With the latest equipment, bed bug heat treatments are now as simple as the push of a button.
Sound the alarm! Bed bugs are back with a vengeance and pest managers are being inundated with calls for help.
Until recently, bed bugs were thought to be well and truly under control, but a resurgence in activity has led to calls for new and effective methods to treat infestations.
According to Peter McCarthy, director of Pest IT, pest managers are blaming resistance to insecticides, poor room design, an increase in overseas travel and environmental concerns about the use of insecticides – resulting in fewer general pest treatments and therefore less residual treatments in place – for the increase in bed bug outbreaks.
“Once you have the little parasites in your hotel room or house, this is a difficult pest to control,” said Mr McCarthy. “And with concerns around the use of insecticides in bedrooms and the length of time that chemically treated rooms are out of action, bed bug control is a challenge.”
Working in the hospitality industry, pest managers are expected to deliver fast, effective treatments with low impact – odourless, non-toxic and leaving no chemical residue. But treatments need to have the flexibility to be used in all room conditions, discrete so as to not draw attention and quick, so rooms can be returned to normal and continue earning money.
“Enter heat treatments,” Mr McCarthy said. “In 2005, we achieved a small revolution with the German made mobile Thermo-Bug room heating trolley design (main picture). Denaturation by thermal disinfestation are the magical words. In closed rooms, ambient temperatures up to 70 °C destroy every protein connection and kills all insects present.”
“Thermo-bug 2.0 Connect is the third generation of portable room heater and is more compact, lightweight and stable than its predecessor,” Mr McCarthy explained. “The digital control options via the Thermo-Bug 2.0 app allows for even easier and more flexible use.”
“The product is delivered ready to go with four temperature sensors and operating instructions. The heater can be controlled by the app from within or outside the room or venue. You can even monitor and modify your wireless room heater from the comfort of your home.”
According to Mr McCarthy, having control of the heater from outside the room reduces the need to enter for constant heater modification and temperature checks. “Each time a door is opened, the temperature reduction in the room is significant. The mobile app feature is a major bonus for the busy pest professional that may need to attend multiple sites during the room heating process.”
“A Thermo-Bug 2.0 Connect used in conjunction with a second Thermo-Bug heater, a Thermo-Bug Air Mover and the Thermo-Bug App, means pest managements have access to the ultimate room heating system.”
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