Leon Wieler
Sometimes getting rid of the bugs means getting rid of the tenant
Harry Lehotsky was a Winnipeg inner city pastor/activist before he died of pancreatic cancer a few years ago. I admired and respected his work immensely. One of Harry’s duties was writing a column for the Winnipeg Sun. In one column he outlined his experience with one of his tenants who complained that there were bugs […]
Co2 traps : do they work?
It is well documented that Co2 and heat attracts bed bugs but it is still unknown what, if any, other cues attract bed bugs. We have tried using dry ice inside a climb up interceptor and it did catch more bugs than a random interceptor but the results were not an overwhelming success. In other […]
Do bed bugs fall deliberately?
I occasionally hear tenants claim that a bed bug deliberately fell off the ceiling and landed on their isolated bed. I would agree with Robert Usinger that these reports are exaggerated and if something like that would happen it would be accidental. As an experiment I covered a block of wood measuring 1.5 […]
Bed bug behaviour in public areas
A few years ago Richard Cooper et al published an excellent article entitled “Bed Bugs In Office Buildings : The Ultimate challenge.” The authors stated, in regard to public spaces, that “bed bug numbers tend to be low, increasing by periodic reintroductions rather than through reproduction.” In my own experience I would agree with that […]
What is the best method of washing infested laundry?
As an exterminator specializing in multi family I have noted that suites surrounding the laundry room are more prone to bed bug infestations than other suites. I have also noted a private home with a relatively small infestation and the owners complained they saw bugs coming out of the heating vents on the floor of […]
Bed bugs and cars
Several years ago I was involved in treating an apartment suite for bed bugs. The bugs had been discovered and treated relatively quickly but the tenant then failed to cooperate with all instructions. The tenant abandoned the bedroom and slept on a chair in the living room and, when that became uncomfortable, slept in his […]
Condos and bed bugs
The news programs have recently identified apartment blocks as having more difficulty with bed bugs than other types of dwellings. There is some truth to these claims as apartment blocks have a high degree of transient populations and the potential to spread the bugs to other suites is high due tenant panic and error (raid […]
rookie landlords and bed bugs
Ten years ago my wife, children, and I moved to the inner city and became inner city landlords with great aspirations of making a difference in the community. I came prepared with degrees in Biblical studies, International Development, and Conflict Resolution. But nothing could prepare us for what assaulted our senses. We came from the […]
Bed bugs, alarm pheromones, glue boards, and Diatomaceous Earth
It has been known for some time that bed bugs emit an alarm pheromone when sand is poured on a bed bug’s back. I have not seen the research on bed bugs releasing alarm pheromones when injured but concede that is possible. As such there is some question about whether or not bed bugs, when […]
Delayed or non existent reactions to bed bug bites
10 years ago there was very little research being done on the common bed bug. Today, because of the exterminator’s inability to easily control the pests, much more research is being done. One of the areas being researched is the human reaction to bed bug bites. I particularly appreciated the study entitled “[Bed Bugs] The […]