with the labor since the average bedroom requires about 4-5 hours. People who do not work in this industry need to stop talking about things they have no knowledge of. considering the chemicals we use for pest control have not long term residual effects and often are completely broken down within 90 days. You better know how to treat a certain pest or just applying a “BLAST” of chemcials could result in doubling or even worse trippling a minor ifestation..