Staff members of the University of Nebraska- Lincoln have found bed bugs in two more dorm rooms, only days after original reports of bed bugs.

Sue Gildersleeve, the university’s housing director, said the bugs were found in another dorm room and a student lounge in one of the large dorms on campus.

“If it was a single bed bug or multiples, we don’t know,” said Sue Gildersleeve. “We’ll be moving forward and treating those rooms.”

Earlier in the week a student went to university officials when her roommate was bitten on her arms and legs after returning to the dorms from winter break. The university paid to have the students’ bedding and clothing cleaned, and plans to do the same with the other rooms with reports of the bugs.

An on-campus fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, is also undergoing bed bug inspections, after a member voiced concern that he may have brought them back after a visit to the infested dorm. Zach Watson the chapter president explained that they are working with a specialist to eradicate the situation quickly.

“There has not been any confirmation in Phi Delta Theta,” Watson said. “As far as we know, we do not have an infestation of bed bugs.”

Protect-A-Bed is excited to announce the three finalists in the Healthy Sleep Zone Solutions contest! Check out the videos for yourself and “like” your favorite to help them win a free trip to Chicago!

For the second time since September of 2010, Reinhardt University, located in Waleska, Ga., has reported another case of bed bugs in the dormitories. Jeff Hullinger of 11Alive spoke with Chuck Tindol of Allgood Pest Solutions, the man responsible for getting rid of bed bugs at the university.

If you know someone living in a dormitory, tell them to protect their sleep zone from bed bugs by using mattress and box spring encasements like the ones from Protect-A-Bed. Protect-A-Bed offers a Bed Bug Protection Kit that can help keep bed bugs out of mattresses, box springs and pillows. For more information visit the Protect-A-Bed website.

According to FOX 2 Detroit, resident Frank Manion withheld his rent after finding
bed bugs in his apartment. Manion’s landlord attempted to evict him from his apartment, but Manion’s
lawyer, James Galen, Jr., brought live specimens of the bed bugs into court.

“…The bed bugs got evicted from court, but the good news is my client was not evicted,” said Galen. “In
fact, the landlord now has to fumigate the whole building before he sees a nickel in rent.”

Charlie Langton, legal analyst for FOX 2 Detroit, explained that tenants have rights regarding bed bug
problems. However, tenants should be cautious regarding handling rent disputes involving infestations.
Langton suggests setting aside your rent, discussing the issue with the landlord first, and then if that
doesn’t work out, consider consulting a lawyer.

If you rent, protect your mattress investment from bed bugs with products like box spring and mattress
encasements. Protect-A-Bed’s products are bed bug escape and
entry proof. Visit Protect-A-Bed’s website for more information.

Protect-A-Bed®, a premier provider of bedding protection products that offer consumers a healthy and comfortable sleep environment, is searching for creative videos from consumers about how a good night’s sleep will help them to have a great New Year. The creators of the best video will win a weekend getaway and possibly see their concept developed as part of the next Protect-A-Bed advertising campaign.

Consumers can upload videos to YouTube from Jan. 13 until Jan. 25, and share a link to their commercial on a form on Protect-A-Bed’s website. A panel of Protect-A-Bed judges will choose three finalists and the general public will be invited to vote to help select the final winner, which will be announced Jan. 31.

The grand prize includes a weekend trip for two to Chicago, near the headquarters of Protect-A-Bed. The prize includes airfare and hotel accommodations for two in downtown Chicago. The first and second prize winners will each win an iPad®.

“January is the time when many people make New Year’s resolutions, one of which is to get more and better sleep,” James Bell, Protect-A-Bed CEO, said. “We hope that this contest will help encourage consumers to think about the fun things they can do in the New Year when they do get better sleep.”

Visit the Protect-A-Bed website to find out more and to read the rules and access the entry form.

We are pleased to announce that we will be opening an office in Ontario in January 2012. The new office will serve Protect-A-Bed’s customer base across Canada.

“We’re excited to bring our global resources and brand awareness to our new office in Canada, which will position us for expansion in many business channels,” says James Bell, CEO of Protect-A-Bed.

To find out more about our new office in Canada, take a look at our full release. Find out more about Protect-A-Bed and our innovative products on our website.

A recent Huffington Post article shared some tips on how to purchase an apartment, condo or townhome, without bed bugs being included as an add-on.

Photo Credit: Freshome via Google Images

Tips for renters:

• Enter your prospective address into a bed bug registry such as BedBugRegistry.com. Look for multiple complaints within the past year.
• Some cities and states require landlords, by law, to provide renters and buyers with a disclosure form stating whether bed bugs have been found in the apartment or building during the past year. If provided with one, ask which floors were affected. If a landlord becomes defensive, look elsewhere.
• Ask your future neighbors about bed bugs. They have no reason to lie to you about whether or not there has been a problem in the building.

Tips for buyers:

• Co-op and condo owners will not be very open about bed bug infestations for fear of diminishing resale values. In some states, co-op owners will be required by law to disclose an infestation in an apartment and in the building during the past year. However, condo owners only have to disclose problems in their individual apartment and only when asked.
• Be sure to talk to an attorney about including a seller’s representation in the contract, stating that to the seller’s knowledge there has not been a bed bug problem in the building.
• Again, ask the property manager about bed bugs. If they seem dismissive, look into other options.

Using products like Protect-A-Bed’s mattress covers and box spring encasements can help keep your bed safe from bed bugs in a new home. Protect-A-Bed’s products are completely bed bug escape and entry proof. They also protect your bed from allergens, like dust mites, that can be a real problem after a move. Visit Protect-A-Bed’s website for more information.

New York exterminators and city agencies that track reports of bed bug infestations saw a decrease in reported cases since 2010.

According to the Department of Housing Preservation (HPD), in fiscal 2011, violations in apartment buildings declined in the city from 4,825 to 4,481. Queens was the only borough that reported an increase with a total of 610 violations (a 17 violation increase).

Last year, the city’s 311 help line received 22 percent fewer calls regarding bed bugs, compared to 2010.

However, experts say that bed bugs are still a big problem for New Yorkers, especially in low-income housing units.

“There is just not enough money to deal with bed bugs effectively at this level of housing,” said Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an urban entomologist with the Atkinson Center for Sustainable Future. “I hate the idea of stigmatizing people who can’t afford to deal with this, but it [continues to be] an issue of poverty.”

Many feel the city’s education efforts are responsible for the decrease in reported cases of infestation. The city has a website dedicated to sharing information on prevention, and recognizing and properly treating infestations. The state also passed a law in 2010 that requires landlords to disclose prior infestations in their buildings. In November of 2011, HPD also hired two bed bug-detecting beagles, Mickey and Nemo, to its team to help with early detection.

Bed Bug University held its North American Summit in Chicago in September 2011. Leading researchers and executives from pest management, hospitality, university, housing authority, and property management fields came together to talk about trends in the bed bug industry. Some major highlights were showcased in the most recent issue of PCT.

Bed bug anxiety: Dr. Caleb Adler, associate professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, explained that bed bug anxiety can cause some people with existing psychiatric issues to experience more severe episodes. He suggested pest management professionals share advice with clients to help ease their stress.

Bed bugs without beds: Professionals need more options when dealing with infestations in offices, retail stores and public spaces, said Jeff White, technical director of Bed Bug Central. He discussed the use of properly trained canines for initial inspections if they are prepared for the different settings. White also explained that maintenance staff should be trained to use and inspect interception devices and low-profile glue boards.

Help your client be the hero: Pest management professionals’ client’s reputations can be ruined by even a mention of a bed bug infestation. Helping them take control of the story early can help remedy the situation if responded to quickly and responsibly. Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an entomologist at Cornell University, said educational messages are hard to comprehend when people are stressed.

“Bed bugs, themselves, are not the crisis,” she said. “It’s the reaction that’s causing the crisis.”

Cheap and easy monitoring: Pitfall traps placed around hot spots are an inexpensive effective tool for pest management professionals, said Dr. Changlu Wang, entomologist at Rutgers University. Dr. Wang said in a 360-unit multi-housing facility with 19 known bed bug infestations, visual inspections identified 17 more infestations and interceptor traps found an additional 26 infestations after one week. Dr. Wang added that bed bugs are most attracted to red and black pitfall traps.

Issues with OTC products: Dr. Susan Jones, entomologist at the Ohio State University, said her research may be an eye opener for clients and tenants thinking about using over-the-counter bed bug products. Jones found three consumer fogging products achieved no mortality of pyrehroid-resistant bed bug populations, even when the pests were just feet from the foggers and couldn’t escape the droplets. Bed bugs treated with botanical oils had less than 35 percent mortality, with nymphs still molting and females laying eggs on treated surfaces.

For the full list of highlights from the summit, refer to the article on PCT’s website here.

Protect-A-Bed is proud to announce its participation in Bed Bug Central’s Taking the Bite Out of the Holidays initiative. The concept was created by entomologist Jeff White of Bed Bug Central to donate bed bug treatment service to those in need through the holidays.

“Having dealt extensively with bed bugs, we know they can be very difficult and expensive to eliminate. We also understand there are many people out there that simply can’t afford effective treatment,” White said. “This holiday season we wanted to give back to the community and provide some relief to those in need so that they could use their money to create a happier holiday without the frustration of bed bugs.”

Protect-A-Bed donated 30 twin mattress encasements to those in need in places like New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas.