Jim Mallinder: Wary of Wasps threat

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Northampton Saints rugby director Jim Mallinder has labelled Saturday’s LV=Cup clash against London Wasps at Franklin’s Gardens as a “big game”.

The Saints top pool four by a single point following last weekend’s round of fixtures and thus need a bonus-point victory to not just guarantee a place in the semi-finals, but also a possible home tie.

And with the Saints still smarting from last Saturday’s loss at Bath, Mallinder insists an improvement will be needed against Wasps tomorrow, a team the Saints boss says deserve respect.

“It’s a big game for us,” he said. “We started the LV= Cup well with two bonus point wins and we need to keep that momentum.

“We need to win to get through and qualify for a semi-final. We don’t want weeks off during the season; we want our holidays in the summer.

“That means we’ve got to win at the weekend, it’s as simple as that.

“Wasps will be a difficult proposition. They may be out of the tournament but they’ve still got everything to play for in terms of getting on track in the league.

“They will attack us in a number of ways and we’ve got to make sure we step up and that our defence improves a lot from last week.”

Russians to feature for Wasps

Meanwhile, Wasps are poised to hand debuts to their two new Russian recruits.

Having completed their first full week of training with the squad, both Victor Gresev and Vladislav Korshunov have been named in the match day 23 for the clash at Franklin’s Gardens.

Gresev will start at number eight, while Korshunov is set to feature from the bench.

Eighteen-year-old Nathan Morris and 19-year-old Will Robinson will also earn their first starts for the club – Morris starting at hooker and Robinson getting the nod at fly-half after performing well from the bench last weekend in his first appearance at Adams Park.

In total there are eight changes to the team that played Exeter Chiefs in last weekend’s LV=Cup game at Adams Park.

In the backs, Hugo Southwell and Richard Haughton start alongside youngster Robinson, while in the forwards, Tim Payne, Morris and Ben Broster come into the side to make up a new-look front row, with Matt Everard and Victor Gresev taking up positions in the back row.

Charlie Davies will once again captain the side.

Northampton: 15 Paul Diggin, 14 Jamie Elliott, 13 George Pisi, 12 James Downey, 11 Noah Cato, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Martin Roberts, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Ben Nutley, 6 Calum Clark (c), 5 Christian Day, 4 James Craig, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Andy Long, 1 Soane Tonga’uiha.
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Tom Mercey, 19 Mark Sorenson, 20 Samu Manoa, 21 Ryan Glynn, 22 Tom May, 23 Vasily Artemyev.

Wasps: 15 Hugo Southwell, 14 Lee Robinson, 13 Alex Cheesman, 12 Chris Mayor, 11 Richard Haughton, 10 Will Robinson, 9 Charlie Davies (c), 8 Victor Gresev, 7 Matt Everard, 6 Tinus DuPlessis, 5 Ed O’Donoghue, 4 Heinz Koll, 3 Ben Broster, 2 Nathan Morris, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 Vladislav Korshunov, 17 Bob Baker, 18 Simon McIntyre, 19 Joe Burton, 20 Sam Jones, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Nick Robinson, 23 Charlie Ingall.

Northampton v Wasps: Teams is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_preview/0,,11069_49738_1,00.html

As you are visiting this site it is likely that you fall into one of several categories.

The Bed Bug

Possibly you may have bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) already and want to get rid of them. Maybe you suspect you may have bed bugs and want information, maybe you may be worried about getting a bed bug infestation and want to know how to prevent this, or possibly you are just curious about bed bugs.

Whatever the case this site has the answer for you.

What are bed bugs?

There are a lot of fallacies and misconceptions about bed bugs, one of the biggest urban myths is that every bed has them.

This is simply not true!

Every bed has dust mites which feed on human skin, these are not bed bugs!

Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye and are surprisingly large, especially after a meal of blood! Adult bed bugs are about the size and shape of an apple pip and can move quite quickly when disturbed.

Where did bed bugs come from?

Bed Bug Life Cycle

They evolved from bugs which feed on bats (Cimex pipistrella etc) and probably evolved around the times when human beings started living in caves.

Bats would only live in the caves for half the year round whereas human beings would inhabit the caves all year round, thus providing a better opportunity for a regular meal.

However, because the bugs historically had to endure long periods without feeding, modern day bed bugs can survive

for extended periods without a meal, up to a year or more in fact.

For many years they were practically extinct in many areas, the invention of highly effective insecticides such as DDT and the removal of much of the slum dwellings where they were prevalent saw pest controllers dealing with very few infestations during the middle and later part of the twentieth century. However, during the last few years they are back and with a vengeance.

To say they have reached plague proportions is not stretching the matter too far.

Unlike flies and many other insects they have an ‘incomplete metamorphosis’ which means that they do not go through a larval or ‘maggot’ stage in their development, but the young hatch from eggs as a complete but smaller version of an adult and then grow by shedding their skins.

These skins are often found in beds.

What do bed bugs feed on?

Blood, simply that! They prefer humans but they will bite your cat, dog or other pets as well.

Bed Bug Bites

They are nocturnal and typically will emerge in the early hours of the morning when their target is in a deep sleep. They sense their target by detecting the carbon dioxide in exhaled breath and when close in on their meal they switch to infrared detection of body heat.

They inject their prey with a fluid which is both anaesthetic and anti-coagulant which stops you feeling the bite and keeps the blood flowing. They need to feed about once every seven to ten days.

For these reasons bed bug bites tend to be concentrated on the upper torso, bites on the ankles and lower legs suggest fleas.

Where do bed bugs live?

Another urban myth is that they are confined to beds and that burning the beds will solve the problem. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

Bed bugs live anywhere within around fifteen to twenty feet of where a person normally sleeps, which in most cases means the entire bedroom. This is why eradicating bed bugs is so difficult as they are not only in the beds but everywhere in the room, in the beds, under the carpets, in furniture, picture frames and even inside electrical sockets and switches.

I have bed bugs, does this mean I’m a dirty person?

Not at all! Some surprisingly upmarket hotels are fighting a losing battle with these pests and some very famous people have suffered.

Bed bugs do not live in dirt and squalor, their diet is YOU and they are the ultimate in having no prejudices, white or black, rich or poor, young or old they will bite you!

How did I get bed bugs?

Well, very difficult to say as they are so very easy to get these days. Maybe you stayed in a hotel or guest house that had them. Maybe you sat next to the wrong person on a bus, tube or train, transport related cases are booming these days. If you live in an apartment or terraced row, any building in fact with attached neighbours, then maybe they just walked in under the door!

Bed bugs spread like wildfire in any form of communal building, apartments, terraced rows, condos etc.

I’m worried I may have bed bugs, how do I tell?

Checkout our page How To Prevent Bed Bugs

How do I get rid of bedbugs, I know I have them?

Visit our page Before The Treatment

** please read the Legal Disclaimer before taking any actions

How to get rid of bed bugs how to prevent bed bugs

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Hotels, dorms and local groups work hard to keep little suckers at bay

By Steve Law

The Portland Tribune, Feb 2, 2012

Christopher Onstott / Portland Tribune

Grant Walter of Home Forward Pest Control inspects for bedbugs in the couch cushions of an apartment with an LED light during a routine inspection.

ADVERTISEMENTS

“Goodnight. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.” The old bedtime saying has taken on new meaning for thousands of Portlanders in recent years, ever since the local bedbug population mushroomed.

Infestations at homeless shelters, hotels, apartments, hospitals and college dorms have served as a wake-up call, prompting a variety of countermeasures.

But bedbugs remain a stigma here, in contrast to places like New York where they’ve long been ensconced. That keeps people and businesses from reporting or acknowledging the problem – making it difficult to track the growth of Portland’s bedbug population and determine if and where we’re making headway.

“Nobody can give you a really clear picture, because we don’t have that data,” says Margaret Mahoney, co-chairwoman of a bedbug work group formed by Multnomah County to forge community-wide solutions.

Homeless shelters and other low-income housing providers stepped up first in Portland, when bedbug sightings grew more common during the past few years. Home Forward (formerly the Housing Authority of Portland) built a “warming room” to kill bedbugs in homeless peoples’ luggage and possession before they could move into the new Bud Clark Commons apartments in Old Town. Central City Concern even developed its own bedbug-resistant bed and made it available to others.

But experts say anti-bedbug efforts in other sectors have lagged or been less effective, including those of the hotel industry and purveyors of secondhand furniture. Portlanders working on the front lines say it would be better if all affected parties, including TriMet, movie theaters and the hotel industry, participated in community-wide efforts.

“For a long time, the hotels said, ‘We don’t have a problem,’ ”says Mark Schmidt, Portland branch manager for Sprague Pest Solutions Inc.

“I don’t understand why we’re having such roadblocks with some partners in the community,” says Corey Ray, housing director for Portland State University.

Even the Multnomah County Health Department was initially reluctant to address the issue, says County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, because bedbugs were not deemed a public health threat.

Kafoury helped organize a one-day Bedbug Summit last March, bringing together a variety of affected players. The county is taking the lead role, though it’s not always getting the information or cooperation it would like.

“We know the importance in tracking the problem and knowing what the growth rate is,” says Ben Duncan, bedbugs program specialist for Multnomah County Health Department’s environmental health section.However, Duncan says, “There’s very little regulation or mandatory reporting.”

Despite the lack of comprehensive data on the scope of Portland’s bedbug problem, there are some indications of a problem here:

• In 2011, bedbugs were detected in 180 low-income housing units operated by Home Forward, says Ken Combs, core maintenance manager for the nonprofit agency. That’s 15 percent of its high-rise apartments.

• Schmidt, whose pest-control company counts many hotel owners among its clients, estimates that 3 percent of Portland hotel rooms have bedbugs. “I haven’t seen the numbers change much,” Schmidt says.

• Portland State University gets two to three reports of bedbugs in its dorms each quarter, says John Eckman, executive director of PSU auxiliary services. Every Northwest university, except for Eastern Oregon University, has reported problems with bedbugs, Eckman says.

• Though the city of Portland plays a minor role in the bedbug issue, 86 tenants have complained to the city Bureau of Development Services about bedbug infestations in their residences during the past four years, says agency spokesman Ross Caron.

Real bloodsuckers

Bedbugs are tiny, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of people and animals while they’re sleeping. They initially inject victims with an anesthetic, so people don’t realize they’ve been bitten until later – sometimes days later – when bite marks appear.

Bedbugs congregate where their victims sleep, and they come out at night. They hide in mattress seams, box springs, behind wallpaper, in light switches and floorboards, even inside alarm clocks and portable bedside stereos. They spread by hitchhiking rides on bedding, clothing, luggage and furniture.

Though bedbugs don’t carry disease, they can cause considerable stress and sleeplessness, and are very difficult to eliminate.Kafoury says the local bedbug problem first came to her attention when many senior citizens and disabled people reported being traumatized by them.

“You have folks that really get debilitated by this issue,” Duncan says.

Some tenants have been billed hundreds of dollars when bedbugs were spotted in their dwellings, and others have been evicted, Duncan says. That makes some people afraid to report bedbugs, making them harder to contain.

County officials fear people are misusing pesticides in an effort to kill bedbugs, rather than hiring professionals. In addition, Kafoury says, “There are pest control companies out there that don’t know what they’re doing either.”

The bedbug population in the United States fell dramatically by the mid-20thcentury, beaten back by pesticides. But the numbers started growing as the insects developed resistance to pesticides, and with increased international travel. Long a scourge in New York City, elsewhere on the East Coast and in the Midwest, the bedbug population started growing here about three to five years ago.

Though they’re more common among transients, who often live in unsanitary conditions, bedbugs have been found in million-dollar Pearl District condos and high-end downtown hotels. They also may be found in homes, apartments, hotels, buses, airplanes and movie theaters.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a rich or poor person,” says Kasandra Walton, a pest control technician for Home Forward. “They don’t discriminate. They like everybody.”

Aggressive programs

One day last week, a crew from Home Forward sprayed Robert Jarkow’s apartment at the Hollywood East high-rise in Northeast Portland. It was a precautionary move, which Jarkow appreciated, because several of his neighbors have reported bedbugs. “They have not been very happy,” he says.

Home Forward has an aggressive strategy to keep bedbugs under control, and now handles it all in-house with three trained pest control technicians.

“The numbers that we started at, and where we’re at now, we’re totally on top of it,” Combs says.

Staff concluded that some bedbugs were brought into the apartments via furniture donated by the Community Warehouse, and on a futon purchased on Craigslist. “We put a halt to anything coming in before we checked it,” Combs says. They eliminated free clothing exchanges on site, and started providing free encasements for mattresses, which suffocate bedbugs.

When bedbugs are discovered, technicians treat the units three times, every two to three weeks. If bedbugs are still there on a fourth visit, the treatment cycle begins anew, Walton says. Follow-up inspections are held every two months.

Home Forward invested $33,000 to build what is believed to be the first heating room for bedbugs in Oregon, after hearing about similar facilities in Canada. “It’s basically a big sauna,” says Rachael Duke of Home Forward.

Incoming residents to Bud Clark Commons are asked to place their belongings in the room, which is heated to 194 degrees. That kills the bedbugs and their eggs in a couple hours, without the need for chemicals. As a result, there’ve been no bedbugs reported at the homeless apartments since they opened six months ago, Duke says.

Used furnishings a concern

Bedbug experts say mattresses left on the street for all-comers to take, or other free exchanges, are a particular hazard for spreading bedbugs. It’s believed that some people put bedbug-infested furniture on the street to avoid the expense of hauling it to a dump.

Organizations like Community Warehouse, a Northeast Portland furniture bank that provides donated goods to low-income people, have a particular challenge with bedbugs. They get several truckloads of donated furnishings a day, and make it available to about 50 low-income families a week, says Tom Elston, program manager.

Elston acknowledges that his organization gets one to two calls a month from people claiming bedbugs have been spotted in the donated bedding and other furnishings. “There’s been some buildings that won’t allow furniture in from Community Warehouse,” he adds.

But Elston, who is an active participant on the county bedbug work group, insists bedbugs are under control at Community Warehouse because of its extensive screening program. Every week a dog trained to sniff out bedbugs comes to the warehouse to “inspect” the entire facility, including newly donated items.

“We’ve passed 62 inspections in a row,” Elston says. “We don’t have a problem at all –zero.”

However, Elston is convinced that many hotels are doing less than they should to counter bedbugs. When there are guests staying there, it’s unlikely a hotel will close a whole wing to deal with an infestation, he says.

Hotels are particularly vulnerable because they are way stations for travelers, including those coming from overseas, where bedbugs are more common.

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Putting the bite on bedbugs is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=132813755975557900

Hotels, dorms and local groups work hard to keep little suckers at bay

By Steve Law

The Portland Tribune, Feb 2, 2012

Christopher Onstott / Portland Tribune

Grant Walter of Home Forward Pest Control inspects for bedbugs in the couch cushions of an apartment with an LED light during a routine inspection.

ADVERTISEMENTS

“Goodnight. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.” The old bedtime saying has taken on new meaning for thousands of Portlanders in recent years, ever since the local bedbug population mushroomed.

Infestations at homeless shelters, hotels, apartments, hospitals and college dorms have served as a wake-up call, prompting a variety of countermeasures.

But bedbugs remain a stigma here, in contrast to places like New York where they’ve long been ensconced. That keeps people and businesses from reporting or acknowledging the problem – making it difficult to track the growth of Portland’s bedbug population and determine if and where we’re making headway.

“Nobody can give you a really clear picture, because we don’t have that data,” says Margaret Mahoney, co-chairwoman of a bedbug work group formed by Multnomah County to forge community-wide solutions.

Homeless shelters and other low-income housing providers stepped up first in Portland, when bedbug sightings grew more common during the past few years. Home Forward (formerly the Housing Authority of Portland) built a “warming room” to kill bedbugs in homeless peoples’ luggage and possession before they could move into the new Bud Clark Commons apartments in Old Town. Central City Concern even developed its own bedbug-resistant bed and made it available to others.

But experts say anti-bedbug efforts in other sectors have lagged or been less effective, including those of the hotel industry and purveyors of secondhand furniture. Portlanders working on the front lines say it would be better if all affected parties, including TriMet, movie theaters and the hotel industry, participated in community-wide efforts.

“For a long time, the hotels said, ‘We don’t have a problem,’ ”says Mark Schmidt, Portland branch manager for Sprague Pest Solutions Inc.

“I don’t understand why we’re having such roadblocks with some partners in the community,” says Corey Ray, housing director for Portland State University.

Even the Multnomah County Health Department was initially reluctant to address the issue, says County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, because bedbugs were not deemed a public health threat.

Kafoury helped organize a one-day Bedbug Summit last March, bringing together a variety of affected players. The county is taking the lead role, though it’s not always getting the information or cooperation it would like.

“We know the importance in tracking the problem and knowing what the growth rate is,” says Ben Duncan, bedbugs program specialist for Multnomah County Health Department’s environmental health section.However, Duncan says, “There’s very little regulation or mandatory reporting.”

Despite the lack of comprehensive data on the scope of Portland’s bedbug problem, there are some indications of a problem here:

• In 2011, bedbugs were detected in 180 low-income housing units operated by Home Forward, says Ken Combs, core maintenance manager for the nonprofit agency. That’s 15 percent of its high-rise apartments.

• Schmidt, whose pest-control company counts many hotel owners among its clients, estimates that 3 percent of Portland hotel rooms have bedbugs. “I haven’t seen the numbers change much,” Schmidt says.

• Portland State University gets two to three reports of bedbugs in its dorms each quarter, says John Eckman, executive director of PSU auxiliary services. Every Northwest university, except for Eastern Oregon University, has reported problems with bedbugs, Eckman says.

• Though the city of Portland plays a minor role in the bedbug issue, 86 tenants have complained to the city Bureau of Development Services about bedbug infestations in their residences during the past four years, says agency spokesman Ross Caron.

Real bloodsuckers

Bedbugs are tiny, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of people and animals while they’re sleeping. They initially inject victims with an anesthetic, so people don’t realize they’ve been bitten until later – sometimes days later – when bite marks appear.

Bedbugs congregate where their victims sleep, and they come out at night. They hide in mattress seams, box springs, behind wallpaper, in light switches and floorboards, even inside alarm clocks and portable bedside stereos. They spread by hitchhiking rides on bedding, clothing, luggage and furniture.

Though bedbugs don’t carry disease, they can cause considerable stress and sleeplessness, and are very difficult to eliminate.Kafoury says the local bedbug problem first came to her attention when many senior citizens and disabled people reported being traumatized by them.

“You have folks that really get debilitated by this issue,” Duncan says.

Some tenants have been billed hundreds of dollars when bedbugs were spotted in their dwellings, and others have been evicted, Duncan says. That makes some people afraid to report bedbugs, making them harder to contain.

County officials fear people are misusing pesticides in an effort to kill bedbugs, rather than hiring professionals. In addition, Kafoury says, “There are pest control companies out there that don’t know what they’re doing either.”

The bedbug population in the United States fell dramatically by the mid-20thcentury, beaten back by pesticides. But the numbers started growing as the insects developed resistance to pesticides, and with increased international travel. Long a scourge in New York City, elsewhere on the East Coast and in the Midwest, the bedbug population started growing here about three to five years ago.

Though they’re more common among transients, who often live in unsanitary conditions, bedbugs have been found in million-dollar Pearl District condos and high-end downtown hotels. They also may be found in homes, apartments, hotels, buses, airplanes and movie theaters.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a rich or poor person,” says Kasandra Walton, a pest control technician for Home Forward. “They don’t discriminate. They like everybody.”

Aggressive programs

One day last week, a crew from Home Forward sprayed Robert Jarkow’s apartment at the Hollywood East high-rise in Northeast Portland. It was a precautionary move, which Jarkow appreciated, because several of his neighbors have reported bedbugs. “They have not been very happy,” he says.

Home Forward has an aggressive strategy to keep bedbugs under control, and now handles it all in-house with three trained pest control technicians.

“The numbers that we started at, and where we’re at now, we’re totally on top of it,” Combs says.

Staff concluded that some bedbugs were brought into the apartments via furniture donated by the Community Warehouse, and on a futon purchased on Craigslist. “We put a halt to anything coming in before we checked it,” Combs says. They eliminated free clothing exchanges on site, and started providing free encasements for mattresses, which suffocate bedbugs.

When bedbugs are discovered, technicians treat the units three times, every two to three weeks. If bedbugs are still there on a fourth visit, the treatment cycle begins anew, Walton says. Follow-up inspections are held every two months.

Home Forward invested $33,000 to build what is believed to be the first heating room for bedbugs in Oregon, after hearing about similar facilities in Canada. “It’s basically a big sauna,” says Rachael Duke of Home Forward.

Incoming residents to Bud Clark Commons are asked to place their belongings in the room, which is heated to 194 degrees. That kills the bedbugs and their eggs in a couple hours, without the need for chemicals. As a result, there’ve been no bedbugs reported at the homeless apartments since they opened six months ago, Duke says.

Used furnishings a concern

Bedbug experts say mattresses left on the street for all-comers to take, or other free exchanges, are a particular hazard for spreading bedbugs. It’s believed that some people put bedbug-infested furniture on the street to avoid the expense of hauling it to a dump.

Organizations like Community Warehouse, a Northeast Portland furniture bank that provides donated goods to low-income people, have a particular challenge with bedbugs. They get several truckloads of donated furnishings a day, and make it available to about 50 low-income families a week, says Tom Elston, program manager.

Elston acknowledges that his organization gets one to two calls a month from people claiming bedbugs have been spotted in the donated bedding and other furnishings. “There’s been some buildings that won’t allow furniture in from Community Warehouse,” he adds.

But Elston, who is an active participant on the county bedbug work group, insists bedbugs are under control at Community Warehouse because of its extensive screening program. Every week a dog trained to sniff out bedbugs comes to the warehouse to “inspect” the entire facility, including newly donated items.

“We’ve passed 62 inspections in a row,” Elston says. “We don’t have a problem at all –zero.”

However, Elston is convinced that many hotels are doing less than they should to counter bedbugs. When there are guests staying there, it’s unlikely a hotel will close a whole wing to deal with an infestation, he says.

Hotels are particularly vulnerable because they are way stations for travelers, including those coming from overseas, where bedbugs are more common.

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Putting the bite on bedbugs is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=132813755975557900

HOW DOES MY DOG GET TICKS AND FLEAS?

In his interview for WebMD, flea and tick expert Professor Michael Dryden says that it can happen when a flea-infested animal roams around your neighborhood carrying flea eggs or female fleas. The latter may leave eggs scattered around your area. “And then those eggs developed into adults and those fleas jumped onto your pet,” he explains. Fleas are known to jump over six feet and latch themselves onto any furry pet they can find.

Dryen says a female flea can lay as many as 40 to 50 eggs per day–that’s 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. And these eggs can hatch in 1 to 10 days. “Over 4,000 eggs are deposited in cracks and crevices along floors, behind dog cages, or even ceilings,” Dryden says in his research entitled “Biology and Control of Ticks Infesting Dogs and Cats in North America.” And once they hatch, they can survive for weeks without feeding while waiting for a suitable host.

HOW CAN I GET RID OF THESE PESKY PARASITES?

If your fur baby only has a few (thank God!), you can remove them manually. Professor Dryden recommends grasping the flea or tick as close to the skin as possible with a tweezer and then extracting the parasite using slow, steady pressure. “The tick should not be crushed, twisted, or jerked out of the skin,” he warns. Doing any of these could detach the tick’s body, leaving the head still latched onto your pet’s skin, which could in turn cause infections.

According to Jenna Stregowski, RVT, on the other hand, there are three effective ways to eliminate fleas. In her article “All About Fleas on Dogs” she includes:

1. Spot-on topical treatments like Advantage and Frontline

“Typically, the spot-on treatments need to be applied monthly,” she says. It can kill adult fleas, and some even have ingredients that can sterilize fleas. They are usually water-resistant, which means you can bathe your dog a few days after the application.

2. Oral flea prevention or treatment

This releases chemicals into your dog’s blood and can kill the parasites once they bite your dog. It should also be given once a month, and a dog should not be given more than one type of oral treatment at a time.

3. Shampoos, dips, and topical sprays

These might not last as long as the previous treatments mentioned, but they can instantly remove fleas. “Flea shampoos, dips, and sprays should not be used in conjunction with topical spot-on treatments, as they may cancel each other out or even cause chemical toxicity,” she warns.

HOW CAN I ELIMINATE TICKS AND FLEAS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT?

This can be done by destroying tick and flea habitats. Dryden suggests “cutting or removing grass, weeds, and brush piles between fences and along property lines.” Acaricides (or pesticides used to kill ticks and fleas) can also be sprayed into cracks and crevices around your dog’s cage or sleeping area, along the boards of the ceiling, and other areas your pet frequents. “If ticks continue to be a problem, restricting a pet’s access to tick-infested environments, such as tall grass, weeds, and forested areas, may be necessary.”

For more on pet care, check out these articles:

• 10 Things You Should Do for Your Dog This Year
• How to Toilet-Train Your Puppy: A Guide for First-Time Dog Owners
• Mommy, Can I Keep Him? 12 Things to Remember When Giving Your Kids Their First Pet
• Canine Companions: 5 Reasons to Get Your Kids a Dog
• What Every Pet Owner Should Know about Vaccines: 5 FAQs and Their Answers
• 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Picking a Vet
• 16 Basic Items Every New Pet Owner Must Have
• Doggy-Dangerous Munchies: 20 Food Items Not to Feed Your Pooch
• Canine Cribs: 6 Tips for Creating a Dog-Friendly Home
• Fur Files: 10 Things to Consider before Adopting a Pet
• Wipe It! 5 Ways to Deal with Your Pet’s Messes
• Food for Your Fur Baby: 5 Things You Should Consider When Picking Dog Chow

 
(Photos by LOLren, CMDrGravy, and breakmake respectively via Flickr Creative Commons)   

Ticks, Fleas, and Your Dog: 3 Questions You've Been Itching to Ask–Answered! is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://www.femalenetwork.com/pets/ticks-fleas-and-your-dog-3-questions-youve-been-itching-to-ask-answered/

HOW DOES MY DOG GET TICKS AND FLEAS?

In his interview for WebMD, flea and tick expert Professor Michael Dryden says that it can happen when a flea-infested animal roams around your neighborhood carrying flea eggs or female fleas. The latter may leave eggs scattered around your area. “And then those eggs developed into adults and those fleas jumped onto your pet,” he explains. Fleas are known to jump over six feet and latch themselves onto any furry pet they can find.

Dryen says a female flea can lay as many as 40 to 50 eggs per day–that’s 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. And these eggs can hatch in 1 to 10 days. “Over 4,000 eggs are deposited in cracks and crevices along floors, behind dog cages, or even ceilings,” Dryden says in his research entitled “Biology and Control of Ticks Infesting Dogs and Cats in North America.” And once they hatch, they can survive for weeks without feeding while waiting for a suitable host.

HOW CAN I GET RID OF THESE PESKY PARASITES?

If your fur baby only has a few (thank God!), you can remove them manually. Professor Dryden recommends grasping the flea or tick as close to the skin as possible with a tweezer and then extracting the parasite using slow, steady pressure. “The tick should not be crushed, twisted, or jerked out of the skin,” he warns. Doing any of these could detach the tick’s body, leaving the head still latched onto your pet’s skin, which could in turn cause infections.

According to Jenna Stregowski, RVT, on the other hand, there are three effective ways to eliminate fleas. In her article “All About Fleas on Dogs” she includes:

1. Spot-on topical treatments like Advantage and Frontline

“Typically, the spot-on treatments need to be applied monthly,” she says. It can kill adult fleas, and some even have ingredients that can sterilize fleas. They are usually water-resistant, which means you can bathe your dog a few days after the application.

2. Oral flea prevention or treatment

This releases chemicals into your dog’s blood and can kill the parasites once they bite your dog. It should also be given once a month, and a dog should not be given more than one type of oral treatment at a time.

3. Shampoos, dips, and topical sprays

These might not last as long as the previous treatments mentioned, but they can instantly remove fleas. “Flea shampoos, dips, and sprays should not be used in conjunction with topical spot-on treatments, as they may cancel each other out or even cause chemical toxicity,” she warns.

HOW CAN I ELIMINATE TICKS AND FLEAS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT?

This can be done by destroying tick and flea habitats. Dryden suggests “cutting or removing grass, weeds, and brush piles between fences and along property lines.” Acaricides (or pesticides used to kill ticks and fleas) can also be sprayed into cracks and crevices around your dog’s cage or sleeping area, along the boards of the ceiling, and other areas your pet frequents. “If ticks continue to be a problem, restricting a pet’s access to tick-infested environments, such as tall grass, weeds, and forested areas, may be necessary.”

For more on pet care, check out these articles:

• 10 Things You Should Do for Your Dog This Year
• How to Toilet-Train Your Puppy: A Guide for First-Time Dog Owners
• Mommy, Can I Keep Him? 12 Things to Remember When Giving Your Kids Their First Pet
• Canine Companions: 5 Reasons to Get Your Kids a Dog
• What Every Pet Owner Should Know about Vaccines: 5 FAQs and Their Answers
• 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Picking a Vet
• 16 Basic Items Every New Pet Owner Must Have
• Doggy-Dangerous Munchies: 20 Food Items Not to Feed Your Pooch
• Canine Cribs: 6 Tips for Creating a Dog-Friendly Home
• Fur Files: 10 Things to Consider before Adopting a Pet
• Wipe It! 5 Ways to Deal with Your Pet’s Messes
• Food for Your Fur Baby: 5 Things You Should Consider When Picking Dog Chow

 
(Photos by LOLren, CMDrGravy, and breakmake respectively via Flickr Creative Commons)   

Ticks, Fleas, and Your Dog: 3 Questions You've Been Itching to Ask–Answered! is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://www.femalenetwork.com/pets/ticks-fleas-and-your-dog-3-questions-youve-been-itching-to-ask-answered/

With rainy season around the corner, the Sierra Club is concerned about the possibility of local urban fertilizing bans being overturned. The group met at Vinoy Park on Friday morning to protest two proposed state laws that would limit the impact of local fertilizer ordinances.

Almost 50 ordinances up and down the gulf coast would be affected by the passing of Senate Bill 604 and House Bill 421.

Coordinator of the Sierra Club’s Water Quality Campaign, Cris Costello, says that the only beneficiaries would be the pest control and fertilizer companies. The negatively affected population would be “everyone else”, according to Costello.

To regulate water pollution, pest control and fertilizer companies are not allowed to distribute services when it rains. If the current bills are passed (SB 604 and HB 421), companies would be given the OK to fertilize during what is now known as the “summer rainy season ban.”

“The rainy season ban is the backbone of meaningful fertilizer management,” Costello said at Friday morning’s gathering. “The fact is that local ordinances become close to meaningless without the rainy season band.”

The bills have already been passed through several committees and will make their way to Tallahassee on Monday for final review.

Commercial applicators that work for the pest control and fertilizer companies undergo a 70-minute training that allows them to self-regulate when it comes to the pollution of local waterways.

“They claim that all they need is their own best management practices,” said Costello. “But the evidence provided today proves otherwise.”

Handwritten signs and enlarged, time stamped photos were scattered around Costello as she spoke on Friday morning. The time stamped photos read “1/27/2012.” A series of photos reveals multiple vehicles distributing lawn care during a rain storm last Friday.

Massey Services was one of the company vehicles on display in the time stamped photographs. 

Update: Massey Services released a statement Friday in regards to the photos. 

“Today the Sierra Club released a statement along with photographs that purportedly show professional lawn care companies violating the Pinellas county fertilizer ordinance.  The claims by the Sierra Club that application of fertilizers during a light rain event such as was depicted in the photographs reported to have been taken on January 27th, 2012 are not prohibited by the Pinellas county ordinance or the Florida Friendly Best Management Practices.

Massey Services, Inc., a leader in landscape care, maintains that the service being provided, as shown in the photograph, is not a fertilizer treatment.  The Massey technician is in fact performing a landscape inspection and treatment to the ornamental shrubs.   The claims of the Sierra Club that Massey personnel were making an application of fertilizer are patently false. The truth is that the Professional Greens Industry as a whole are stewards of our environment.  We improve water quality by maximizing the effectiveness of our urban green spaces to filter storm water runoff.

Massey Services diligently follows all state legislation, county and city ordinances and regulations as they pertain to the proper applications of fertilizers. Massey Services takes a responsible approach to landscape management using Florida Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries as prescribed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.”

Costello says that fertilizer companies will turn a large profit by charging consumers for wasted products and services.

“This is far more than simply a matter of an esthetic,” said Florida native George Root. “This is a matter of jobs, this is a matter of our future and this is a matter of preserving that which is valuable to us as a state.”

The Sierra Club is urging citizens to call local legislators and use their voice, before they meet on Monday in Tallahassee.

Sierra Club Fights Florida Fertilizer Laws is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://oldnortheast.patch.com/articles/sierra-club-reveals-telling-photos-of-fertilizer-companies-disregard-for-ban

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Super Service Award – Bulwark Exterminating

Our techs are the face of Bulwark. Receiving the Super Service Award is an honor and it validates the hard work of our entire staff across the valley.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) February 03, 2012

Bulwark Exterminating has been awarded the 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award for the company’s excellent customer service rating in Arizona.

Super Service Award recipients have maintained an “A” grade average in Angie’s rating formula. Only an estimated five percent of companies listed on Angie’s List receive the prestigious award on an annual basis. This will be the 3rd time that Bulwark has received the award here in the Phoenix area.

“Our technicians and office staff deserve this award 100%,” said Mesa Branch Manager Joe Davey. “They work tirelessly to ensure the needs of our customers are met day in and day out.”

Bulwark Exterminating services over ten thousands customers valley wide from offices in Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix and Peoria. The family owned exterminating company has made a name in Arizona as the pest control provider in the valley that absolutely guarantees to eliminate scorpions with a money back guarantee. In 2010, 97% of Bulwark’s current customers said they would recommend their pest control services to a friend of family member.

“We appreciate that our customers take the time to recognize the hard work of the technicians that service their homes,” said Davey. “Our techs are the face of Bulwark. Receiving the Super Service Award is an honor and it validates the hard work of our entire staff across the valley.”

While the award went to the Mesa pest control branch of Bulwark Exterminating the owners feel that the award is shared by all of the valley locations as customers on Angie’s list don’t often realize which branch services them.

Phoenix Metro Locations include:

Bulwark Exterminating, 40 N Central Ave #1400, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 652-2251

Bulwark Exterminating, 10401 North 91st Avenue, Peoria, AZ 85345 (623) 572-3016

Bulwark Exterminating, 1228 East Broadway Road Mesa, AZ 85204 (480) 969-7474

Bulwark Exterminating, 18256 E Williams Field Rd # 2 Gilbert, AZ 85295 (480) 539-4933

About Bulwark Exterminating

Bulwark Exterminating LLC is based in Mesa, AZ and is an industry leader in providing high quality residential pest control service. Bulwark is fully operational in seven states, including eleven major cities. While Bulwark provides pest extermination for common insects such as ants, roaches, crickets and spiders, the company’s differentiating specialty is scorpion control. To do this, Bulwark uses the finest and most effective products in the world to solve common pest problems. Bulwark is privately and family owned, has approximately 250 employees and services over 50,000 customers nationwide, providing pest control in Raleigh, NC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Tulsa, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, St. George, UT, Phoenix and Las Vegas. For more information, visit http://www.BulwarkPestControl.com.

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Bulwark Exterminating Earns 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/mesa-pest-control/eliminate-scorpions/prweb9164344.htm

Coming off more than a month of mounting criticism from tenants and city officials, Housing Authority Director Ed Spychalski said he would hire a professional exterminator to implement “an accelerated, comprehensive” management plan for bedbugs in the 176-unit federal housing tower. He also said he would make adjustments to the agency’s business practices.

The bedbug announcement delighted Teresa Grocki, the first of several residents who made emotional pleas for help in removing the insects from Stonequist, a nine-story tower located just outside the city’s downtown area.

“We are on the way to having an ongoing program, which, hopefully, will help us stave off the bugs and go back to as normal a life as possible,” said Grocki, who received Spychalski’s letter Friday morning under her door. She achieved her goal — funding for bedbug treatment, Grocki added.

Spychalski comments came in letters to Mayor Scott Johnson and all Stonequist tenants. They were released Friday by a public relations firm that the authority’s Board of Directors hired.

Spychalski’s call for “corrective action throughout the entire building” marked a departure because authority officials had insisted the bedbugs were confined to less than 20 rooms. Since the summer, he and the authority’s Board of Directors had relied on informational videos, steamers, mattress covers, and most recently, non-toxic powder, to control the tiny, fast-migrating insects.

The housing authority will select a pest control specialist on Monday, and inform tenants of upcoming inspection and treatment times, Dennis Brunelle, chairman of the authority’s board, said in a statement. The new approach calls for pest inspections of all apartments to start as early as late next week, insect identifications, the application of two or more control methods and follow up evaluations, Spychalski said.

City residents, public housing tenants and Accounts Commissioner John Franck have blasted Spychalski in recent weeks for his handling of bedbugs, but also the director’s $152,000-a-year salary, employment of family members, extravagant travel budget and pugnacious management style. With his job on the line and oversight demanded, Spychalski acknowledged to Johnson that changes were required.

“We realize that we have other administrative and operations issues to deal with in the coming months,” Spychalski wrote. “In some instances, we have relied on past practices that are no longer effective, and so we will be evaluating our business practices with the board and making appropriate adjustments.” Spychalski promised to send City Council members regular reports on outstanding issues of concern and plans.

dyusko@timesunion.com • 518-454-5353 • @DAYusko

Housing director to target bedbugs is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Housing-director-to-target-bedbugs-2999352.php

St. Louis, Missouri (PRWEB) February 03, 2012

The RxProtect management team has solid experience in building the bed bug treatment business and is launching a national network of business minded professionals as RxProtect franchisees. The RxProtect system utilizes proprietary bed bug heat treatment technologies developed by affiliate company, RxHeat, LLC to heat treat bed bugs in single family homes, apartment buildings, movie theaters and anywhere else they are found. RxHeat, LLC has been teaching and training the pest control industry for the past three years how to heat treat bed bugs and the RxProtect Franchise team is now ready to train interested franchisees.

The National Pest Management Association has ranked bed bugs as the fastest growing pest in the market and they don’t show any signs of slowing down in the future. The RxHeat® technologies have become the number one bed bug heat treatment solution for large infestations in the fight against these pests. Home owners and apartment owners are scrambling to find service providers with heat treatment technologies to contract with for this work.

“Past experience in a service business like pest control or Water Restoration or carpet cleaning is a plus but not a necessity for success,” says Marc Braun, President of RxP Franchise Services, LLC. “We look for a solid business background, leadership, and a readiness to succeed when we are evaluating candidates to run an RxProtect franchise.”

Interested entrepreneurs who want information on how to start an RxProtect Franchise business should contact Marc Braun directly at franchise(at)rxprotect(dot)com or 636-898-3347. To find a local RxProtect service provider, call toll free 855-797-7683

RxP Franchise Services, LLC is a National Pest Control Operator offering Comprehensive Bed Bug Protection™ services throughout the US and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO (http://www.rxprotect.com). All RxProtect™ franchised businesses are individually owned and operated. RxHeat, LLC provides prescriptive heating solutions to the restoration and pest control markets and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO (http://www.rxheat.com).

This franchise is not being offered to residents of the following states:

California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia Washington and Wisconsin.

This offer is not directed to any person in the states listed above by or on behalf of the franchisor or anyone acting with the franchisor’s knowledge. No franchises can be sold in the states listed above until the offering has been registered and declared effective by the appropriate regulatory authority and the uniform franchise disclosure document has been delivered to the offeree before the sale within the applicable time frame. This franchise is offered only by delivery of a franchise disclosure document.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebbedbug/franchise/prweb9160369.htm

RxProtect Team Announces Bed Bug Heat Treatment Franchise Program is a post from: Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Article source: http://www.chron.com/business/press-releases/article/RxProtect-Team-Announces-Bed-Bug-Heat-Treatment-2993489.php