Bed Bug Central’s North American Bed Bug Summit started today, and the news media has a new cimex-themed story to feed on.
Here’s a segment from The Today Show:
Note: from what I read and hear, people in “foreign countries” are as surprised by the return of bed bugs in their area as those of us in North America, and as unwilling to just put up with them.
Bed bugs may be “springing back” here and everywhere, but the evidence is they never entirely went away.
And here’s another from MSNBC:
Note: “checking” your luggage is not an easy matter. If you rely on a visual inspection alone, you may later be surprised to find you brought bed bugs home. For more advice, try the Travel FAQs.
One of the vendors MSNBC mentions is
Insect inferno. I do not know much about this product (beyond what’s on their website), but I am intrigued.
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That Insect Inferno is too cool! I hope it (or something very similar) becomes widely and affordably available soon!!
Hi kirads!
If by “affordable,” you mean to the consumer, I doubt this would be the product. I have enquired about the pricing and will let you know.
Why was Meridith Viera laughing about the bugs? I’m tired of people thinking there is something funny about bed bugs, like it is a bit of levity in the news.
The NY Times has a decent piece on the event also.
My response exactly, parakeets! Why were any of them laughing…they have never had bedbugs, thats why. Hated the guy interviewing the people at the summit, sort of making fun of the products. Of course, the guy wearing the bedbug hat sort of made it hard to take him seriously…
The Insect Inferno looks great but watch Therma Pure sue them for patent infringment and shut down a useful tool.
Jim
In fact, The Insect Inferno costs $25-40k.
Sue Westrum of Insect Inferno, Inc. answered my questions via email and gave me permission to post her response below.
I’m thrilled at the Inferno, too. A PackTite on wheels or a cross between a U Haul and the Vancouver Bed Bug Sauna. What I really appreciate about this is that it underscores what I believe: The science and technology we need to fight BB already exists. What it takes is for people to recognize that we have a problem and for people to take the risk/put up the cash and efforts to “integrate” the solutions and bring them to market. Some people may scoff at how elementary a device like PackTite is, but consider the work it takes to make sure that it works safely and consistency and to ensure that your factories are churning out an adequate (but not excess) supply.
In other words, to a great extent, bed bugs is a marketing challenge.
I agree, Ci. The technology is there, and it needs to be brought to the people.
Not only do businesspeople need to bring it to the masses (and will not doubt make a bundle in the process), but the government and non-profits need to bring it to those who can’t pay.
Why isn’t some savvy businessperson convincing mattress and furniture firms to buy heated trucks?!? It’s hard to believe we can’t name one firm that guarantees you won’t get bed bugs in the shipment. They’re still bragging they remove your old bed. People shelling out $400 for a new bed will pay a bit more to know it doesn’t have bed bugs.
Those Thermapure lawyers in pinstripe Tyvek suits would hunt them down.
Serious note just to build a widget for pest eradication requires extensive licensing.
In CA you cannot do it unless you own a pest control firm.
Jim
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