All the landlords I assist have been informed about the dangers of spraying aerosol pyrethrin in multi family settings. As such the tenants have been informed that they are not to endanger the safety of their building with those products. Once in a while I am asked to address a suite for bed bugs and I immediately know they have been spraying RAID. The tenant sometimes denies my accusations but I persist to drive home the point that they have done something wrong. Sometimes they relent and give me their can. How did I know they sprayed RAID? The following are clues:
- When I walk into an untreated suite and notice dead bugs on the floor I have to wonder why there are dead bugs? Something killed these bugs.
- If I inspect a bed and find large harbourages and few bugs I know something chased the bugs off the bed. There had better be a non RAID explanation.
- If I treat a suite and find little evidence of bugs on the bed (with good available harbourage) and a large infestation in the dresser I know something pushed them there.
- If I suspect RAID use I start inspecting books and papers that are in the bedroom. If I find bugs in the books and little evidence on the bed I know something pushed the bugs there.
- Constant RAID applications causes the bed bug patterns to look like someone exploded a can of bed bugs in the suite with little activity on the bed. The bugs are absolutely everywhere. You find bugs behind the calendar, in the clocks, bibles, books, papers, and sometimes even on the ceiling in plain view. Basically you find the bugs everywhere that was not sprayed.
- If there is little activity on the bed and the curtains are not touching the bed one would expect to find little activity in the curtains. If the curtains are full of bugs I know something pushed the bugs there.
- When I suspect the use of RAID I start searching under the sinks for the offending cans. I often find them.
An experienced exterminator can spot a RAID sprayer in less than 5 minutes. The evidence is obvious.