Are bed bugs worse than we thought?

Posted on March 9, 2018 by rhallberg

Written By: Dr. Mike Merchant, Urban Entomologist and Professor, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Bed bugs are trouble. They drink our blood. They soil our homes with their feces and cast skins. They keep us awake at night and add stress to our already stressed out lives. And they’re revolting to most people.

Until now, if there was one positive thing that could be said about bed bugs, it might be that they haven’t been found to carry communicable disease. The impact of bed bugs seemed mainly to come down to sleepless nights and the economic sting of pest control expenses. Continue reading →

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Graduate Student Award Winner Finds Bug Bombs Don’t Live up to Claims

Posted on February 26, 2018 by rhallberg

Setting off a bug bomb may seem like an easy solution to a roach infestation, but research at NC State University shows that it may actually harm the homeowner more than the roaches.

Zachary DeVries, who recently began a postdoc appointment at NC State University, examined the effectiveness of total release foggers for cockroaches for his doctoral dissertation. He is this year’s recipient of a IPM Symposium Graduate Student award and a Friends of Southern IPM Graduate Student award in the Ph.D. category. Continue reading →

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Cockroach Allergens, Baits and the Sweet Science of Glucose Aversion

Posted on November 13, 2017 by rhallberg

The Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring a webinar on Cockroach Allergens, Baits and the Sweet Science of Glucose Aversion.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET

Join us and learn from the cockroach whisperer. A live Q/A will follow after the webinar. Get your questions answered. Continue reading →

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Free Webinar: the ABC’s of Pest Control: Allergens, Baits and Cockroaches

Posted on February 7, 2017 by rhallberg

Cockroach infestations can get out of hand quickly in multifamily housing. Best practices and treatments can turn things around to help maintain control. Join StopPests in Housing for a webinar on reducing asthma triggers in housing with effective cockroach control. 

On March 2nd, 2017, 2:00-3:30 EST, you’ll hear from Dr. Coby Schal, Ph.D, Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University. He will speak about his research on effective baiting techniques, and ineffective controls like total release foggers (bug bombs). Cockroach allergens have been linked to the development and increase in symptoms of allergies and asthma in cockroach sensitive individuals. You’ll learn how allergen levels can be significantly reduced with cockroach control alone, the most effective approach being gel bait treatments. Dr. Schal’s work shows how an integrated pest management (IPM) approach with intensive, targeted cockroach control can lead to both dramatic reductions in cockroaches and clinically significant declines in cockroach allergens. You’ll get the information you need to advocate for and implement an IPM approach to cockroach control. Continue reading →

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Cockroaches and asthma in schools: some tips

Posted on August 16, 2012 by rhallberg

From Debug the Myths website:

Did you know cockroaches raise the allergen load in the air? This isn’t good for air quality, but it’s especially problematic for children with asthma.

Continue reading →

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Study Shows IPM Reduces Cockroach Allergens in Schools

Posted on March 5, 2010 by rhallberg

Nobody wants cockroaches crawling around the kitchen. Yet in many schools, that is exactly what cafeteria staff have to live with, even after the pest control professional has come to spray. As administrators from two North Carolina school districts found out while participating in a 2003-04 study, integrated pest management can rid the school of pests—and keep them away.

Continue reading →

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