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Boston Tries 'Wicked Hard' to Combat Bed Bug Surge with Education

Tuesday March 09 2010 @ 03:13 PM Source:Bed Bug Central

Boston has become one of few cities sensible enough to actually follow the advice that entomologists have been championing for years—public education. Entomologists have stressed that the public being knowledgeable on bed bug treatments and prevention will be essential to getting a handle on the nation’s “bed bug situation”.

Like many dense population centers, Boston health officials have reported a dramatic up-tick in bed bug reports. Two neighborhoods in East Boston that have been hit hardest, Allston and Brighton, are stepping up and attempting to stem the tide with public education.
 
Allston and Brighton town officials held a free bed bug informational seminar in which the local audience learned about bed bugs and how to treat and prevent infestations. Attendees also had their questions answered by licensed pest control operator Jonathan Boyar. Pearls of wisdom provided by Boyar included:

 
“The nicest hotels in America can have bedbugs. It’s not just seedy hotels,” Boyar said.

“While inspectors may use a pesticide, Boyar said to avoid over-the-counter bug sprays because they can “make a mess of the problem” since they don’t do a good job of killing all of the bugs. He also said that sometimes the bugs develop a tolerance of the over-the-counter sprays.”

That environment is typically close to the bug’s food source, such as mattress seams, box springs, curtains or under baseboards and carpets. While they prefer warm surfaces, Boyar said bedbugs have been found on cool metal surfaces and can survive for a year without a meal, but tend to feed every two to four days.

—excerpts @ Wicked Local
 
Bed Bug Central tips its hat to the city of Boston for footing the bill on this seminar and stepping up for the good of the public.

 

 
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