Pest Management Professional, September 2015

Pest trends ReseaRch and Regulation Compiled by heather gooch Managing Editor n ew research from the University of Kentuckys College of Agriculture Food and Environment has revealed findings about the financial impact bed bugs can have on the travel and hospitality industry The research was conducted by University of Kentucky entomologist and PMP Hall of Famer Dr Michael Potter a Provosts Distinguished Service Professor Agricultural Economics Professor Dr Wuyang Hu and doctoral student Jerrod Penn Department of Agricultural Economics The goal of the research was to understand consumer preferences when choosing a hotel for business or leisure travel and how the risk of bed bugs influences their decision says Penn the lead author of the study which was funded through a grant from Protect A Bed a global producer of protective bedding products The research reveals that on average a single report of bed bugs in recent traveler reviews lowers the value of a hotel room by 38 and 23 per room per night for business and leisure travelers respectively When presented with various problematic issues encountered in hotel rooms finding signs of bed bugs had the largest proportion of respondents choosing to switch hotels Reactions to other concerns smoke odor unclean bathroom dirty sheets etc mostly involved reporting the concern to the front desk and requesting another room On the bright side information about some protective services received positive reactions from travelers Both business and leisure travelers placed the greatest economic value on protective mattress encasements as a form of bed bug protection followed by periodic semiannual for example room inspections by professional pest management companies But travelers placed a relatively small dollar value on regular inspections by housekeeping staff Penn points out The study also found that business travelers are better at correctly identifying bed bugs have more personal experience with the pests and have reported them in online reviews much more often than leisure travelers About 33 percent of business travelers and 20 percent of leisure travelers either know someone who has encountered bed bugs or had encountered them themselves For more information visit ca UKY edu UK bed bUg research focUses on hotel bUsiness Non commensal rodents added to EPA labels Are you reviewing rodent training with your techs anytime soon The U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA has agreed to accept three pack rat species white throated wood rat Neotoma albigula Southern Plains wood rat N micropus and Mexican wood rat N mexicanus for inclusion on rodenticide labels The agency has also agreed to allow the following non commensal rodents to be included on rodenticide labels as target pests Cotton mouse Peromyscus gossypinus Cotton rat Sigmodon spp excluding the insular cotton rat S hispidus insulicola Eastern cotton rat S hispidus hispidus Deer mouse P maniculatus Eastern harvest mouse Reithrodontomys humuli Polynesian rat Rattus exulans Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus White footed mouse P leucopus and Golden mouse Ochrotomys nuttalli For more information visit ASPCRO org NPMA SURveY U S AdUltS UNdeRedUCAted ON MOSqUitOeS The National Pest Management Association NPMA has surveyed American adults about their knowledge of mosquito diseases in the United States and bite prevention practices Among the fndings 78 percent of Americans are aware that West Nile Virus WNV is found in the United States but only 9 percent are aware that chikungunya and dengue are found in this country 59 percent of Americans use mosquito repellent to protect themselves and family members from mosquitoes 42 percent install screens on windows and doors 41 percent remove and clean up areas of standing water around properties 23 percent avoid extended periods of time outdoors and women 36 percent are more likely than men 26 percent to avoid going out during peak mosquito hours of dusk and dawn For more information visit NPMAPestWorld org 20 September 2015 Pest Management Professional mypmp net PHOTOs isTOck cOm ligHTficTiOn mikesPb AnTAgAin