DIY Bed Bug Control Discouraged in NY Times Blog

A recent blog in the New York Times titled “Perils of Do-It-Yourself Bedbug Control” warns of the dangers of do-it-yourself bed bug control.

The posting notes that the “the bed bug epidemic nature of the rebound, combined with the high cost of professional pest control, is causing some homeowners at their wits end to turn to do-it-yourself solutions that could put them and their families at risk, according to a new consumer alert from the Environmental Protection Agency.”

Of particular concern are growing reports of homeowners and renters’ applying pesticides within their homes that are approved only for outdoor use. The improper use of these chemicals can make people and their pets sick, the E.P.A. said.

Mike Potter, an entomologist and bed bug expert at the University of Kentucky, was interviewed for this piece and he noted that people who experience a bed bug infestation will resort to the improper use of these chemicals out of desperation.