Covid couldn’t conquer bed bugs

by Tommy Underhill, GreenTech Heat
June 9, 2021

The past year needs no introduction: 2020 was the year the world stood still.

We all stopped traveling, eating out, going to the office, attending church, and going to movie theaters. And it finally looks like we will start our long-anticipated return to “normal”... and, like it or not, we will be taking bed bugs with us!

Unlike cockroaches, bed bugs don’t feed off our filth. They move along with people, and prefer to feed on us anywhere we linger: homes, hotels, hospitals, offices, churches, senior housing, busses and planes, university dorms, and restaurants. For most people, their bites are painless. These pests are difficult to eliminate. They were nearly eradicated in the U.S. in the 1940s because of DDT and other potent pesticides, but the the insects returned to the First World again in the early 2000s with an increase in international travel.

Multiple changes in habits

Pest professionals have gotten fewer calls over the last year in part because the insects, which like to settle into mattresses and other tight crevices, haven’t been able to spread as widely or feed as often. “I’ve spoken with many people in the pest control industry, who have said that they experienced fewer calls in 2020 for bed bug jobs,” said Dr. Mike Linford, founder of GreenTech Heat Solutions. He added that aggressive treatment techniques have helped reduce the impact of bed bugs in the past few years. Heat is one of those aggressive treatments.

The National Pest Management Association cautions travelers that this past year-long shut-down has emboldened hungry bed bug populations. Armor & Shield wants to get the word out to every industry that any bed bugs that survived their last bed bug treatment have been patiently waiting for their next meal to arrive.

The return to bed bug normal

“Bed bugs can be found virtually anywhere, and while many Americans are excited to resume travel plans as stay-at-home orders are slowly lifted across the country, it’s imperative that [we all] remember to stay vigilant against bed bugs,” said Brittany Campbell, Ph.D., staff entomologist at the National Pest Management Association. “Bed bugs can survive several months without a blood meal and with many hotels experiencing low occupancy over the last few months, bed bugs will be hungry and may actually come out in broad daylight to feed— a dramatic shift in behavior for a pest that is notorious for feeding at night.”

Bug infestations have declined because people are traveling less, fewer workers go into offices, and people haven’t attended theaters. However, the impression that the bed bug problem has gone away is partly due to a reduction in reporting: people have been reluctant to invite pest control professionals into their homes. Unfortunately, residents may have turned to self-treating the infestations with off-the-shelf retail solutions, which is unlikely to be effective, promotes further spread, and can be unsafe if residents are not using appropriate materials or using materials incorrectly.

Tools to eliminate bed bugs

Bed bugs have survived the Covid pandemic. As society returns to normal, Armor & Shield is ready to heat treat your home or business so bed bugs cannot look forward to a modern “Roaring 20s”.

Heat treatments by Armor & Shield are 100% effective for bed bugs, cockroaches, and all other insects. Heat kills microbes, viruses, and bacteria that can cause allergies and odors. Heat safely kills insects and microbes everywhere they may be found in a single one-day treatment. Call us at 405-698-6090 to get us started with heat treating your home or business today.

Heat will make your home or business a better place by killing bed bugs and other insects, dust mites, bacteria and other microbes. Trust Armor & Shield to kill all your insect and microbial pests. We do it right and do it safely the first time— in a single one-day treatment that even prevents an immediate reinfestation by killing all the eggs. Call us at 405-698-6090 safely kill all your bed bugs with heat today.

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February 21, 2021