Pest Management Professional, September 2018

bed bugs as well as the legal ramifications of dealing with the pest But the education extends to technicians too Theres an ongoing learning curve for bed bug control and PMPs must be willing to put in the time and energy to learn about the latest research and management methods he says The company uses the most up todate RALPH CITARELLA JR techniques available for bed bug management and general pest control There is no end in sight for bed bugs no sign of these cryptic critters slowing down never mind disappearing again he says This insect is continually adapting PMPs need to be ready for anything STAYING POWER Ralph Citarella Jr BCE president of Bayonne N J based Bayonne Exterminating Co says he believes bed bug control will continue to be lucrative for his company and the pest management industry for quite some time I do not see a silver bullet on the horizon considering the nature of the pest and its extremely close association to humans he says Of course there will be ebbs and flows in business volume but this problem isnt going to just go away The company handled its first bed bug job in 2001 he says Because the company is located in a densely populated urban area outside of New York City with a high proportion of immigrants Bayonne Exterminating experienced the rising tide of bed bugs early on For difficult infestations the company has used canine inspections hand in hand with treatment teams Its basic bed bug control service features an integrated mechanical chemical and cultural program that includes a three month warranty and a minimum of three treatments For BROUGHT TO YOU BY multi housing accounts its a cooperative program Citarella says as technicians try to educate both residents and landlords The integrated control measures warranty period and informational aspect of the program really sets us apart in the industry in general and our market in particular he adds Weve worked hard fine tuning this program over the years Citarella says bed bug management opens up the company to new clients and markets and provides business year round Weve had several customers both commercial and residential hire us for bed bug services only to add on general pest control or other services afterward as they were impressed by our bed bug control program he says Companies looking to expand or develop bed bug management services should focus on maximizing profitability and ignoring gross sales volume Citarella advises Its also important to minimize liability and I think one of the best ways to do that is through constant education of both staff and clients he says Making sure contracts prep sheets and other information are sound properly delivered and verified also is critical Its scary how often bad bed bug scenarios go to litigation Citarella says Develop a sound control program and deliver it Do not deviate from your standard procedure based on a clients desire to save a few dollars It is much better to walk away from a bad client than compromise your service or reputation For Sandy Honess president of Ladybug Pest Management in Delmar Del bed bug control has been lucrative since she started offering it in 2010 Her team she says is successfully positioned as bed bug specialists Typically two technicians take Customers may need treatment too Although bed bugs do not spread disease they may have lasting psychological effects on the people who have them An entry in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners addresses the impact bed bugs have on mental health The stigma associated with these pests is very real for those who have them as they may experience shame social isolation fatigue and depression The article which is titled Bed Bugs Current Treatment Guidelines and was published in June 2017 says bed bugs are known to cause anxiety emotional distress and sleeplessness Extreme reactions may include the exacerbation of previous mental health issues psychiatric hospitalization or suicide In addition visible bed bug bites may affect a persons self esteem and ability to work In some cases treatment may be needed for the structure and the customer Pest management professionals should stick with what they know and refrain from attempting to diagnose their customers D S CONTINUED ON PAGE BB6 mypmp net Pest Management Professional September 2018 BB5