Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums Topic: Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)

madlawyer on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

madlawyer — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:19:16 +0000

Does anyone know of a company in the Atlanta area that uses canines to detect bed bugs? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

DougSummersMS on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

DougSummersMS — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:21:21 +0000

Ricardo I sent a PM to you with contact info.

Nobugsonme on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Nobugsonme — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:51:31 +0000

Ricardo, just a suggestion-- you might want to go to the main forums page (click Bedbugger Forums at the top of this page to do that), click "Add new" and start a new topic. Title it something like "Any bed bug dogs in Toronto?" and people are more likely to see it than if it is buried in this thread.

Ricardo on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Ricardo — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:18:03 +0000

How do I find a BB dog in Toronto?

Pepe Peruyero on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Pepe Peruyero — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:49:44 +0000

way to go Radar

nomorebugs on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

nomorebugs — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:27:24 +0000

Bummed, I would have guessed that when PCOs apply any guarantees that they are skeptical and want more proof. I had this conversation today w/ my landlord. The only retort was the people don't want pesticides in their house. If they are not really gone, why would we want another spray. But some people would endure pesticides than have bugs. In the case of BBs this is true (it is for me). I guess we just pay for an additional treatment or hire a new PCO. For me, unless I shell out top dollars, a new PCO would pretty much do the same things as the old PCO. The old PCO re-treatments are cheaper. Well why do I think another spray from the same company would be more effective? No reason, it's all I have going.

bummedindenver on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

bummedindenver — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:08:30 +0000

pleasehelp, I also congratulate you on having "proof", because our situation of lack of "proof" besides bites, EVEN after 3 treatments, is so incredibly frustrating. I'm just sort of not dealing with it at the moment because I am so tired of it all.

pleasehelp on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

pleasehelp — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:16:26 +0000

Hi parakeets, I haven't found any pco to treat without my 1st removing all the clutter. And now on a different thread, <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/1418" rel="nofollow">http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/1418</a>, bed-bugscouk (David Cain) says that it's best not to disturb anything before he does a careful inspection. But any PCO that comes to my place is totally intimidated by my piles of stuff. It would take days, if not weeks, to inspect. I'm torn between going through everything & inspecting myself and just bagging/sealing everything up for speed's sake, separating the bags into trash vs treat piles. I'm starting far away from the bed because want to try to minimize chasing them into new clutter harborage sites. And the bed isn't isolated because I don't want them to migrate downstairs to my son's bed (which is not infected, according to the bb dog). I wonder if the bugs hang out on the outsides of plastic bags?

itchyincharmcity on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

itchyincharmcity — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:13:16 +0000

My PCO's prep sheet said they will not treat if you have too much clutter. And if they show up and you haven't prepped properly you still have to pay. Now, in person, he was sympathetic and said the drawers, closets etc. were the most important and also getting near the baseboards and all the "nooks and crannies," and that I should just do the best that I could.

aye on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

aye — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:58:28 +0000

nobugsonme: I found the FAQ on centipedes and just about jumped out of my chair! I hate those closeup pictures - I mean I assume they are for identification purposes but ye gods they freak me out

parakeets on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

parakeets — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:48:40 +0000

I'm also interested in the subject of bedbugs and clutter and I'm so glad you posted. I was told PCOs could sometimes even refuse to treat if you have clutter. Can't the PCO's treat the rooms with the clutter anyway?

Nobugsonme on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Nobugsonme — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 01:01:31 +0000

Poor centipede, NotSoSnug. He was just looking for some bed bug sushi. Centipedes love them some bed bugs.

NotSoSnug on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

NotSoSnug — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 02:15:26 +0000

Oh drat! I have never caught a BB on sticky tape yet (only in vaseline), but I do have a baby centipede just caught today. It survived the poison only to get caught in the BB trap. Grrr.

goawaybugs on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

goawaybugs — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:22:14 +0000

Hi pleasehelp, good luck with the prep process! I just pm'd you.

Bugologist on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Bugologist — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 21:30:17 +0000

There are a lot of predatory insects and "bugs" (i.e. spiders, centipedes) that will eat bed bugs but none of them eat enough to tame a bed bug infestation. These are all generalist predators that will eat anything that crawls in front of them. I could go into predator/prey curves and other ecological terminology but there's college football on and that would be a lot of typing. I've heard of this assassin bug some people talk about being a bed bug predator. The refer to it as the Masked Hunter or Masked Bed Bug Hunter. Again, assassin bugs are generalist predators and are not a reliable source of bed bug elimination. In fact they can bite humans if handled or trapped between a human and a mattress or something of that nature. A lof of assassin bug bites are reported to be very painful although an idiot friend of mine took a wheel bug (same family) and tried to make it bite him and it was very reluctant to bite (bored bug grad students). In the 100's of jobs I've completed, I've never seen one so I don't think they are very common. Penn State has a very good information sheet on them. <a href="http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/maskedHunter.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/maskedHunter.htm</a>

Nobugsonme on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Nobugsonme — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 20:09:45 +0000

aye, no you don't. We even have a FAQ on that.

aye on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

aye — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:30:47 +0000

I would think that many larger insects might feed on bbs. I saw two ginormous centipedes in my apartment about a week before the bbs showed themselves (foreshadowing, maybe?). I've heard that centipedes do enjoy a tasty bb snack. but like this other assassin bug (I've never heard of them but they sound frightening), you maight not want to fill your house with centipedes!

NotSoSnug on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

NotSoSnug — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:58:46 +0000

Thanks, PleaseHelp. I find it instructive to note the dogs findings: desk not computer, night stand under cloth and boxes- I assume cardboard. And it's refreshing to see a small victory against these critters. Until pheromone traps are available, BB dogs are going to be a useful and rare tool in this vast undertaking we all face. Good to hear of one in action.

pleasehelp on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

pleasehelp — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:19:02 +0000

Thanks itchy & nobugs -- yes, it's a relief to know instead of just wondering and being in paralysis about what to do. We've been wanting to downsize for a long time but unable to start. I'm sure once we're bug free we'll be all the more appreciative of our simpler, less cluttered life. victory, the assassin bug is known as an effective natural predator of bb's but I understand you wouldn't want them in your house, either. I'm ok with spiders, though, and I think they do eat bb's, but just not fast enough! I'll PM you re the bb dog cost. It varies widely, and the cost is probably most dependent on how large the job is and how convenient it is for the dog & handler to get to your home.

Nobugsonme on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

Nobugsonme — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:35:43 +0000

pleasehelp, I am so glad you were able to get confirmation of the presence of bed bugs. Bed bugs are bad, but having them and not knowing for sure is worse. Now it can be dealt with and it will get better.

victory on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

victory — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:19:51 +0000

Sorry, the above post should have been addressed to "please help"

victory on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

victory — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:19:11 +0000

Itchy, Do you mind if I ask how much it cost to get the bb dog? I've had 3 PCO's out none of whom think I have bb's. The dog might put my fears to rest. Also, great question about the spiders! I've wondered if bb's have a natural enemy (I've often thought of unleashing whatever that might be!

itchyincharmcity on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

itchyincharmcity — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:23:31 +0000

Congratulations! That's great! Not great that you have BBs but great that you got a confirmation, you know where to start and you have a plan! Go Radar! I know the prep and decluttering is a huge task but you will be amazed what you can bear to part with when the PCO treatment is looming. And you'll kick that thrift store habit too. I will never buy anything secondhand again unless it can be washed and dried on hot.

pleasehelp on "Finally, Confirmation (w/a BB Dog)"

pleasehelp — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:40:34 +0000

After months of bites but no harborages found or bbs seen, we had Radar the bb dog inspect my (single family) house 2 days ago. He alerted at 3 spots: a nightstand on my husband's side of the bed and some boxes on my side of the bed (upstairs), and a desk in our downstairs office on which we have a computer, fax machine, 2 printers. He indicated that they are in the desk, not the equipment. I was surprised that he didn't alert anywhere else in my large house. Both sons’ bedrooms were declared bb-free. One of my sons usually sleeps at his college dorm 30 miles away. Radar’s handler/owner Carl found 2 large unfed bbs on the nightstand under a cloth - I was surprised that they were rather sluggish & didn't run away - I had plenty of time to go get my tape to catch them. My PCOs were there… they called my job a 'nightmare' because of all of the clutter. I’m a lifelong pack rat thrift store junkie. I have boxes & boxes stacked up in every room. We bagged up the night stand & the boxes that Radar alerted on & started bagging up things in the bedroom for trash & future vicane treatment. Still haven't dealt with the desk in the office. It’s a very large, HEAVY wooden desk from the 30's or 40's. Think we’ll encase it in a huge plastic bag, then decide later whether we’ll treat it or trash it. The current plan is to prep the bedroom & the office, have them treated, then proceed with getting the rest of the house decluttered & ready so the other rooms can be treated. They really would rather treat more than 2 rooms at a time but I just don’t know how fast I can get it all done & want some relief asap. We still haven’t found any harborages. I thoroughly inspected the wooden nightstand and it’s clean as a whistle. The PCO couldn’t see any signs in the desk, either. We’re going to get a dumpster & trash as much as I bear to part with, then seal up the rest in contractor bags and store in the attic until we can get a vikane chamber treatment. My husband is very helpful and actually happy because we’re going to change our lifestyle. We’re both suffering from bites, however. We’re going to encase all mattresses & box springs asap, but we’ve decided to not isolate our bed because we want to keep the bugs happy to discourage them from spreading to our sons’ rooms & the rest of the house. Now that we look back, we think we’ve been getting occasional bb bites for at least a year. They didn’t become numerous until a few months ago. We’ve got mega-quantities of spiders in the house, and my theory is that the spiders were keeping the bb population down… any thoughts on that, friends?