Growers in Michigan, which ranks third nationally in apple production, are more worried about pests such as the brown marmorated stink bug, she said. Scab rarely shows up in Washington, the biggest apple growing state, thanks to the arid climate.
Pests in the NewsAugust 22, 2011
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WBNS-TV reports (http://bit.ly/ofp93h ) Ohio Dominican University in Columbus planned to raise the temperature in Lynam Hall to 140 degrees on Monday in hopes of ridding the residence hall of the pests. Senior Kaitlin McNeish told the television station …
Pests in the NewsAugust 22, 2011
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'Putting insects before people'
Northumberland Gazette This response has been met with dismay by Mrs Jones, of the town's Ladbroke Street, who says she is disgusted at the commissioners' findings, claiming they 'cannot see beyond their noses' and are putting 'insects before people'. An angry Mrs Jones, … |
Pests in the NewsAugust 22, 2011
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QUESTION:
What are the pros and cons for heat treatments for bed bugs? I have a property management owner who has been reading the internet and wants me to try it for their apartments.
ANSWER:
In a recent trade magazine some good updates and experiences were given on bed bug treatments, and the use of heat was discussed briefly. One thing we do know is that heat is a serious enemy of bed bugs. According to studies presented by the Univ. of Kentucky a few years ago we can kill all stages (eggs, nymphs, adults) of bed bugs by getting their environment to just 115 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. We use this already when we have the customer launder everything they can in hot water and hot dryer, and the clothes dryer gets to over 175 degrees which should kill all stages of the bugs in just 5 minutes. Heat is an excellent way to kill bed bugs, and obviously it is 100% non-toxic (although the heat is created using some sort of toxic fuel).
However, heat is not a magic bullet, and what your customer likely is referring to would be “whole structure” heating. According to some of our most qualified experts this can be a highly expensive thing to do, and it is the possible cost to the customer that may deter them from going with this method. The use of heat is attractive because of its non-toxicity and the fact that properly done it eliminates all stages of the bugs with 1 treatment. Fumigation with Vikane does this as well, perhaps without the pitfalls that heating may present, and one of those pitfalls occurred just a week or so ago. Seems the fuel tank used to create the heat exploded and an entire apartment building burned down. Now, this is not blaming the process so much as it blames the faulty equipment, and only shows that every method for doing pest management can have its problems.
Another concern that was pointed out several years ago at a national conference is that bed bugs are not going to roll over and accept dying. These insects move fairly quickly, and when their environment begins to get uncomfortable they are going to move, seeking a new place that is comfortable for them. This is one possible drawback to the idea of heating only single units in an apartment of hotel – the bugs in the walls quickly move further away to escape the increasing heat, and this could even spread the bugs. Sealing an entire structure to heat it should prevent this from happening, but if there is a crawl space with soil beneath perhaps the bugs could make their way to this cooler area, or if the structure is not tented and enclose perhaps the exterior walls could remain cooler inside. I am not sure of all the information on this, but I suspect that companies that do use heat for bed bug control must monitor all of these spaces to ensure the heat reaches that lethal level and stays there long enough to ensure the kill of all bugs.
So, there are my thoughts. The pros – no use of toxic materials and death of all stages of the bugs. The cons – the high cost and possible missed bugs or eggs in voids that do not heat up sufficiently. The con of explosions or fire is likely preventable by using good equipment and inspecting it prior to each use. I will be attending the NPMA national conference in October and a major part of the educational conference will be on bed bugs, so I expect to learn a great deal more while there.
Pest QuestionsAugust 22, 2011
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“It’s no surprise that flies, flying and stinging pests, mosquitoes and ants are most active this summer, given current weather conditions,” said Greg Baumann, technical director for Rollins Inc., parent company of Orkin. “The sweltering temperatures …
Pests in the NewsAugust 21, 2011
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are teaming up to help landowners battle hemlock-destroying insects. Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass said Thursday in a release that the project …
Pests in the NewsAugust 21, 2011
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A team of firemen, who were left coated in thousands of fleas when they went to an abandoned house, had to be tested for plague. The crew from Connecticut were conducting a routine safety check at an abandoned building in the town of Westbury when they …
Pests in the NewsAugust 21, 2011
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Syracuse — Onondaga County officials on Friday said they would begin ground spraying for mosquitoes Sunday after finding the West Nile virus among the insects in Geddes. The positive tests mark the third finding this season of mosquitoes carrying West Nile.
Pests in the NewsAugust 21, 2011
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Pesky Pests Plague Merced Neighborhood
CBS 47 Hundreds of birds have taken over. Egrets are nesting in the trees near S and Third Street , right around Margaret Sheehy Elementary School . It's a cacophony — of birds in tree after tree after tree. “Look at 'em! I don't know, but there's a lot of … |
Pests in the NewsAugust 21, 2011
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Yakima Bed Bug Infestations On The Rise
KIMA CBS 29 Bed bug numbers for the Yakima Valley continue to rise with local pest control companies noticing a spike in calls this year. KIMA found that the cost of getting rid of these pests could put a dent in your wallet. … Debunking The 'Bed Bug Apocalypse'Ology |
Pests in the NewsAugust 21, 2011
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