Bed Bug Checklists Now Available

More resources to help control bed bugs

For Residents:  We have come up with the most important things you, as a tenant, should do if you suspect bed bugs have infiltrated your home.  If you are a renter, the first thing you need to do is call you landlord and let him or her know.  If he or she refuses to do anything and/or blames you, call Metropolitan Tenants Organization at 773-292-4980.  They will be able to help you organize and force management to address the issue.  This checklist is available in English and Español.

For Landlords or Property Managers:  Have bed bugs in one of your building and don't know what to do?  Heard that bed bugs are in your neighborhood and want to protect your building?  This checklist is designed to help not only those experiencing bed bug problems, but also those who want to protect their building from infestations.  Eliminating bed bugs is NOT as easy as hiring a company to do chemical treatments only.  Effective treatment necessitates an Integrated Pest Management approach, a coordinated response that involves the tenants, the landlord, and an experienced pest control company.  This checklist is available in English and Español.

Bed Bug Myths

What everyone should know about bed bugs

Myth: Bed bugs are only in cheap, dirty hotels and homes.  Only the poor and unsanitary get them.
Fact:  Bed bugs do NOT discriminate based on income, race or cleanliness.  Bed bugs are attracted to heat and CO2 emissions.  This means that anyone who is alive and breathing can get bed bugs.

Ohio Asks EPA to Allow Unregistered Pesticide Use for Bed Bugs

Take Action by letting the EPA know that this is a step backward

Ohio is petitioning the EPA to allow a Section 18 exemption for the use of Propoxur, a carbamate pesticide, to help them with their bed bug problem. SPCP along with Beyond Pesticides and PANNA have submitted comments that have been posted to the docket. Our letter explains why using this toxic pesticide is a bad idea. Let your voice be heard and submit your comments by linking here.

Attorney General Issues Mosquito Mister Alert

Public advised to exercise caution

The Illinois Attorney General recently issued an alert warning consumers about the potential risks of using mosquito misters around the home. These devices use a timed sprayer to distribute pesticides around backyards and landscaping without regard for weather conditions, nearby wildlife or neighbors. The pesticides approved for use in misting devices pose known risks to aquatic species, and are increasingly linked to accidental exposure and poisoning in humans.

Mosquito control experts also warn that insecticides sprayed when mosquitoes are inactive do not provide effective control, and can harm beneficial insects -  such as bees - more so than the nuisance kind. For more information about these devices please see our fact sheet Mosquito Misters: What You Need to Know.

Costs Associated with Bed Bug Treatment

What you should and shouldn't pay for

This article linked below from  the New York Times on July 10, 2009 illustrates the challenges facing homeowners facing a bed bug infestation. SPCP has a number of fact sheets that will help you if you are facing this problem.

New York Times article

49th Ward and Beyond Bugged by Bed Bugs

Ald Joe Moore & SPCP to the Rescue!

Representatives from Safer Pest Control Project met with Alderman Joe Moore's Office to discuss the resurgence of bed bugs in the community. Several apartment complexes have experienced major infestations, but bed bugs are not only confined to the 49th ward.  We are receiving phone calls from all over the city as far south as Englewood.

If you suspect a bed bug infestation download our factsheet, inform your landlord and call your Alderman's office.  It is important to remember that you are NOT the only one suffering from this and it is nothing to be embarrassed about.  Most likely if you have them, so too do others in your building.  Do not suffer in silence; make your concerns known.

IPM IN HOMES

No matter where you live-- in an apartment, house or dorm room-- there's something most of us have in common - a desire to have a home free of ants, mice, and other pests. Integrated Pest Management offers a method of getting rid of these pests while avoiding the use of pesticides that could have serious health consequences. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a proven method of pest control that emphasizes simple, inexpensive prevention practices that cause the least harm to people and the environment. IPM focuses on eliminating the root cause of pests by minimizing access to food, water and hiding places.

IPM has been successfully used by homeowners, landlords, and renters –including residents of public and low income housing. In fact, a nationally recognized IPM program that SPCP conducted in Chicago’s public housing development, Henry Horner Homes, resulted in an 83% drop in the pesticides used. Additionally, a study by Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York found that homes that began using IPM reported roaches down by 40%, whereas homes that didn’t use IPM had no reduction. view study

The following resources provide you with basic information to get started using IPM in your home.

 A fact sheet explaining the basics of IPM

 

 A list of steps to practice IPM in your own home

 

 A list of pest control companies that provide IPM services

Contact us with questions or for more information.