Bed bug detection dogs are scientifically-proven…

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

We thought we’d take a look at what Wikipedia says about bed bug dogs. Here’s what we found:

Bed bug detection dogs are specially trained by handlers to identify the scent of bed bugs.

With the increased focus on green pest management and integrated pest management, bed bug detection dogs are gaining popularity in North America. Dogs are a safer alternative to pesticide use as a management strategy. If operators can find out exactly where bed bugs are located, they can minimize the area that needs to be sprayed. Dogs smell in parts per trillion, something a human cannot do, and detect bed bugs through all life cycle phases from eggs to nymphs to adults.

Bed bug detection dogs are relatively new. The National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association, states that there are over 100 dogs currently working in the U.S., but this number is increasing, while the International Forensic Detection Canine Association based in the US, estimates well over 200 and counting. IFEDCA, founded by a Certified Master Trainer, Bill Whitstine, also estimates that the need for bed bug dogs far outweighs the supply.

Bed bug detection dogs are a viable and scientifically-proven alternative to traditional methods of pest detection. A 2008 report by the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology endorsed bed bug detection dogs by stating that the “reliability of the dogs has been impressive provided they are properly trained.” Scientists at the university reviewed studies on the dogs and concluded that although expensive for operators, canine detection dogs were promising.

Bed bug detection is complicated by the fact that the insects can hide almost anywhere. Bed bug detection dogs solve this problem because they are small and agile, finding bugs in places humans cannot such as wall voids, crevices and furniture gaps.

With the increase in global travel and shared living accommodations, bed bugs have become more prevalent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency held a bed bug summit in April 2009 to address the ongoing problem of bed bugs and how to eradicate them. The certification of bed bug detection dogs was discussed.

Posted in About bed bug dogs | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heat treament to get rid of bed bugs

Posted on January 4, 2012 by admin

Well aware of the environmental impact of chemical treatments, Merlin Environmental now use heat treatment to treat bed bug infestations.

Over the years we have used a number of environmental manipulation techniques to resolve pest problems. By far the use of heat to control insect activity has been the most efficient. We use heat to eradicate insects in food production machinery, empty bins and silos, vehicles, hotel rooms, furniture, and laundry equipment and is much more effective than the lone use of chemical sprays and fogging treatments in killing adult insects, eggs, larvae and pupae.

Heat Treatment is the environmentally friendly way of treating insect infestations. In its simplest form infested items are encased in a are enclosed in heat resistant tarpaulins and clean, dry, hot air pumped into the heat treatment area. The temperature is monitored constantly using multiple temperature sensors. At the end of the treatment, a graphical record is produced to confirm the temperature of each sensor throughout the treatment. Heat treatment has proven successful in an increasing number of applications, either as a stand-alone treatment, or in conjunction with small-scale use of conventional insecticides. To date we have treated food machinery, Laundry units, aircraft seating and galleys, hotel rooms, cruise ship cabins and a variety of grain storage and processing machinery with excellent results.

…read more

Posted in About Bed Bugs, Research | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Resistant bed-bugs ‘from tropics’

Posted on December 30, 2011 by admin

Bed Bug on SkinAccording to the BBC, new results suggest that insecticide use in the tropics is to blame for the re-emergence of bed-bug infestations.

Exposure to treated bed nets and linens meant that populations of bed-bugs had become resistant to the chemicals used to kill them, researchers said.

The findings could help convince pest controllers to find alternative remedies to deal with the problem.

The results were presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s 60th annual meeting.

Since almost vanishing from homes in industrialised countries in the 1950s, populations of the common bed-bug have become re-established in these regions over the past decade or so.

These mostly nocturnal feeders are difficult to control, not only because they are adept at avoiding detection by crawling into creases of soft furnishing but also because they have developed a resistance to many of the chemicals that have been used to kill them.

Findings presented at the gathering in Philadelphia showed that 90% of 66 populations sampled from 21 US states were resistant to a group of insecticides, known as pyrethroids, commonly used to kill unwanted bugs and flies.

…read full article

Posted in About Bed Bugs, News, Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hairy limbs keep bed bugs away

Posted on December 17, 2011 by admin

Bed Bug BitingHairier skin may be the key to avoiding being bitten by bed bugs, claim Sheffield academics.

Hungry bugs placed on shaved arms were more likely to try to feed compared with those on unshaved arms, the journal Biology Letters reported.

Researchers say the hair slows down the bed bugs and warns the victim.

Pest controllers say the UK is currently experiencing a steep rise in the number of bed bug infestations.

Prof Michael Siva-Jothy, from Sheffield University’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, recruited 29 brave volunteers to test the theory further, watching the bedbugs as they found a place to feed and removing them only as they were about to bite.

He found that more layers of both longer visible hairs and finer, “vellus” hairs near the surface appeared to work as a deterrent to the insects, with the finer hairs also acting as an early warning system.

Prof Siva-Jothy said: “Our findings show that more body hairs mean better detection of parasites – the hairs have nerves attached to them and provide us with the ability to detect displacement.”

He said they also slowed down the insect as it searched for a tasty spot to bite.

“The results have implications for understanding why we look the way we do, what selective forces might have driven us to look the way we do, and may even provide insight for better understanding of how to reduce biting insects’ impact on humans.”

However, even though men are naturally hairier than women, they do not appear to be bitten less often.

Professor Siva-Jothy suggested this pointed to an evolutionary battle between bed bugs and their prey, with the insects adapting to automatically head for relatively hairless bits of the body, such as wrists and ankles.

He added that extreme hairiness might also be more of a disadvantage than an advantage.

“If you have a heavy coat of long thick hairs it is easier for parasites to hide, even if you can detect them.

“Our proposal is that we retain the fine covering because it aids detection and if we lost all hair, even the relatively invisible fine hair, our detection ability goes right down.”

…read full article

Article courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk

Posted in About bed bug dogs, About Bed Bugs, News, Research | Leave a comment

How Do You Know if You Have Bed Bugs

Posted on October 29, 2011 by admin

The most reliable way to know if you have bed bugs is to find visible evidence of them, although our bed bug dogs are trained to find them even if they are not immediately obvious.

Bed Bugs on Mattress

Bed Bugs on Mattress

We receive a huge number of calls from people who believe they have bed bugs, at least half are not bed bugs but are receiving bites in the night. These are usually mosquitos or other night flying insects. Inspection can be relatively simple and needs a good torch. Look at the photos on the right for an example. Check the cracks and crevices around the structure and the seams in the mattress. However they are not just found in beds so you need to look in other places such as behind picture frames.

If you are unsure if you have bed bugs we will happily carry out a bed bug survey for you.

Posted in About Bed Bugs | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Scanning over 200 Rooms for Bed Bugs

Posted on October 18, 2011 by admin

Merlin’s bed bug dogs have been very busy this month. On the list of jobs has been the sweep of a 23o room hotel.

Merlin’s bed bug dogs are trained to sniff bed bugs out in the same way they are used to detect drugs and explosives. As well as the time benefit – dogs can sweep a room in 2-3 minutes compared to about 20 minutes for a human – bed bug dogs can also identify bed bugs hiding in walls, under floors and other inaccessible areas.

Our bed bug dogs are properly trained (training takes several months) and we take care to limit the amount of work the dogs do to keep them working efficiently and to ensure that they are well cared for.

The National Pest Management Association is hosting the canine conference in Philadelphia. It says training a dog properly takes several months and can cost around $10,000 (£6,100).

Bedbugs emit an odour that can be smelt by dogs but not humans. Handlers say dogs can be trained to sniff them out in the same way they are used to detect drugs and explosives

Posted in About bed bug dogs, News | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

Bed Bug Dogs – Hotel Case Study

Posted on August 22, 2011 by admin

Bed bugs in hotels are a horrible experience for guests and can cause a dramatic loss of revenue for the business owner. Please click here for a recent bed bug dog case study on how we helped a large hotel get rid of bed bugs.

The hotel approached us to tackle their bed bug issue. The hotel had been struggling to control a bed bug infestation and were of the opinion that the existing programme was not working. Due to continued complaints the hotel had lost a lucrative contract and was facing action from the local environmental health department. We were engaged to clear the site of bed bugs and monitor for re-emergence and re-infestation.

Posted in About bed bug dogs | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Pest Magazine Article on Bed Bug Dogs

Posted on August 1, 2011 by admin

A remarkable new insect bedbug detection service has been developed by Merlin  Environmental and is now being used for the benefit of clients.

A report in the July/August edition of Pest Magazine can be read here.

For more information about how Merlin use dogs to detect bed bugs, please see the main website.

Posted in About bed bug dogs, News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Use Bed Bug Dogs?

Posted on July 25, 2011 by admin

Bed Bug dogs enable us to search for hidden Bed Bugs that may not necessarily be easy to locate. Research by the University of Florida has shown that canine Bed Bug detection can be 98% accurate compared with that of a 30% success rate of a pest control technician. Due to the behaviour and size of Bed Bugs they often hide in inaccessible areas, such as behind skirting boards and within furniture.

The dog’s nose is cutting edge technology and a properly trained and certified detection dog is recognised in the US courts as a scientific instrument. Scent hounds as a group, which includes Beagles can smell between one to ten million times more acutely than a human being.

Canine detection is proven and trusted, being employed for many years by both the military and law enforcement agencies throughout the world to seek and detect bombs, drugs and contraband, amongst other things.

Click here to read ‘Ability of Bed Bug Dogs to locate live bed bugs and viable bed bug eggs.

Posted in About bed bug dogs, Research | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bed Bug Dog Certification

Posted on July 11, 2011 by admin

First came the bedbugs. Then the bedbug-sniffing dogs. Now the American pest industry is offering certification to companies that want to make sure their dogs and handlers really can sniff out the blood-sucking insects.  Can a similar program be adopted in the UK ?

In most cases, bedbugs don’t emit an odor that the human nose can detect, according to David Latimer, whose family runs a canine scent detection business called Forensic and Scientific Investigations in Alabama.  But the smell, described by some entomologists as sweet and sickly, is something dogs can be taught to sniff out, much the same way they can be trained to detect explosives and narcotics.

And because bedbugs are often difficult to find — they range from 1 millimeter to 7 millimeters in length — demand for bedbug-sniffing dogs is skyrocketing.

The increase “has been the most dramatic of any canine scent detection since bomb dogs after 9/11,’’ said Latimer, who is also the police chief and fire chief of Harpersville, Ala., population about 3,000.

In the past 12 months, his company has trained about 40 dogs just for bedbugs. By comparison, about a half-dozen dogs were trained to detect explosives, and an additional eight to 10 to look for narcotics.

It takes about three months, and with a good handler and under excellent clinical conditions the dogs can be “very, very proficient’’ in finding bedbugs, Latimer said.

His company relies on rescue dogs of mixed breeds, many of them beagles and terriers. Personality is more important than pedigree.

“Most of the dogs we adopt would not make very good pets,’’ Latimer said. “Periodically, someone calls us up and says their dog is nuts, that it can’t seem to contain itself.  It’s like the dog needs a dose of Ritalin when really all it needs is a job.’’

Find out more about the Merlin Bed Bug Dogs.

Posted in About bed bug dogs, News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment