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[the two articles below will be in the Action Unlimited Resources newsletter in October, once they are edited and self-edited to be business appropriate. I like these versions better.]

Sleep tightly....
(the bedbugs bite nightly)

By all accounts, the 1950's were a simpler time. "Leave it to Beaver" aptly symbolized the cultural zeitgeist, and there were not yet highly visible long haired hippie rock and rollers out to unweave the tightly threaded conventions of polite society. A woman's place was still generally considered to be in the home, and DDT was still the pesticide of choice.

Despite its carcinogenic, toxic effects on humans and the environment, DDT is a highly effective pesticide, able to kill a wide variety of arthropods on contact. One such insect that fell prey to the powerful force of DDT was the infamous pest the bedbug. Bedbugs had become a significant problem by the 1930's, but in 1939 the pesticidal benefits of DDT were discovered, and it began to be used in agriculture, and in homes for the eradication of mosquitoes, lice, and bedbugs. Over the next 20 years, bedbugs were largely eradicated in the United States.
This status quo remained in place until recently. But over the past decade bedbugs have made their resurgence, and are currently thriving in many areas of the country. There are many reasons the bedbug has been able to gain a foothold in modern America. The popularity of international travel has carried individuals and their bedbugs to every corner of the globe, and areas that were once bedbug free have now been re-inhabited. They are discreet creatures, and their bites are often mistaken for mosquito bites, allowing them to further expand their empire unimpeded. Additionally, today's bedbug is a better breed than that of 50 years ago, having developed resistance to some pesticides.

Modern pest control practices are much more targeted than past practices. In 1950 one might fumigate a room with a DDT pesticide in order to kill bugs and mosquitos. Today's pest control experts utilize targeted chemicals designed specifically for the pest in question. For instance, a pest may be encouraged to carry poisoned food back to the nest to share with the brood, killing all in relatively short order. Such an approach proves highly effective for killing a specific pest, but it allows different insects in the same general area to continue their infestation, uninhibited.

The bedbug resurgence has hit hard in New York City, and a quick look at http://bedbugregistry.com indicates the problem is spread throughout the country. Still, the Northeast corridor is the locus of the problem, and Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware are no exception. Wilmington, Delaware's firestation #2 was recently closed for two days for bedbug extermination.

Hotels, motels, and apartments are the most likely victims of bedbug infestation, although private residences are also susceptible. The primary indication that bedbugs may be present is the development of red bumps and rash-like appearances on the skin, reactions to the bugs' bites. Brown spots on bedding and sheets could be remnants of bedbug fecal matter, and the bugs themselves may be visible in crevices of bedding, on the underside of a mattress, and along baseboards.

If you suspect you or one of your customers is the victim of bedbugs, turn to Action Unlimited Resources for the solution! Our experts can provide you with additional information on discovering the pests, and best practices for eradication. We offer a line of highly effective products designed to eliminate the problem and prevent it from resurfacing. Do your part TODAY to bring us back to the halcyon days of the 1950's!