Customer Profile
Name: Property Manager & Mrs. A
City: Queens, NY
Problem
The property managers for an apartment complex in Queens, NY called to have an inspection and estimate for bed bugs in an apartment on the second floor. They indicated that the tenant was complaining of bites.
Inspection
The following is a picture from the apartment during the inspection. It was taken in 2004. The inspector found bed bugs everywhere. The inspector had concerns that the tenant would not be able to prepare for the treatment. Management, the superintendent, a government agency, and Magic Exterminating had to coordinate the preparation of the apartment prior to treatment. Everyone worked together and preparations were completed within a week.
Technical situation
This apartment had so many bed bugs that they were falling from the ceiling onto the service technicians as soon as Magic’s technicians entered the apartment. Luckily Magic provides their employees with safety equipment such as TyVek® Suits with hoods, protective gloves, and taped boots, sealed to their pants.
Solution
This job consisted of treating a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen. A HEPA vacuum was required to remove the vast number of live bed bugs before any products were used. This was done to limit the dispersion of bed bugs into wall voids and other apartments. The entire job took several hours to service with two technicians. Every room was infested with bed bugs, even the kitchen.
Benefits
Magic will encounter several apartments just like this one every year. Because of the very good coordination among several individuals the tenant didn’t have to suffer with a bed bug infestation any longer. A follow-up inspection, a couple of weeks later, revealed no more live bed bugs. This job allowed Magic Exterminating to develop a solid bed bug procedure protocol before other companies. This helps Magic Exterminating maintain an industry edge that others follow.
Now I am happy to announce that NYC reported 3907 fewer calls into the city 311 line for bed bugs for the period of July 2012 through April 2013 compared to the same period a year before. NYCHPD reports fewer violations as well.
Bed Bugs appear to be on the decline in the NYC area. There may be several reasons for this:
- People are more educated and aware of what bed bugs look like and report them earlier
- People have read my book, “The Bed Bug Book, the Complete Guide to Prevention and Extermination”, and have learned to ID bed bugs and prepare for treatment the right way
- Pest Control Professionals have learned the “Best Methods” to eradicate bed bug infestations
- Products being used by pest control professionals are working
- Some people have accepted living with some bed bugs and are not reporting the problems
Bed bugs are still a major issue in the NYC area and Magic Exterminating is still on the job to eliminate the infestations one at a time.
Ralph H Maestre BCE
Technical Director
