The
2013 Global Bed Bug Summit was held in freezing Denver Colorado on
December 5th and 6th this year, where the temperatures
fell to -7 degrees at night. But the topic of bed bugs was hot and
front and center during the two day event, sponsored by the NPMA (National Pest
Management Association) and Bed Bug Central.
Tres Amigos: Michael, Sam, & Todd. Booth set up on Wed PM and ready for the show. |
There were nearly 500 attendees, coming from as far away as Norway, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Caribbean, Great Britain, and Canada, as well as scientists, technicians, exhibitors, and pest management professionals from around the United States.
The
consensus, if there is one on such a complicated topic, is that study must and
will be ongoing, and that methods of treatment are evolving. So far,
according to several of the panel presentations, there is no single ‘magic
bullet’ solution to the problem yet. There also seems to be consensus
that the overall rate of bed bug infestation is increasing. 75% of pest
control professionals agree on that point and 99% of pest management
organizations have received customer calls about bed bugs during the past
years.
Further,
it appears that there is also consensus on the increasing resistance by bed
bugs and other insects to traditional pesticides. The fact that bed bugs
populations seem to be increasing in many urban areas adds further weight to
that view. Another point of consensus is on the need for more consumer focused education
efforts on the part of the industry. Many national, regional, and local
PCOs are already doing that, but it is broadly agreed that more outreach is
needed to inform the public.
Indeed, the entire purpose of the 2013
Global Bed Bug summit was one of education and idea exchange for the pest
control industry, whose members are on the forefront of the battle against bed bugs.
We
couldn’t help but notice that there was an implicit acknowledgment of the
‘green’ trend of pest management in the fact that many of the exhibitors at this year’s Summit
were not the traditional pesticide products. With a few exceptions (a couple of pesticide manufacturers and distributors,) most were ‘green’ to one
degree or another, and heat technologies were somewhat dominant.
Of course, EcoRaider is on the forefront of this green trend. This is our focus. This is where the future is leading us.
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