Bed Bugs continue their assault in Arizona

By Keith Coddington

[youtube]http://youtu.be/akCHAPtELo0[/youtube]

Even in Phoenix, AZ, During the colder shorter days of the winter bed bug activity often slows down.  This cyclical pattern seems to be the case nationwide.  Unfortunately for us humans the bed bugs will soon be up to full speed and at work again in the near future.

We here at Cimex K9 are ready as always for the upcoming busy bed bug season.  Bed bug activity in Arizona has increased with each passing year and we are prepared with our Canine Detection Teams to seek and destroy these blood-sucking pests.

We are often asked which areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area have the most bed bug infestations.  This question is difficult to answer.  We have been to every part of Phoenix and the state seeking out bed bugs.  The best answer to this question is simply the more densely populated the area the more likely there is to be bed bugs.  People in transit have a large impact on the bed bug population in Arizona because of the bugs excellent ability to unknowingly hitchhike whether it be to their neighbors or across the world in luggage.

Bed bugs colonize anywhere people spend periods of time stationary in a climate controlled environment.  The highest risk locations for bed bugs are locations which combine large numbers of new people coming and going that remain stationary for period of time.  Bed bugs are very shy creatures and unlike mosquitoes and other blood-suckers are very covert.  They usually only come out from hiding when all things are calm and quiet.

Bed bug treatment options in Phoenix Arizona can be very expensive which also adds to the issue as many victims with infestations are unable to afford proper treatment.  This creates a very high risk situation regarding spreading the infestation to other locations.

Here at Cimex K9 we have offered bed bug detection dog services in Phoenix and the surrounding area for 4 years and we are proud to have an excellent reputation in our field.  We do not offer treatment which provides our customers with a third party point of view since we don’t profit from treatment that may or may not be necessary.

Over the years we have saved our customers a tremendous amount of money with the use of our service.  We save our clients a significant amount of money in two ways.  First of all,  quite often we clear a suspected location clear of bed bugs which saves the customer hundreds to thousands of dollars since treatment is not necessary.  Secondly,  we can pinpoint the locations of the infestations so only the areas that are infested are treated which also saves our customers large sums of money.

For more information about how our service works please read  So you think you have bed bugs? Now what? and watch the attached video for a short sample of how our service works.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 888-928-4364

Bed Bugs in Arizona

Finding a reason why or how bed bug infestations are on the rise is a question that is in no doubt up for debate.  Considering how bed bugs migrate in our belongings it would only make sense to assume that the most popular tourist attractions would be the most heavily infested areas. That being said the epicenter of bed bug activity in the U.S.remains of all places Cincinnati,Ohio.  I’m sure Cincinnati is a great city; however it is surely not a tourism hot bed.  Here in Arizona, the Grand Canyon alone has approximately 5 million visitors each year not to mention Major League Baseball Spring Training, The U.S. Open, Barrett Jackson Auto Auction and much more.  Every year from January through mid-April most hotels are booked solid in the Phoenix/Scottsdale metropolitan area not to mention Sedona and Tucson.  Thankfully Arizona has so far had fairly light bed bug activity compared to the rest of the country. Each year however the cases in Arizona rise and I have personally seen a fairly dramatic increase during this past year compared to the years prior.

Where are the bed bugs coming from?  I have clients constantly trying to pass blame on different ethnic groups, foreigners and people from different income levels.  I always tell them the same thing.  I have found bed bugs in 5 star resorts and million dollar homes all the way down to low income housing and budget motels.  It has nothing to do with dirt or filth it has everything to do with having warm blood to feed on and we all have that including our pets.

I do believe that once a bed bug infestation is in place lower income households have a much more difficult time eradicating bed bugs because bed bug treatment can be very expensive.  Once the infestation takes hold in a residence it can be spread to others rather easily if precautions are not taken.

Here are some precautions you can take to avoid bringing home bed bugs from common hot spots.

1. Keep in the back of your mind what the hot spots may be.  Hotels, Theatres, Libraries and anywhere else you would have a large turnover of people remaining stationary for long periods of time.

2. Get familiar with what you are looking for so if you do encounter a bug you can identify it.  This will prevent bed bug hysteria as you will surely encounter different types of bugs everywhere you go.  Just because a bug is found on a bed doesn’t mean it is a bed bug!

3. Bed bugs like organic materials to colonize in.  They are rarely if ever found on furniture solely made from metal or plastics.  On the other hand they do very well on wood, wicker and fabrics.  If you have a chair that is metal or plastic with fabric cushions then that is where you would look for bed bugs.

4. If you are in a high risk hot spot for bed bugs and you want to be extra cautious or if you are positive that you have been exposed to bed bugs the most important thing is to not take them into your home.  I have been working around bed bug infestations for almost 3 years and I have never had a bed bug in my house just by following these few steps:

i.      Stripping down in my garage and putting my clothes and washable exposed belongings directly in the washer.

ii.      Going directly from my garage to the shower.

iii.      For belongings that are not washable I either thermally treat them or throw them away.  (Tip: if it is summer time and sunny out leave the non-washable items in the vehicle at least one day)

5. Last of all; if you are worried about bed bugs and can’t find any evidence consider hiring a third party bed bug detection dog team.  They can provide a thorough inspection and either find the issue for you or hopefully prove that you don’t have bed bugs.

Most importantly is that all of us need to realize that there is only so much we can do in regards to being exposed to bed bugs.  To think bed bugs will prevent some people from staying in a hotel or going to the movies is sad and I hope these instances are few and far between.  We need to keep our eyes open and be smart, but not overreact and let it control our lives.

For more information on our bed bug detection dog services feel free to call us.

Keith Coddington

Owner / Founder of Cimex K9 & Certified Detection dog trainer

888-928-4364

Bed Bug Exterminator – Phoenix

By Keith Coddington There are a few things consumers should take into consideration before hiring a bed bug exterminator in Phoenix, Arizona.  Due to the continued consistent rise in hysteria consumers should be on guard and do their research before being talked or scared into costly and unnecessary bed bug treatments. Below are some tips to protect your sanity and your wallet.

1. If you are absolutely sure that you are familiar with identifying bed bugs and you are positive that you have an infestation consider contacting us for FREE as we are a third party that works with over 30 pest control companies.  We can give you an honest unbiased choice of treatment options and steer you in the right direction of the honest and ethical exterminators in the area.

2. If you are not 100% sure that you have a bed bug issue then the first step is to try to find the problem yourself.  Here are some pictures of real Bed Bug infestations that we have encountered to make it easy for you to identify the problem.  If you find an issue contact us for FREE to guide you in the right direction.

3. If you have inspected yourself and can’t find anything it does not necessarily mean that you do not have a bed bug issue.  Early infestations are very difficult to detect.  This is where our service comes into play and can be worth every penny considering the psychological impact these creatures can have on the average person.  Do your research and consider hiring one of our bed bug detection dog teams.  This way we can find an infestation in the very early stages and help you get it taken care of or even better yet put the issue to rest so you can rest if we find nothing.

If you do have bed bugs you will eventually be forced to do something as bed bugs will not go away on their own and the issue will become larger and larger as the colony grows.  The more bed bugs there are the more difficult and more expensive the treatment can be.  From my experience of inspecting thousands of properties over the past few years, the worse thing you can do is go to the store and buy bed bug spray or even worse yet foggers (bombs).  I have seen the aftermath from these store bought chemicals and it rarely if ever eliminates the bed bugs.  What these chemicals do very well is kill a few bugs, stir them up and spread them all over the place.  The bugs will simply scatter to areas where the chemicals aren’t and find a new place to start feeding. I know in this economy it can be a difficult pill to swallow to hire an exterminator, especially for those do-it-yourselfers; however there are just some things that you should seriously consider leaving to the professionals and this would be on that list in my opinion. Give us a call even if you don’t need our canine services and we can at least point you in the right direction based on your situation. Good Luck and “Don’t let the bed bugs bite”,   Keith Coddington Owner / Founder / Certified Detection Dog Trainer 888-928-4364