What is my PCO talking about??? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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What is my PCO talking about???

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mam417

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Sep 30 2011 7:50:00
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I recently got my first treatment from my new pco for my re-infestation. I called them to find out about the pesticides they used, and about the whole-bagging-not-bagging questions I was having. He said the following "With bedbugs we go for a direct hit because residuals aren't that effective with these bugs, because you can't get them to get enough poison on them/into them." Direct HIT??? With bb's. When I asked him how the heck they could get a direct hit considering how elusive these things are, he said "Well, that's why we do three treatments 2 weeks apart, so that we can get the adults, then the eggs that have hatched and then any stragglers." Then I asked him about the pesticide that is supposed to (in my understanding) keep them from reproducing. "Genitrol is a growth regulator (which I knew), but it doesn't work very well." It doesn't? But they used it - and I pointed it out to him. He didn't necessarily address that. Then: "Transport has quick knock down (which I knew), but the residual isnt necessarily that effective due to the small surface area of the bbs and them not staying in it long enough." ??? The last thing they used was Bedlam, and I already knew about that, so all the info he gave me I already had. Then I asked about bagging and sealing, bagging and not sealing, removiing thing from bags during treatment. He said I could take things out after each treatment if I wanted, but everything would have to be removed again when they came for treatmen #2 and #3. Then he said if I just left the bags exposed, there could be bugs in them and they could come out later. I do not get this. Why wouldnt they come out to eat me during treatment, crosse poison and die???? I'm so confused. Why would they just hang out in the bags, when I am available???? This PCO was successful getting rid of the bbs in my friend's house, by now I'm petrified that they will not be in my apartment. Can anyone shed any light on what he's talking about and if it makes any sense?
mam417

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Sep 30 2011 23:47:44
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I know I'm whining (that's all I seem to do these days) but I really wish this would have elicited some response. I'm now pack-titing and drying after a 12 hour shift. Combined with the fact that during the day today, several welts appeared on my face. This realization brought on a full-fledged anxiety attack. During work!!!! I had to go out of the building to calm myself down, but my heart was still racing for hours afterwards, and now I have the headache from absolute hell. My first treatment was last Wednesday, so that's like seven days ago, and I'm getting bit again. WTF????? I am SO over these @$%^&**$^%*%^#^%^%&*#@ bugs I could scream. Apologies to everyone whose situation is far worse than mine. I'm just so tired I can barely form a coherent thought and I've been fighting tears all day. This is beyond ridiculous.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Oct 1 2011 1:08:26
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Hi mam417,

Sorry you're under so much stress and that you did not get a quick response. The best thing to do when that happens is respond to your own thread again as you did.

I am NOT an expert or a PMP. I will say this:

At least one study from a few years back suggests Gentrol may have both positive and negative outcomes. I think the jury is still out on that one. I would not panic if a PCO uses it but I also would not complain if they don't.

Although your PMP is talking about a "direct hit" (which makes me think of contact killer sprays), he then mentions some pesticides like Bedlam which do have residuals. Three treatments two weeks apart is a good plan to start with and it sounds like they are trying to find and kill bed bugs directly, which -- if true -- is a good sign.

As for bagging, opinions from PCOs on this vary to an extraordinary degree (this FAQ outlines some variations and the possible reasoning behind them).

If I am reading you correctly, your PCO wants you to bag things that have not been treated to remove bed bugs, but says they only need to be bagged while he's actually spraying/dusting/etc. (i.e. on the day of treatment).

Is that right?

If so, I would guess he wants the stuff out of the way so he can easily access all areas of the home. Allowing you to remove stuff from bags between treatments -- if indeed that's what he's suggesting -- might give bed bugs a chance to come out, cross poison and die, whereas leaving them bagged the entire time until all treatments are done could simply keep them alive until you unpack the bags, post treatment.

Again, I may be misreading the protocol you've been given, and of course asking them would be the best idea.

If you bag items in an airtight manner which have been treated to kill all bed bugs (Packtite, dryer, etc.) then I would NOT unpack these, since they should be free of bed bugs and eggs. I am assuming the PCO agrees.

Finally, if the PCO did a good job for your friend, I would not worry too much. They seem to want to find and kill bed bugs directly and that in itself is a good sign.

You will get bitten as long as there are bed bugs in your home, and in most cases one treatment is not enough. I would not lose heart. If that bed bug bit you, with any luck it may have been its last meal.
mam417

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Oct 1 2011 9:30:31
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Thanks so much for your response, Nobugs. I tried to reply last night, but was so delerious I couldn't type. Thanks for that information on Gentrol. I was unaware of that research. I truly wish there was some clearinghouse so that pros and laypeople alike could access a credible source for information. This is as close as I have found in terms of such a thing. As for the protocol, after speaking to three people at the pco office, what they want is for you to (dry, nuvan strip, pack-tite, whatever) every article of clothing you own, and seal and bag them until the treatment is done. Although the pesticide "expert" said that I could put the things back in between treatments, he did not say it was so the bugs could come into contact with poison and die. In fact, it was his incredible equivocation about the residual effect of the chemicals they used that really pushed me over the edge. What you said is what I understood from my voracious research - that if you leave the bags open, the bugs will be able to come out to feed, cross poison and die. But he was so underwhelmed by the pesticides' residual efficacy, he led me to doubt that this was true. However, he also stated that everything must be bagged and out of the way for each and every treatment, because they must have full and unfettered access to every inch of my place in order to do a thorough treatment. I don't believe they actually "look" for bugs and try to kill them where they live. From what he said, it sounds like they treat every surface where a bug could possibly be, or have been shown to be when the dog went through (although I am cognizant that was a snapshot in time, and they may have moved from those areas). I guess its along the lines of a "scorched earth" policy. What I am most stressed about, and what is keeping me up at night even more than being bitten, is the possibility that these horrific creatures will find their way up to my landlord's home. I've explained this in another thread, so I won't go into detail here, but I live in a one family home that was converted to have a one bedroom apartment on the first floor, and the landlord and his family live on the second and third floor. I know I brought them here, and I took responsibility for taking care of it. I absolutely would have had his place treated, were it necessary, but there were no dog alerts after 4 times, and his wife refused to have any more inspections done. So now with this reinfestation, I am only able to treat my place, and live in absolute fear his babies will be harmed by these hideous little vampires. And the pco did rid my friend of every last bb, but my friend had a one family home (albeit a huge one) and the pco treated literally every area where a bb might be - they have like 7 dogs, so this was actually a good plan. I'm just afraid they will be less effective here, where only my place is being treated. In any case, I actually called in sick to work today, because I literally could not attend to the task at hand worried that I had so much drying/pack-titing/nuvan-stripping to do...Anyway, I apologize again for my incessant whining, but this issue has literally affected me physically. My hair is literally falling out and I've gained probably 25 - 30 lbs since this all started in April, and my bp is through the roof. Combined with the lack of sleep, well, this is a dangerous combination. I just want to be normal again, although as many here have said, after this I know I never will be. But thank you for this place, which I have appreciated so much throughout this nightmare. My friends who have not dealt with this issue (yet - sadly) cannot comprehend my level of fear and anxiety, and often accuse me of overreaction and melodrama. Without this outlet I and a multitude of others would be far worse off, and forced to suffer in virtual isolation.