Top Entomologist Predicts Bedbug Season will extend into Oct. 2014

CHICAGO, Oct. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- From New York City subways to Chicago city schools and libraries, bedbugs have been a major threat across the country this summer – and they're not going away any time soon. Bedbugs are typically more prevalent in the warm summer months from July through September.

But Jeff White, technical director at BedBug Central, predicts the bedbug season will extend into fall 2014. "Essentially we got a late start to the season this year with many sightings and infestation reports occurring in August, so we will likely see a prolonged season heading into October," said White.

And the overall problem isn't going away either. "People believe that the status quo of the issue has lessened since the peak in 2010. The bedbug problem is still significant, however, if not heightened. There are actually more cities now that are reporting issues with pests than the number of infested cities in 2010," he said.

According to a study conducted in 2010 by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), 95 percent of pest management companies surveyed had encountered a bedbug infestation in the last year. In the most recent study conducted by the NPMA, the 2013 Bugs Without Borders Survey found 99.6 percent of pest management companies had encountered an infestation; an increase by 4.6 percent from 2010.

Bedbug education can prevent infestations.
According to White, there's still a lot of concern and confusion about bedbugs. Infestations and sightings have been a hot topic as of late, including last month's reports on the subway systems in New York City, Willis Tower and public schools and libraries in Chicago. "As reports continue to occur in public settings, and students across the country are now back in school, many worry about bringing bedbugs into their home and creating an infestation," White said.

He suggests that education, including knowledge of what a bedbug is, how to identify one and how to avoid an infestation, is the ultimate goal and top tool in prevention. White, who develops bedbug management programs for residential and commercial properties, says common signs of a bedbug infestation include:

• Finding itchy welts on the skin,
• Waking up with small red bumps,
• Noticing black fecal material left behind in the mattress folds and seams, and
• Spotting black or reddish brown spots on sheets.

Protect your home with a three-step bedbug prevention plan.
Getting rid of bedbugs is no easy task. To avoid bedbugs from the start, follow this three-step bedbug prevention plan.

Step one: Make sure your mattresses are protected from pests with bedbug-proof encasements like the Protect-A-Bed® AllerZip Smooth Mattress Encasement. It's used by pest control companies across the United States, and offers complete protection against bedbugs (dust mites and allergens), and is bedbug entry, escape and bite proof.

"By using a mattress encasement, you can easily detect the common signs of bedbugs such as dark brownish to black spots or stains, and ensure protection even before infiltration occurs," says James Bell, Protect-A-Bed's CEO.

You can also use a device like the LightsOut bedbug detector under the legs of beds and upholstered furniture to intercept bedbugs before they infest your home.

Step two: When your kids return from school or your family returns from vacations, use tools like the ThermalStrike Ranger to eliminate bedbugs before they get into your home. The Ranger treatment bag is reusable and treats items of all sizes with penetrating heat on all sides to destroy all stages of bedbugs and eggs. It is constructed to rid carry-on and mid-size luggage of bedbugs, and can also be used on your child's backpack or overnight bag.

ThermalStrike Heated Luggage is a useful travel tool and is specifically designed luggage to kill all life-stages of bedbugs and their eggs. By raising the handle and simply plugging the unit into a traditional wall socket, it treats all of your belongings.

Step three:  Be aware of bedbugs on the go with mobile technology. Bell recommends downloading Bed Bugs 101, a mobile application developed by Protect-A-Bed. The app features tips on locating and recognizing bedbugs and provides solutions for prevention and protection.

For more information about bedbug management solutions, visit protectabed.com or bedbugcentral.com. 

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SOURCE Protect-A-Bed