Did you know it takes 4 months for bed bug eggs to hatch? That's why you think you've gotten rid of them but then they come back to haunt you! They can also live for several months to a year without feeding. So what's one to do to get rid of them? 

This is why you need an experienced exterminator-NOT your own home or over-the-counter remedies. While they may seem to work short-term, the bed bugs usually just go into hiding and come back with a vengeance some time later.

Be smart the first time and hire an experienced exterminator who will get the job done right. Call PestAway today at 212-721-2521 or visit our website at www.pestawayinc.com. 

With this tool, you can see the latest bed bug alerts in your area! Simply click the link and type in your city and state, and walla! Know what your risk is and protect yourself! 

http://bedbugregistry.com/

Bed Bug Locator

We keep saying that do-it-yourself bedbug removal solutions are not the way to go. They may appear cheaper, but they don't get rid of the bed bugs, so in the long run, you end up paying that (and it isn't cheap) PLUS the cost of the inevitable professional bed bug services you will end up needing. So go to the professionals first and avoid the aggravation of non-effective remedies and having the bed bugs around your house longer! 

We've said it-but if you don't believe us, check out this article: 

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/09/11/best-bed-bug-removal-savings-experiment/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl6%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D309087

You inhale the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee. You sit down on one of the plush seats and plug in your laptop-and then you see that gross bed bug climbing out from between the cushions of the sofar chair. Gross! 

According to a recent news report, bed bugs have been found in a Starbucks in Campbell, California. What can be worse?

There is no area that is completely protected from bed bugs. So don't be too tired to detect them-even at Starbucks!  

It can be difficult to tell bedbug bites from other types of insect bites. However, they are typically itchy, and they may appear clustered or lined up in rough rows.

 This is really how bed bugs think! Be extremely vigilant about possible bed bug infested areas when traveling. This is especially appropriate now as the spring and summer are approaching, people go on vacation, and college students come home. Bed bugs especially like hotels-exterminators cite hotels and motels as one of the most likely places to be bed bug infested, so check your room for bed bugs before sleeping in it! Survey the mattress, the blankets and the bed board for bed bugs! If you suspect or see bed bugs, ask to change rooms. It's not worth it to bring home bed bugs from a nice vacation...trust us! 

According to a report released yesterday by the National Pest Management Association, more than a third of pest control companies treated bed bug infestations in hospitals. That is an increase of 6% since 2011 and 12% since 2010. The verdict: bed bugs infestations are increasing in the one place where bed bugs should be nonexistent.

Bed bugs are actually prevalent in hospitals because of the many patients that are constantly going through its doors. “We never know when somebody might show up with bedbugs,” says Dr. Jorge Parada, medical director of the infection prevention and control program of Loyola University Health System in Chicago.

Bed bugs are not inherently dangerous to one’s health, but they cause bloody bites which can cause much discomfort and worsen a patient’s already precarious state of health. Additionally, the open wounds are great places for bacteria and infections to develop, especially in a hospital where the risk of getting an in-hospital infection is so high. So it’s a priority for hospitals to rid their premises of the bed bugs. Additionally, under the new Affordable Care Act, hospitals will lose federal funding for a high percentage of readmissions, so hospitals want to reduce the risk of infections in patients that may lead to them being readmitted.

Although there are several projects in the works to eradicate bed bugs more cheaply and efficiently, as of now, exterminators are the only option available at this point. While costly and not time-efficient for hospitals, this option is most reliable in eradicating this pest. 

This week (April 22-26) is Bed  Bug Awareness Week, a week of spreading awareness about bed bug infestations and what people can do to stop infestations. 

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and University of Kentucky was released today to coincide with Bed Bug Awareness week. The report found that  bed bug infestations are at even higher rates than last year. 99.6% of respondents encountered bed bug infestations, up .6% from the previous year's rate of 99%. 

These are the top five findings of the report:

1.  Nearly all (99.6 percent) pest professionals have treated bed bugs in the 
    past year, slightly higher than the 99 percent that reported the same in 
    2011. 
 
2.  The majority of bed bug infestations occur in residential settings, such 
    as apartments/condominiums and single-family homes, with 98 percent and 96 
    percent of respondents treating these dwellings respectively. Two years 
    ago, about nine out of ten respondents reported treating infestations in 
    these settings. 
 
3.  As in previous years, survey respondents continue to treat for bed bugs in 
    a variety of places outside private residences, such as college dorms, 
    hotels, nursing homes, offices, schools and daycare centers, hospitals, 
    public transportation and others: 
 
 
   -- Hotels/motels -- 75 percent (80 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- College dorms -- 47 percent (54 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Nursing homes -- 46 percent (46 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Office buildings -- 36 percent (38 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Schools and day care centers -- 41 percent (36 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Hospitals -- 33 percent (31 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Transportation (train/bus/taxi) -- 21 percent (18 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Movie theaters -- 10 percent (17 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Retail stores -- 15 percent (21 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Libraries -- 12 percent (8 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Restaurants -- 7 percent (6 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Airplanes -- 2 percent (6 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Laundromats -- 9 percent (6 percent in 2011) 
 
 
    NOTE: Percentages denote professionals reporting treating bed bugs in 
    specific locations. 
 
4.  Clutter contributes to the problem as approximately two-thirds of 
    respondents point to homeowner clutter as the biggest customer-oriented 
    challenge in treating bed bugs, while 58 percent say customers not 
    following advice and 16 percent point to re-infestation. Bed bugs continue 
    to be the most difficult pest to treat according the 76 percent of 
    respondents. 
 
5.  Although not a seasonal pest, prime bed bug time appears to be during the 
    summer months with nearly half (49 percent) of respondents saying 
    infestations occur most often then and least often in the winter. While 
    pest professionals are divided over whether there is "peak season" for bed 
    bugs, more than half of those who notice a seasonal difference receive 
    more calls during summer. Since people tend to travel and relocate more 
    during the summer months, it is possible that a greater number of people 
    unknowingly transport the bugs back home from their travels, or discover 
    them soon after moving. 

 
 
1.  Nearly all (99.6 percent) pest professionals have treated bed bugs in the 
    past year, slightly higher than the 99 percent that reported the same in 
    2011. 
 
2.  The majority of bed bug infestations occur in residential settings, such 
    as apartments/condominiums and single-family homes, with 98 percent and 96 
    percent of respondents treating these dwellings respectively. Two years 
    ago, about nine out of ten respondents reported treating infestations in 
    these settings. 
 
3.  As in previous years, survey respondents continue to treat for bed bugs in 
    a variety of places outside private residences, such as college dorms, 
    hotels, nursing homes, offices, schools and daycare centers, hospitals, 
    public transportation and others: 
 
 
   -- Hotels/motels -- 75 percent (80 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- College dorms -- 47 percent (54 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Nursing homes -- 46 percent (46 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Office buildings -- 36 percent (38 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Schools and day care centers -- 41 percent (36 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Hospitals -- 33 percent (31 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Transportation (train/bus/taxi) -- 21 percent (18 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Movie theaters -- 10 percent (17 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Retail stores -- 15 percent (21 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Libraries -- 12 percent (8 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Restaurants -- 7 percent (6 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Airplanes -- 2 percent (6 percent in 2011) 
 
   -- Laundromats -- 9 percent (6 percent in 2011) 
 
 
    NOTE: Percentages denote professionals reporting treating bed bugs in 
    specific locations. 
 
4.  Clutter contributes to the problem as approximately two-thirds of 
    respondents point to homeowner clutter as the biggest customer-oriented 
    challenge in treating bed bugs, while 58 percent say customers not 
    following advice and 16 percent point to re-infestation. Bed bugs continue 
    to be the most difficult pest to treat according the 76 percent of 
    respondents. 
 
5.  Although not a seasonal pest, prime bed bug time appears to be during the 
    summer months with nearly half (49 percent) of respondents saying 
    infestations occur most often then and least often in the winter. While 
    pest professionals are divided over whether there is "peak season" for bed 
    bugs, more than half of those who notice a seasonal difference receive 
    more calls during summer. Since people tend to travel and relocate more 
    during the summer months, it is possible that a greater number of people 
    unknowingly transport the bugs back home from their travels, or discover 
    them soon after moving. 

In Connecticut, new legislation is in the works to clarify the responsibilities of both landlords and tenants when a bedbug infestation is suspected. Introduced by state senator Danta Bartolomeo, the bill comes after rounds of meetings and negotiations with both landords and tenants. “"I feel that we really came to a very good compromise, so that we were representing both the landlord's rights and the tenant's rights,” stated Bartolomeo.

Under the new law, the following would be incumbent upon landlords:

• Landlords cannot rent apartments that are suspected of or know to be infested with bed bugs.
• Are responsible for implementing and paying for treatment once a bed bug problem becomes known.
• Are required to inform prospective tenants if an apartment has been treated within two months.

Tenants are required to:

• Notify the landlord of a suspected bed bug infestation
• Cooperate in treatment, i.e. agree to treatment from a certified exterminator and provide access to their apartment for treatment.
• Cover related costs of inspection, such as moving heavy furniture. These charges can be deducted from a tenant’s deposit.
• Pay for their own treatment if they refuse to give access to their apartment to a certified bed bug exterminator.

Having been approved by the Public Health Committee, the bill now must be ratified by the state senate before becoming law.

Now that the spring is finally upon us, it is essential to remain vigilant with regard to bed bugs. While bed bugs can spread all year long, they are especially active as the weather gets warm. Jeff Eisenberg, founder and CEO of PestAway Exterminating, reports that he sees many more cases of bed bug infestations between April and November. So follow the tips in the previous post (6 Tips to Stop the Spread of Bed Bugs) to remain safe and pest-free!