Bed bugs make folks miserable – and misinformation is helping keep it that way.
Many Americans still believe that bed bugs are more common in lower-income households. Or that they’re attracted to dirty homes.
Both notions are wrong and only further a stigma that exacerbates this growing problem.
At the same time, the Internet teems with false information about prevention and control. Websites encourage property owners and tenants alike to tackle the problem themselves. All the while, bed bugs multiply and spread.
If you’re a rental housing professional, it’s your duty to get the facts on these bloodsucking creatures.
You’ll have a chance to get schooled on the insects next week as a free bed bug seminar comes to San Diego and San Mateo on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
The seminar, hosted by Clark Pest Control, aims to raise awareness and offer an opportunity to talk about bed bugs.
Attendees will leave with knowledge of all their options – empowered to make business decisions right for them.
Some quick info on each panelist
Gail Getty
Gail Getty is a nationally recognized entomologist and expert on bed bugs who’s served as a board member on the National Pest Management Association Bed Bug Task Force. The task force issued the “best practice standards” for the nation on bed bug management in 2011. She talk about bed bug biology, including how quickly they multiply and their movement within a unit and throughout a property.
Darren Van Steenwyk
Darren Van Steenwyk, a board-certified entomologist and technical
director at Clark Pest Management, will provide an overview of treatment options, covering the pros and cons of each, what the services look like, and what to expect from your pest management providers.
Jeff Lipman
Jeff Lipman is an attorney involved in the first class-action lawsuit involving bed bugs, which ended in a $2.45 million settlement. His firm has since filed a number of class-action cases involving bed bug infestations in Iowa, Illinois and California. Lipman will talk about what he is looking for as a plaintiff’s attorney.
Details
Several communities in California have passed ordinances regarding bedbug duties and specific requirements for owners of residential rental property. The California Apartment Association anticipates that state legislation addressing landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities, and setting standards of care for bedbug management, will be introduced in 2015.