This online informational series, held in April 2021, provided guidance on identifying bed bugs and inspecting for their presence, and provided information on how to hire pest control professionals who use a comprehensive strategy. (Not just spraying pesticides!)
Recorded sessions can be viewed for free on demand via the links below.
Session 1: Dr. Dini Miller, Urban Pest Management Specialist, Virginia Tech University
Dr. Miller has won numerous awards for her work in urban entomology including the
pest control industry’s Crown Leadership Award, the Entomological Society of America’s
(Eastern Branch) Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension, and the Gamma Sigma
Delta Award of Merit in Extension and most recently the 2012 Virginia Tech University
Alumni Award for Excellence in Extension.
Session 2: Sam Polly, Pesticide Safety Education Program, University of Missouri
Sam Polly is the Pesticide Education Safety Program manager for the state of Missouri.
He is a ISA certified arborist and also a California Qualified Pesticide Applicator.
His pesticide applications have spanned across agriculture, landscape, interior landscape,
and right-of-way, including rodenticides, insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, herbicides,
and plant growth regulators. (This recording begins approximately 3 minutes into the presentation.)
Resources
EPA has registered more than 300 products for use against bed bugs. Most of these can be used by consumers, but a few are registered for use only by specially trained professionals. EPA evaluates data on the safety and the effectiveness of the products before approving them. Read more
Integrated Pest Management for Bed Bugs: A Guide for Property Managers
This guide will help property managers prevent and manage bed bugs in multifamily housing. You will find information on best practices for bed bug management, how to hire a qualified pest management professional (PMP), selecting treatments, and eliminating bed bug infestations using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. For information on the biology and life cycle of the common bed bug, please see the resource section at the end of this guide.
Pesticide applicator training helps reduce the harmful effects of improper pesticide use. The University of Missouri Extension Commercial Pesticide Program provides educational outreach for individuals who wish to become licensed commercial pesticide applicators. Licensed applicators must pass an exam and participate in continuing education courses on environmentally sound uses of pesticides. Learn more
The overall goal of the MDA Pesticide Program is to prevent unreasonable adverse effects of pesticide use on human health and the environment while helping assure the availability of pesticides needed to maintain our quality of life. This is accomplished by licensing pesticide applicators and dealers, registering pesticides and performing inspections and investigations in the enforcement of the Missouri Pesticide Use Act and the Missouri Pesticide Registration Act. Learn more
About Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center
WSU Environmental Finance Center serves communities in EPA Region 7 (Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska). Our projects leverage federal and state grants that focus on research and innovative approaches to environmental policy, protection and management, especially the "how to pay" questions necessary for environmental improvements.
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This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement #AI97756601 to Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center. The contents of this page do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned on this page.