Chicago vs. Bed Bugs

This, my friends, is what happens when people have bed bugs and don’t know what to do about it.

This photo was taken in a North Side neighborhood a couple nights ago.  It’s disconcerting for several reasons:

• First, if this futon cushion is indeed infested with bed bugs, the person who picks it up (either for personal use, for resale, or for disposal) risks contracting and spreading bed bugs throughout our city and possibly beyond.
• Second, in most cases, it is not necessary nor is it recommended that people dispose of infested mattresses and furniture.
• Third, bed bugs can be spread through residences and buildings when infested mattresses and furniture are moved outside for disposal.
• Finally, if disposal is absolutely necessary, the risk of spreading bed bugs can be reduced if infested mattresses are wrapped and tightly sealed in airtight plastic sheets.  This should only be attempted at the suggestion and under the direct supervision of a qualified pest management professional.

Spread the word, okay, people?  And if you’re interested in helping us encourage our City of Chicago aldermen to introduce and support legislation to regulate the disposal of infested furniture, among other things, please participate in our CitizenSpeak campaigns.  We already wrote the letter for you– all you have to do is fill in some information and click “send”.

We’re all in this together, remember.

Well, folks, I think it’s safe to say that Chicago vs. Bed Bugs is officially back in business.  I’m still on the mend, but my surgery went well, and I’m feeling much better than I have in months. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do– there have been some exciting, important, and in some cases groundbreaking developments during the last several weeks– let’s get to it, shall we?

First, thank you to Renee Corea of New York vs Bed Bugs for keeping me posted on the goings on in the world of bed bugs and for giving me a whole lot of encouragement and support– publicly, even!– before and after my surgery.  Words cannot express my gratitude.  Also, I thank Nobugs over at Bedbugger.com for giving me good press about my good press, for making me laugh during some really trying times, and for her genuine concern.  Thank you, my friends.

Those of you who are familiar with our website might notice a significant change in its appearance these days. This is because we wanted to implement some new tools in order to further our mission and promote open dialogue about the spread of bed bugs in the City of Chicago, and we had to alter things a bit to accomplish this.

We encourage you to take advantage of all the new ways in which you can participate in our mission and in our discussions:

• Public discussion forums: You can access these by clicking on the “Join Our Discussion Forums!” link on the right side of this page. We installed these forums in place of our old Discuss page, because its format was not really conducive to organized conversation.  We invite you to visit the new forums, read the rules and instructions posted there, and then join a conversation or start one of your own.  It’s easy, we promise.

• Two CitizenSpeak email campaigns: We created two separate CitizenSpeak email campaigns– which contain pre-written emails addressed to every single alderman in the City of Chicago– in which everyone can participate simply by filling in some basic information.  Please help us advocate policy to control the spread of bed bugs in the City of Chicago by taking a few minutes to participate in our campaigns. You  can access them by visiting our Take Action page and clicking the campaign links provided there.

• Take Action Page: Our new Take Action page provides numerous ways for you to make a difference in your city.  We encourage you to use the information provided to contact your legislators and your public health officials and ask them to help control the spread of bed bugs in the City of Chicago now.

It’s going to be tough to cover all of the events that took place during the last few weeks, believe me.  Stay tuned for what will probably be a ridiculously long recap post, highlighting what we missed and why it’s important to you.

It’s good to be back in business.  I’m excited to begin a new phase in our mission to advocate policy to control the spread of bed bug infestations in the City of Chicago– one that’s more detailed, direct and hopefully, more successful.  I invite all of you to join me in accomplishing our goals.  We are all in this together, after all.

Readers, we recently had the opportunity to talk about our favorite subject (I’m using the word ‘favorite’ very loosely here, for the record) with the professionals at Smithereen Pest Management, a Chicago-based company that specializes in treating bed bug infestations.  We asked them a ton of questions and we got a ton of really good answers in return.  These people know their stuff!

So listen up, Chicagoans.  Here’s what your local experts have to say about bed bug infestations:

On Bed Bugs in General

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: If you could tell the general public one thing about bed bugs, what would it be?

Smithereen: Bed bugs don’t see social status, they see a blood meal. Anybody and everybody is at risk to have bed bugs.

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Would you like to comment on the stigma associated with bed bugs?

Smithereen: This pest is not associated with cleanliness or social status; it occurs where people occur, all people.  Although there is a stigma associated with bed bugs, we must overcome this perception and realize that anybody and everybody can get bed bugs.

On the Spread of Bed Bugs in the City of Chicago (and elsewhere)

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Can you estimate the increase in calls to Smithereen from Chicagoans in need of service for bed bugs?  Can you give us a comparison between the number of these calls in 2007 and in 2008?

Smithereen: Bed bug jobs increased 3 fold between 2007 and 2008.  This number has been on a steep rise for the past few years.

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Author and biologist Bill Schutt recently told MSNBC “Within the next two or three years, bed bugs are going to elbow termites and roaches out of the way to become the No. 1 pest in the United States.”  Do you believe that this statement is valid?

Smithereen: We agree that bed bugs will be one of the biggest pests of our generation because of the complexity and difficulty of elimination.

On Treatment Procedures

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: How long does an inspection for a bed bug infestation by Smithereen technicians typically take? Is this something customers should consider when hiring a pest management company to treat a bed bug infestation?

Smithereen: From 30 minutes to 90 minutes. It depends on how much “stuff” the occupants have. The inspection is integral and is very thorough since a light infestation of bed bugs can be easy to miss. The eggs and nymphs are difficult to see and bed bugs are secretive and hide in difficult to see areas. A pest management company should provide the customer with information and a list of cooperative steps to be taken before the company starts treatment.

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: What happens if Smithereen’s technicians don’t find evidence of a bed bug infestation upon completion of an initial inspection?  I’ve heard landlords and property managers talk about companies that treat “infestations that don’t exist”.  I think this is a common concern among people who are financially responsible for eliminating bed bug infestations– that they’ll pay a lot of money for a problem that might not exist.

Smithereen: If we don’t find any evidence of bed bugs we will not do a treatment. This is a Smithereen policy and is part of our IPM strategy.

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: We believe that integrated pest management (IPM) plans are the best approach to controlling bed bug infestations.  What tools, besides pesticide application, does Smithereen use to treat bed bug infestations?

Smithereen: IPM is integral to any pest issue, bed bugs included.  We rely on variety traditional methods as well as vacuuming, steam cleaning, thorough dust application, as well as customer cooperation.  We use this battery of tactics to aide in the successful elimination of bed bugs from a unit and we are constantly looking for better methods and protocols.  Since bed bugs are increasingly difficult to control, having as many weapons against them is the course of action that all customers should keep in mind when deciding on a pest management company.  Combating bed bugs takes cooperation, patience, and time.

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Do bed bug infestations typically require more than one treatment?  Does Smithereen automatically return for a follow-up treatment after the initial treatment?

Smithereen: In almost all cases, it will take more than one treatment.  Bed bugs are adapted to be elusive and so it is almost impossible to get them all in the first round. Smithereen automatically does a follow-up inspection with treatment if activity seen. The problem is with the eggs, these can be attached to manner of surfaces and hatch out five days after the original treatment.  If no further activity is recorded Smithereen will not schedule any further treatment.

On “Cloverleafing”

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Smithereen’s Service Agreement For the Treatment of Bed Bugs mentions “cloverleafing”.  What is cloverleafing and why is it important for controlling bed bug infestations in multi-unit dwellings?

Smithereen: Cloverleafing is a process by which we inspect all units that come into contact with the infested unit: above, below, side to side, and kitty corner.  This is invaluable since bed bugs have the ability to move between apartments, we want to be sure we catch all potential infestations early.

On Customer Cooperation

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Smithereen’s Service Agreement for the Treatment of Bed Bugs mentions customer obligations, and includes four pages of instructions for customers to follow in order to prepare for bed bug treatment.  Why is customer participation so important for controlling bed bug infestations?

Smithereen: Customer participation and cooperation are vital in the elimination of bed bugs.  Bed bugs are found not only in the bed but can be in a variety of places within a living space.  Since we cannot treat every possession, we ask our customers to wash, dry, and bag many of their personal belongings before we arrive.

On the Cost of Controlling Bed Bug Infestations

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: Can you tell us why bed bug infestations are so expensive to control?  Why does a thorough, comprehensive treatment plan for bed bug infestations cost so much more than treatment for other pests, like roaches or ants?

Smithereen: The price comes with the time and thoroughness required for the process, as well as the expertise necessary.  This is not an easy problem to solve and most likely will take multiple visits.  It is also important to remember that this is not a sanitation or structural related pest, this is a parasite that occurs where humans occur.

On Saving Money in the Long Run

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: We’ve asserted (many times) that landlords and/or property managers could save themselves a lot of money by contracting with a pest management company that specializes in treating bed bug infestations as soon as a bed bug infestation is reported to them.  Do you agree?

Smithereen: The key to stopping the problem from grabbing hold of any building is to correctly respond to the first outbreak.  Quick competent action will stop the insect from spreading.  It would be wise to hire a company that is experienced in dealing with bed bugs infestations.

On Public Education and Policy

Chicago vs. Bed Bugs: A new bed bug bill was recently introduced by New York’s City Council.  The bill, if passed, would require the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish a training program for pest control technicians who treat bed bug infestations.  Do you think the City of Chicago as a whole would benefit from a similar program?

Smithereen: What we think is most beneficial is to have companies that perform bed bug jobs to be the best trained and experienced for the job. We believe any industry training should come predominantly from within the pest control industry, since they have the most practical experience in dealing with the problem. Health Department officials can play a vital part in training the general public how to recognize signs of bed bug infestation and how to correctly respond once the problem has been diagnosed.

And there you have it, folks.  Good information from a pest management company that’s known for getting the job done, and getting it done right.

We thank the experts at Smithereen Pest Management, especially Sara Kantarovich, for their graciousness, their willingness to help us disseminate good information to the public, and for answering every last one of our many, many, many questions.  We really appreciate it!