Hi all,

I’ve done a fair bit of traveling and on more than one occasion I have experienced bed bugs in both hostels and hotels.   It was an awful experience but luckily, that was the end of it for me.

As a design student I’m interested in researching to see if there is anything else that can be done to help reduce incidents of bed bugs; with a focus specifically on the spread of bed bugs.

I’ve created a very quick anonymous questionnaire and I’d be very interested in hearing from people who have/had experience with bed bugs.

The questionnaire:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LBYKS7J

If you have any questions regarding my project feel free to ask.

Thanks
Joe

Source:  FTC WEBSITE

Cedar, Cinnamon, Lemon Grass, Peppermint, and Clove Oil? There’s No Proof They Will Eradicate Bed Bugs, Agency Says

The Federal Trade Commission filed deceptive advertising charges against two  marketers of remedies for bed bug infestations, who allegedly failed to back up overhyped claims that they could prevent and eliminate infestations using natural ingredients, such as cinnamon and cedar oil.  One marketer also allegedly made misleading claims that its products were effective against head lice.

In one of the two cases, RMB Group, LLC and its principals have agreed to settle the charges relating to their “Rest Easy” bed bug products.  In the case against Cedarcide

Industries, Inc. and others, challenging their marketing of “Best Yet!” bed bug and head lice treatments, the defendants have not settled, and the FTC is beginning litigation against them.

Bed bugs have been a growing public health pest in recent years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  Consumers plagued with bed bugs experience considerable stress, discomfort, and expense in attempting to rid themselves of these pests, and many are unaware of the complex measures needed to prevent and control them, according to the EPA.

Consumers concerned about bed bugs also should see the FTC publication,   “Good Night, Sleep Tight, and Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite . . . Your Wallet,” which urges caution about advertisements that offer quick solutions, and provides advice to consumers for treating bed bug infestations.

Also, as children head back to school this fall, the FTC urges parents to carefully research products that claim to treat head lice infestations.

In both cases, the FTC charged the marketing companies – as well as the individuals behind them – with deceptive advertising for claiming that their products can  stop and prevent bed bug infestations.  The Cedarcide defendants also are charged with making deceptive claims that their product can stop and prevent head lice infestations, and that the federal government endorses and is affiliated with their product.

The Cedarcide Industries, Inc. defendants market BEST Yet!, a line of cedar-oil-based liquid products they claim will treat and prevent bed bug and head lice infestations.  The defendants sell the product to consumers nationwide.  They also sell it to hotels and other commercial establishments for treating bed bugs, and to school districts for treating head lice.  Consumers can buy the product online, by phone, at the Cedarcide website , and at Amazon.com.  The cost of the products ranges from $29.95 for the quart-sized spray bottle to $3,394.95 for a hotel-motel bed bug eradication kit.

One radio advertisement for the product stated:

“In light of the recent bed bug media frenzy that has all of us nervous, you need to
know that bed bug prevention and eradication relief are available.  So let’s not all freak out.  All you need is Best Yet from CedarCide.com. . . .  Best Yet was developed at the request of the USDA for our military, as a solution for killing sand fleas. But guess what, it’s equally deadly to bed bugs, larvae and eggs.”

The FTC complaint charges that the Cedarcide defendants make:

• unsupported claims that Best Yet!is effective at stopping and preventing bed bug infestations and that it is more effective than synthetic pesticides at doing so;
• false claims that scientific studies prove Best Yet!is effective at stopping and preventing bed bug infestations, and that it is more effective than synthetic pesticides at doing so;
• a false claim that the Environmental Protection Agency has warned consumers to avoid all synthetic pesticides for treating bed bug infestations;
• unsupported claims that Best Yet!is effective in stopping and preventing head lice infestations, killing head lice eggs, dissolving the glue that binds head lice eggs (known as nits) to hair, and killing head lice and their eggs in a single treatment; and
• false claims that scientific studies prove Best Yet! is effective in stopping and preventing head lice infestations.
• false claims that Best Yet!was invented for the U.S. Army at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that the USDA has acknowledged the product as the number one choice of bio-based pesticides.

The Cedarcide complaint names Dave Glassel and several companies he controls:  Springtech 77376, LLC; Cedarcide Industries, Inc.; Chemical Free Solutions, LLC; and Cedar Oil Technologies Corp.

RMB Group, LLC marketed Rest Easy, a liquid solution containing cinnamon, lemongrass, peppermint, and clove oils.  The company sold it to retail chains Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreens, and Big Lots, which in turn sold it to consumers primarily for use when staying in hotel rooms.  The product was sold in a 16-ounce spray bottle, which cost $6.99 to $9.99, and a 2-ounce twin pack, which retailed for $5.99 to $7.77.  It also was sold in a gallon jug for approximately $50.

A video ad appearing on a company-sponsored website stated:

“Did you Know … Bed bugs can survive up to 10 months without feeding. They can lay between 5 and 12 eggs per day … per bug! Why take a chance on being their next meal when you travel? Or having your business shut down because somebody unwittingly brought them in? Rest Easy … is a real GREEN All-Natural, Non-Pesticide, designed as a preventative for just these potential problems. Rest Easy And rest assured, bed bugs no more!”

The FTC complaint charges that the RMB Group defendants make unsupported claims that Rest Easy kills and repels bed bugs, and that a consumer can create a barrier against them by spraying the product around a bed.

Under the settlement, the defendants are barred from:

• representing that Rest Easy or any other pesticide kills or repels bed bugs or creates a barrier against them, and
• making any claims about the performance of such a product,

unless the representations are true and backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence.

The settlement imposes a $264,976 judgment against the Stuart, Florida-based RMB Group, LLC, and its owners, Howard and Bruce Brenner.  The judgment is suspended because of the defendants’ inability to pay.

The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint against the RMB Group LLC defendants and approving the proposed consent decree was 4-1, with Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch voting no.  The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint against the Cedarcide defendants was 5-0.  The FTC filed both complaints and the proposed settlement order for the RMB defendants in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on September 5, 2012. The proposed settlement order is subject to court approval.

NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest.  The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendant has actually violated the law.  The stipulated order is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendant that the law has been violated.  Stipulated orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP  (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.  Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Betsy Lordan
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-3707

STAFF CONTACT:

Kerry O’Brien and Linda K. Badger
FTC Western Region, San Francisco
415-848-5100

Recently The Bed Bug Resource conducted a survey of pest professionals to determine what percentage of insect samples submitted by the public as bed bugs were actually bed bugs.

It was not surprising to see that most samples thought to be bed bugs were not actually bed bugs. It supports the notion that despite the millions of photos online of what bed bugs look like that the general public are simply not able to discern one insect from another; particularly if they are similar in appearance. This makes perfect sense … Pest professionals see the same insects day in and day out so they are better equipped to see the subtleties between one species and another.

It was shocking to see that most PCOs (37.5% of those surveyed) found that the samples people submitted thinking were bed bugs turned out  to not be bed bugs less than 10% of the time. Less than 1 in 10 samples the public thought to be bed bugs were not bed bugs at all.

Interestingly, the number one insect the public misidentifies as a bed bug is a carpet beetle … and it gets more interesting … not the adult stage, but the larval stage.

Source:  LEX18.com (NBC)

Fire Destroys Nicholas Co. Apartment Building, 30 People Homeless

Authorities say a woman trying to kill bedbugs accidentally set a fire that destroyed several apartments in downtown Carlisle in Nicholas County. It took firefighters from several counties to put it out. Not only had to battle the flames, but the extreme heat as well.

You could see the flames shooting out from the apartment’s roof from several blocks away.

“I was scared to death for my husband because he was in the apartment,” says Vicky Bussell, who lived there.

Firefighters disappeared into the smoke as they climbed the ladder to make sure everyone was out the building. It took hours to get a handle on the out of control fire.

“I’ve never really seen anything like this before,” says Brianna Ross.

About 30 people lost their homes. Six families in the apartment building where the fire started, and ten families next door.

“It damages you. It’s hard when you lose everything,” Bussell says.

The Carlisle Fire Chief says a woman doused her couch in alcohol to try to get rid of bed bugs, and when she dropped her cigarette, the fire started.

“They’re just belongings, you can replace them anytime. Main thing is, nobody got hurt,” says Randal Lutes, who lost everything.

While everyone did make it out, four people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Jackie Bond’s mother was one of them:

“My mom’s bed ridden. I take care of her everyday. I don’t know where I’m going to take her, I don’t know what to do.”

Red Cross will be helping some of these people with a place to stay Friday night, but after that, many of these fire victims say they don’t know where they’ll go.

“I guess i just work until we build everything back up,” Bond says. “Everybody’s alive. As long as everybody’s alive, I’ll find a way. I’ll have to.”

Source:  ABC News

The rash that prompted a two-hour quarantine of a Delta plane in Chicago Thursday may have been the work of bed bugs, not the monkeypox virus health officials feared.

The itchy passenger was Lise Sievers of Red Wing, Minn., a 50-year-old woman returning home from Uganda, where she was working to adopt two children. Sievers noticed the rash and told her mother, who got worried and called health officials in Indiana.

“It’s just a case of bed bugs,” Sievers told ABC News affiliate WLS after exiting the plane. “I think I’m going to empty a jar of bed bugs on my mom’s bed tonight.”

Other passengers aboard Flight 3163 feared the worst as officers wearing Hazmat suits studied the rash, sending photos to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta.

“They didn’t tell us very much at all,” one passenger told WLS, describing a scene that could have come from the movie “Contagion.” “When they come on in masks and gloves, you think the worst.”

Monkeypox is a rare and sometimes fatal disease similar to smallpox that occurs mostly in central and western Africa. It’s contracted through contact with infected animals or their bodily fluids, and can spread among humans through fluids and contaminated clothes or bedding, according to the CDC.

The monkeypox rash consists of raised, fluid-filled bumps, and is usually accompanied by fever, headache and lymph node swelling. Bed bug bites, on the other hand, cause a swollen and red area that may or may not be itchy, without the other symptoms.

Sievers, who was sitting near the bathroom on the plane, recalled the worried looks from other passengers when it became clear she was the cause of the quarantine.

“You could see them thinking, ‘Is it safe to use the bathroom?’” she told WLS.

After studying the rash and searching for other signs of infectious disease, health officials released Sievers and her fellow passengers.

“Medical staff at CDC and the Chicago Department of Public Health reviewed the case and, based on the patient’s symptoms and photographs of the rash, it does not appear that the signs and symptoms are consistent with a monkeypox infection,” the CDC said in a statement. “The ill passenger was advised to seek medical care and the rest of the passengers were released from the plane.”

Dr. Donald Henderson, a professor of medicine and public health at the University of Pittsburgh and former director of the Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, said the quarantine was an unusual and unhelpful move.

“In the exceptional circumstance in which a passenger with a serious transmissible disease is discovered on a plane, the best course of action would be to explain to the passengers what the disease might be and to give them instructions to contact their physicians and to call a designated CDC emergency number should they develop any one of a number of symptoms,” he said. “The worst thing that can be done is to spread alarm and concern, delay air travel, and publicly exercise an array of unnecessary emergency measures.”

Dr. Martin Cetron, director of quarantine for the CDC, said health officials board planes to investigate possible infectious diseases upward of 40 times a month. The flights are usually delayed only a few minutes, and passengers might not even be aware of it. But two or three times a year there is a significant delay, like the one at Chicago Midway, he said.

After two agonizing hours on the tarmac, passengers were happy to learn that the rash was not the result of something more serious.

“Of course, you’re relieved when they say it is just a case of bug bites,” passenger Kayla Sanders told WLS.

Undeterred, Sievers plans to return to Uganda in a month to finalize the adoption of the two children.

COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, OH (FOX19) -

Four children and two adults are without a home because someone was smoking in a room where they had just sprayed isopropyl alcohol, trying to kill bedbugs.

Colerain Firefighters responded to the fire in a second floor apartment in the 3500 block of West Galbraith Road around 9:30 Saturday night.

Isopropyl Alcohol can be an effective home-remedy to kill bedbugs, but due to its volatile nature is extremely flammable, and even more flammable when using a spray bottle. Smoking in the area is extremely hazardous in this situation.

Colerain Township Fire Captain Steve Conn told FOX19, “It can be an effective treatment but you have to read the labels and make sure it’s a well ventilated area that you’re not providing any kind of an ignition source – furnace, water heater kicking on – any other kind of heat sources, candles, obviously smoking or even just turning on a light switch can cause a spark and if the air mixture is just correct it can actually cause a fire from that.”

No firefighters or residents were injured during the fire. It did $30,000 worth of damage. The family is receiving assistance from the Red Cross.

Professional exterminator Miguel Sanchez, owner of Sky High Termite & Pest Control in Cincinnati, says homeowners should weigh their options carefully when it comes to home treatments. He does not recommend using alcohol as a treatment. He prefers certain chemicals and also steam treatments. Other professionals use large heaters to raise a home’s temperature above the level where bedbugs can survive, although that treatment can be costly.

Sanchez says if a homeowner chooses to apply chemicals themselves, they should know that a professional may not be able to come in later and apply more.

Copyright 2011 States News Service
States News Service

September 1, 2011 Thursday

The following information was released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts:

A former Everett man was convicted today in federal court of the improper use of pesticides and making false statements to federal agents.

JOSIMAR FERREIRA, an illegal alien from Brazil, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro to sixteen counts of violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act and one count of making false statements.

Had the case proceeded to trial the government’s evidence would have proven that during the period of 2007 through 2010, Ferreira operated TVF Pest Control, Inc., a pest extermination company located in Everett. The defendant told his clients that he could eradicate bed bugs from their homes with his use of a “special” mixture, supposedly approved for indoor application. In fact, Ferreira was applying a pesticide containing the insecticide Malathion, a pesticide registered with the Environmental Protection Agency. Malathion is not approved for indoor use and its label does not permit indoor application. Ferreira applied the Malathion to indoor living spaces including a baby crib, mattresses, bed frames, baseboards, closets and furniture.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said, “It is common knowledge that exposure to pesticides can have horrific effects on humans. To use them in such a reckless manner is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in this jurisdiction.”

Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hubbard of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division in Boston said, “The EPA Criminal Investigation Division will aggressively investigate and pursue anyone who puts the American public and its children at risk by using dangerous chemicals illegally.”

Judge Tauro scheduled sentencing for November 22. Ferreira faces up to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Ortiz and Special Agent in Charge Hubbard made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori J. Holik and Anton Geidt, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Kenyon.

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) – Researchers in Canada have found bedbugs carrying antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a surprise finding because scientists had thought the pests were not capable of spreading infections.

The study was done by a team in a poor corner of Vancouver, where both bedbug infestations and strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria are increasing.

Dr. Marc Romney, a medical microbiologist at St. Paul’s Hospital/Providence Health Care in Vancouver, decided to see if the two were related.

Romney and colleagues removed five of the pests from the clothes and skin of infested patients and tested them.

They found bedbugs carrying two types of drug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

“I was a little surprised. Historically, bedbugs have not been associated with infections,” Romney said in a telephone interview.

He said scientists have tested bedbugs to see if they carry blood-borne diseases, such as hepatitis or HIV. But so far, they have not been reported to carry infection.

Infestations of the bloodsucking bugs, which can cause severe itching, have made a comeback in cities such as Paris and New York in recent years.

Romney said the strain of MRSA they found requires skin to be somewhat compromised, and he thinks the bedbugs are providing that as people scratch their bites.

“Maybe the bedbug’s bite is breaking down the patient’s skin,” he said.

He said that some of these pests may be carrying MRSA and going from individual to individual.

“The data are preliminary, but it suggests maybe there is an association,” Romney said.

“Even though they can’t carry hepatitis B and HIV, maybe they can carry resistant bacteria.”

“Maybe it is yet another factor that could be responsible for this large increase in resistant bacteria in inner cities in North America,” he said.

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Tags: Canada, MRSA, St. Paul's, VRE

Source:  Imperial Valley News

New York, New York – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today it has awarded Rutgers University nearly $100,000 to implement a bed bug education educational outreach program in at least 50 low income communities in New Jersey. Rutgers will also use the grant to set up a model Integrated Pest Management program at an affordable housing community in Jersey City. This model will focus on community participation, early detection, and non-chemical control practices, and will use of low-toxicity insecticides to manage bed bug infestations.

“Projects such as this are an important component of our fight against bed bugs,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. “Bed bugs are a problem that hits all communities and they are a particular problem in New Jersey, where we have the highest population density in the country. The best way to fight bed bugs is to be educated on what does and doesn’t work and to find practical, lower cost ways of reducing infestations.”

A February 2010 survey conducted by Rutgers found that five out of eight surveyed communities experienced increased bed bug control costs from 2008 to 2009. Only three out of 14 surveyed management teams said they could afford bed bug control.

To help combat bed bug infestations that have spread throughout the United States in recent years, EPA has been working with various federal agencies and communities to develop techniques for combating the pests. In addition to Rutgers, four other organizations throughout the nation have been awarded grants to implement new approaches in managing bed bug programs. Lessons learned from these grants will be made available by EPA to other communities.

The Rutgers grant will provide the school with $99,688 over the program’s 19 month duration.

Tags: EPA, grant, Rutgers

Source:  Burnside News

Burnside and Bayers Lake

Increasing reports of bedbug infestations, both in Nova Scotia and across the country, have prompted Simmons Mattress Gallery to announce it’s discontinuing its Comfort Exchange Program.

Under the program, customers were guaranteed the ability to exchange a mattress purchased from Simmons for another if they found it wasn’t exactly what they expected it to be. Jordanna Caine, president of Simmons Mattress Gallery, says if the consumer is sold the right bed in the first place, offering such guarantees shouldn’t be necessary.

“We think our customers deserve peace of mind that a mattress coming out of our warehouse has not been put at risk in any way. We hope that other stores also change their practices,” Caine says.

In addition, Simmons will also no longer remove old mattresses from people’s homes as it doesn’t want any of its factory new mattresses and foundations coming into contact with any possible contaminants. This includes not only bed bugs, but also dust mites, smoke, pet dander, mould spores and other allergens.

“We find more and more people talking about allergies and sensitivities, so bed bugs aren’t the only issue for most people,” Caine says. “Although the bed bug scare and reality of how easily they can spread was the catalyst for making the change, we also firmly believe the customer needs to be educated on sleep and to go through the selection process with a trained sales associate with a full range of comfort levels across a wide range of price points to match people with the right mattress.”

To address this perceived need, Caine says the company is launching a series of Sleep Talks to help educate people on better sleep and the elements that can affect sleep.

“We like to think we don’t just sell a product – but better sleep and peace of mind. While a quality mattress with the right comfort and support is vital to a good night’s sleep, it’s certainly not the only key. The more aware we are of what elements contribute to the quality of our sleep and how we can control them, the better chance we all have of getting better sleep,” Caine says.

The Sleep Talks will alternate between Simmons Mattress Gallery’s two locations, in Bayers Lake and Burnside, starting on March 15 and running through until July 5. Each event features a guest speaker presenting on different aspects of health and proper sleep techniques. The complete schedule is as follows:

Tags: mattress, Nova Scotia, Simmons