HELP BEDBUGS ARE BITING US!

hey!
i just found out that we have bedbugs today! we moved into our apartment a week ago with 2 small cats. does anyone have a reputable exterminator/pestcontrol person i can call?
we told our super and our landlord but they want to set bombs off. i checked in with 5 exterminators and looked all over the internet. apparently, bombs are the WORST thing you can do.

we are sending out our bedding and clothing to be cleaned tonight.

one place we called wanted $499 to do all 3 bedrooms, beds, closets, livingroom, chairs and couches. with a 1 year guarantee: http://www.bedbugking.com/

please help!!

Good info here:
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=424161

Don't let them set off bug bombs!!

Also, be sure to post your building on Bed Bug Registry
http://bedbugregistry.com/
It's important that people can google addresses to find if they have them in their building. Good luck, remain calm.

Wow- that registry website is really scary, but what a great resource.

You can also post a review of the apartment at aptdb.org

Here's some smart tips from UC Davis.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7454.html

For more stuff like this, google "integrated pest management" and bedbugs…

Corbett Exterminating - 1-800-888-PEST. They are very good.

Subject: what about mike at green earth pest??

anyone use this guy???

If you have only been there 1 week, that's wack.

I hope you're not paying a dime out of your own pocket for this bug battle.

A friend of mine had the same problem and threatened to sue the landlord. The landlord relocated the guy to a nice, bug-free apartment.

If pesticides don't kill them all:

I'm not an expert, but I researched this for the trade/apartment magazine I work for and this is what I've heard from pest management experts and ecologically-friendly building specialists: They have sealable bags that you can put around a mattress. That will keep any bedbugs inside from coming out. Or you can steam-clean the mattress to kill them. Then hot water cleaning for the linen. Then clean the bed frame (be very careful, bed bugs can in hide in paper-thin crevices). Then make sure the bugs can't get onto the bed. UC Davis says:

"Simple physical control methods include standing the legs of beds in soapy water, coating the legs with petroleum jelly or double-sided sticky tape. Bed bugs cannot climb polished glasss or metal easily and they don't fly, so that the legs of beds can also be placed inside glass jars or metal cans."

Then make sure that there isn't a place over the bed that a bedbug can jump from. I have no idea how to stop patient bugs from climbing up to the ceiling and dropping… I guess that doesn't happen so much, but I would do a line a double-sided tape along the wall…

Also, the green building expert advised going around the apartment unit with a caulking gun, sealing any kind of small crack or opening. This will also help keep out cockroaches…

There's also a kind of dust called "fumed silica (also called diatomaceous earth)." It's not supposed to hurt people or animals but insects hate it because it cuts their shells and kills them. Put it in hard-to-reach places. Also good versus roaches.

I have no idea if these ideas will stop the biting, but none of these ideas will hurt you, the green building expert said…

Try bedbugger.com

Subject: What is the address of your apartment?

What is the address of your apartment so no one else moves there?

Thanks!

Subject: 520 Lincoln Place

520 Lincoln Place also has bedbugs, just to let everyone know.

Thank you for letting us know.
If you didn't already will you add it to bedbug registry and the aptdb that Alex linked above?

FYI



Bed Bug forums

1) Sponsored by the Hon. Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough Hall, April 16 (5 -
8:30 pm)

2) Sponsored by NYS Senator Sabini - May 21 (6 - 8 pm) St. Paul's Church, 98-16
55th Avenue, Corona, Queens

3) HPD also has interactive seminars conducted from 100 Gold Street, NY NY and
video-conference to their Brooklyn and Queens sites: April 16, May 21 and June
18, 6 - 8 pm.

For more information, please contact the Brooklyn Borough President's office at
718- 802-3900.