Clark Pest Control's Blog

Happy 40th Birthday Scott - From your friends at Clark Pest Control

Fred Speer — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:50:00 GMT

Suzy Z. reached out to us at Clark to obtain some swag for her husband for his birthday—their last name is Clark, so, of course we sent him a box of great stuff!

For years, Scott Clark he has seen the Clark trucks, shirts on techs, and just generally knew of the brand, and had always wanted something to wear of his own because his last name is Clark. When his wife contacted us for his 40th birthday to give him something as a surprise, we sent a box full of swag to him. Happy 40th Scott!

"Thank you so much for your help with my husband Scott's awesome birthday gifts. The Clark Pest Control hat is his absolute new favorite, and he's already christened both the coffee cup AND the notebook. Check out the photos below.

I am so thankful to you for your sweetness and generosity. Two of the shirts (one sent by you, and another by one of the owners of the company) were too large, so I am sending them back to you so someone else can use & enjoy them. Neither one was worn, and I know they are expensive to order! And as it turned out, all the other excellent stuff you sent has turned out to be the best gift ever! I even plan on planting the flower seeds with our 3-1/2 year old daughter. :)

Very sincerely,
Suzy Z "

Bed Bug Testimonial - Clark Pest Control

Fred Speer — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:47:00 GMT

"When I first realized that I had bedbugs in the adjoining bedrooms, I
told the roommates that I would do all that was possible to reverse the
situation.

I did a lot of research on lots of companies and the reports people left
on the internet. I came to two conclusions, heat treatment was great and
follow-up, residual, spraying for three times over three weeks was the
Lincoln of treatments and I'm a Ford man.

The only other posting I took note of was "Hit them hard, hit them fast
and show no mercy!!!"

After about 6 hours of reading from many perspectives and opinions, I
settled on Clark's. Although I felt them to be expensive, a news show
with George Stephanopoulos dated August 2010, said that a good heat
treatment could run between $2000 - $6000. So I didn't feel they were
out of range when Eryck Madrigal quoted the price of $3400, a little
shocked, but everything is more now than it was 10 years ago.

I was impressed with the process of heating my apartment up to a high
temperature and keeping it there for 6 hours when, as I confirmed, the
science is that the bedbug can't stand over 112 degrees for more than a
few minutes. It made sense.

The appointment was set for a few days later. I prepared the apartment
according to the guidelines. Mechanically I was doing stuff, inside I
was understanding emotionally to a lesser degree what my sister must
have felt when she lost her entire home in Katrina.

The morning after the heat treatment, by the way, that crew and their
supervisor, Tom, David, Tony, did a superb job.

However it was the next day when the technician, Heric Tavera came on
time to do the residual spraying, that I really got the feeling of
security back a bit. He answered my questions and explained the process
and what could be hoped for. I felt that we had reversed a bad
situation.

He returned for two more times and each time was courteous and
professional. From his conversations with me, he proved to be well
informed of latest techniques and the entire science of "bedbugology".

On a fourth visit, I had a concern and he was in the area and came by to
show me what was going on. One bug had been found and it was very still.
He was able to show how that showed the spraying was working and did a
thorough inspection of the bedrooms for me.

That clinched it for me. Customer service, along with the latest
techniques, have made a bad situation into one of a pleasant memory of
being treated with understanding for the state of mind the customer
floats through while this "plague" persists.

Thanks to all the team. May I never need to see any of you again
professionally and best of success to with you."

Harry
San Francisco, CA.

Clark Pest Leaves a Lasting Impression with 2,000 6th Graders!

Fred Speer — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:01:00 GMT

Thursday April 5th, 2012

The Clark Pest Control Bug Zoo left a lasting impression at a local event called Planet Party. Planet Party is an “environmental celebration” for all sixth graders in the Manteca Unified School District which focuses on environmental stewardship. Throughout the day we would recieve classes of 30-35 students, starting with a presentation about insects and arachnids then moving on to a handling activity where the students could handle a Madasgascar Hissing cockroach and a Whip Scorpion. After handling the students would move up to the Bug Challenge "Eat a Bug, Get a Backpack".

"The level of excitement among the students was also heightened once they entered the Bug Zoo that was the main feature inside the Clark Pest Control booth. Among the main attractions were exotic bugs such as the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach which some of the braver students handled. The students also had the opportunity to taste test three types of flavored larvae. For their bravery and adventurous nature, they were rewarded with a tote bag courtesy of the pest-control company."

-Manteca Bulletin
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/42/article/39205/

Neil Hafley School sixth grader Kevin Cruz gives a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach a little kiss at the Clark Pest Control Bug Zoo tent at Thursday’ event.

HIME ROMERO/The Bulletin

Why hire a pest pro?

Fred Speer — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:43:00 GMT

Jackson Griffith | Clark Pest Control

Do you do your own pest control? That big-box hardware store carries a lot of cool items, but those household products designed to nuke bugs back to the Stone Age aren’t among them.

Why? There’s a lot of science that goes into getting pest control right. Today, it really does take a licensed and well-trained pest professional to know precisely what pest he’s dealing with, what product to use to control it, and how much to use.

In the old days, you’d call an exterminator and a guy would show up to hose down your house and yard with his spray tank. Pest control has changed a lot since then. Today, we know that randomly spraying pesticides everywhere isn’t such a cool deal. With all the scientific advances and better information we’ve learned, along with more stringent California pest control laws to protect public health and the environment, we now understand that this is a job better left to pest professionals.

We’re not just saying that as a California pest control company that dreams of becoming your family’s pest management provider; we say it because we care about this issue deeply. At Clark Pest Control, we practice what’s called Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. Our well-trained and state-licensed pest professionals will inspect your home and property first, then tell you what specific pests we find and what conditions should be corrected – like areas hospitable to pests that need cleaning up, or entry points where pests might be getting in that will need to be blocked. Once we do start treating for pests, we’ll only use minimum amounts of pest control products we need to do the job effectively.

One big mistake that many do-it-yourself people make is that they use way too much pest control material to do the job, and what’s left over goes into a garage cabinet, or under a sink. We bring what we use with us, and when we leave, we take it away – so you’ll never have to worry about any toxins accidentally leaking, spilling, or ending up as in ingredient at your kids’ lemonade stand.

Peace of mind with no worry about pests is what we offer. Ask us about our Pest-Away^® service plan, which will keep your life pest-free without having to take matters into your own hands. At Clark Pest Control, we’re so confident that we can meet every one of your family’s pest management needs that we guarantee everything we do. We’re here for you.

2012 Clark Commercial Pest Control Conference - Part 2

Fred Speer — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:27:00 GMT

Jeff McGovern spoke after the morning break, beginning by asking how many technicians in the audience were carrying flashlights. Only a few. "How many flashlights do you carry in your truck?" he asked. Three, most answered. His presentation was titled "Tools of the Trade." Flashlights are essential, and not having a working one can make you lose an account.

McGovern started with Google Earth, zooming in on Florida where he lives, to illustrate how geography determines pest issues. He zoomed in further to find Palatka, where the meat-packing plant he would be discussing is sited. "You want to know a secret?" he asked. "Don't be their bug guy, or rat guy. Be a member off their team, helping to protect their assets." He zoomed in even further to look at the meat-packing plant and its surrounding area -- a bus yard, a wooded area, a railroad track, a retention pond. "What are the first four factors in pest control?" he asked, answering: "Access, food, water and harborage" -- mentioning a nearby homeless camp that keeps removing rodent bait stations. "You're a detective. Think.

What happens if a rat goes through that facility? That USDA guy's going to shut them down." McGovern, a 37-year veteran of pest management, insisted that salespeople price jobs accordingly, by the services rendered and not by the number of bait stations installed. He went around the plant using elevations to show overhanging trees and power cables, all rodent access points. "You have to look underneath, around, behind and top of," he said. "You're looking for access, food, water and harborage." Documentation is important, too.

"How many of you carry digital cameras?" he asked, telling the audience to take pictures and register those pictures' existence in the onsite logbook. McGovern mentioned a light-leak audit, at night to see what light leaks out, and by day to see what light leaks in. He also advised to make friends with the HVAC service guy and the sprinkler guy, because they can provide valuable information about rodents. "They can tell you where your problems are," he said. McGovern concluded by saying that the backbone of the pest control industry is the people out running routes in their trucks.

Rather than start by talking bed bug biology, entomologist Gail Getty began by discussing working dogs trained to sniff out bed bugs. Dogs have good days and bad days, and it's important to have a good trainer. Yadda yadda. Then she went into visual inspections, before mentioning that bed bug behaviors are cryptic, they are thigmotactic, or touchy-feely with each other, and photophobic, or afraid of light. Then she showed a pie chart on where bed bugs are most commonly found, and went into some animated recollections of personal experiences in hotel rooms. "They were just raining down on me," she described to much laughter.

Next up, traumatic insemination and how it makes female bed bugs run like crazy, thus dispersing the insects. Then she showed a series of slides from cases where she's served as an expert witness, and then she showed a series of slides from attorney Jeff Lipman's presentation on a Des Moines two-tower apartment complex and how bed bugs spread through the buildings. Then, the practical: bed bug monitors, mattress encasements, vacuums, traditional pest control materials, steam. "We know that it's always a function of time and temperature," Getty said about killing insects. She also went into heat remediation, a method of control that Clark Pest has embraced. Freezing, she also mentioned. "Not a fan," she said. "I love fumigation," she added. "I only care one thing about bed bugs," she said. "Don't bring them home." Getty's advice to customers: "Hire a professional."

2012 Clark Commercial Pest Control Conference - Part 1

Fred Speer — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:14:00 GMT

February 17, 2012

This year's Clark Pest Control Commercial Conference opened with Judy Dold, Chairman of Rose Pest Solutions outside of Chicago. Ms. Dold also is a past president of the National Pest Management Association. She opened by stating that 83 percent of household decisions are made by women, and women make decisions in many other arenas of life. "Every woman you meet looks at three things," she stated, "your eyes, your hands and your feet." Basic stuff, but she went on to discuss the importance of communicating and by building and establishing relationships.

Next, pay attention to details, like showing up on time. "Women are masters of multitasking," she said. Taking note of what your customer needs and attending to them will keep them satisfied in a poor economy where Also, appearance is important. "Deodorant is cheap!" she insisted, after putting on an old kitchen apron and a backward baseball cap. She illustrated her point by tossing deodorant, toothbrushes, mouthwash and other items into the audience from the stage. "Your appearance is critical to the success of the relationship you've established," she said, adding that your vehicle needs to be clean, too. Respect is important, too. Don't talk down to a woman. "Don't judge a book by its cover," she said. "You don't know with whom you are doing. Trust is the bottom line, and integrity determines your identity.

And your integrity is so important to a woman when you're establishing trust. Results are paramount." She went on to explain that a woman won't tell you she's unhappy with your service. She'll just go elsewhere. "A lot of the time," she explains, "you won't know you've lost an account until you see another company is doing the job."

Drains, Jeff Tucker, an entomologist, was the morning's second speaker at the Clark Commercial Pest Control Conference, spoke on small flies. "Some people call them gnats," he explained.

He launched into his presentation on phorid flies, small fruit flies, moth flies and fungus gnats. "The phorid fly is the most insidious of this group," he said. They scuttle around, there thousands of species, the live in mausoleums where they munch on dead people. They also attack fire ants, lay eggs on them and the larvae eat the ants until the ants' heads fall off.They also control ticks. They live in feces. They have small heads, humped thoraces and longitudinal veins in their wings and no cross veins. They also have flattened femurs on their hind legs. Their life cycle can take 15 to 30 days, but may live longer in cooler temperatures.

They love insect light traps, and they don't bite. Their larvae is creamy and have crimped seams like a turnover. The adults move in jerky fashion. Tucker threw a lot of information out there very rapidly. He showed slides from a hospital job, showing how he did detective work in a hospital to find a phorid fly infestation, which began in a drainage line from the kitchen, which channeled over a sterile area; a leak from a construction defect allowed them a place to breed. "Sometimes you'll end up solving a construction problem," he told the pest technicians.

Tucker's visual presentation was gnarly in the way anyone who revels in the aesthetics of ugly bug funk could appreciate -- huge masses of pupae, rotting food crawling with insects, et cetera. "This is a mausoleum," he said, pointing at some crypts on the screen. "Sometimes you have to be a detective. How does the larvae live? What does it need? You have to solve that problem." Tucker's stories were hugely entertaining. Next up were fruit flies, or Drosophilidae: small gray bodies, red eyes, with wings that have cross veins. He talked about the difference between Drosophila repleta versus the more common D. melanogaster. They love rotting vegetables and fruit. "Ground zero for Drosophila melanogaster is bananas," he said, before listing a lot of these flies' favorite places -- rotting plants, rotten cacti, salad bars. They live eight to 10 days, sometimes longer. D. repleta, on the other hand, likes feces, and is found in nursing homes, and is the number-one pest in poultry facilities. It also likes sewage and rotting fruit. Shore flies like algae, and are found aims overwatered plants.

Moth flies, or sand flies, (Psychodidae) are covered with hairs and don't like to fly. they can cause Leishmaniasis, a festering skin infection. Larvae are found in drains, sewers, plumbing lines and poor drainage systems. They like slime, and in the water itself. "I'd be willing to say that every office drain in America has moth fly larvae," he said. Last was fungus gnats -- Fungivoridae, et al. They look like mosquitoes but don't bite. Indoors, they are house plant pests. Their season runs from Halloween through New Years Day, typically on poinsettias. They are a big problem in office plants. He concluded by saying that in every detective story, there is an answer: larvae. Find the adults to identify the pest, then find the larvae, and then talk to the customer.

Bed Bug Conference News Coverage - San Diego Bed Bugs

Fred Speer — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:48:00 GMT

If there’s one pest that has Halloween-style scare value these days, it’s the bed bug, or Cimex lectularius. An infestation of these blood-sucking, appleseed-sized insects can trigger a real case of the frights, especially if you’re a hotel operator, hospital administrator or property manager. Which is why, over the first three days in February, Clark Pest Control offered three free educational seminars to professionals whose livelihoods might be affected by this difficult-to-control pest – in northern California at Rohnert Park and San Mateo, and in the southland at San Diego.

The “2012 Bed Bug Tour” featured three speakers: Entomologist Gail Getty of UC Berkeley on bed bug biology and why this insect has become such a problem, National Pest Management Association Technical Director Jim F. on new advances in detecting and controlling bed bugs, and attorney Jeff Lipman on the legal precedents and liabilities of bed bug infestations as they affect property managers, hospitality-industry operators and other professionals. All three speakers were present for a question-and-answer session that followed, which also featured Clark Pest Control Technical Director Darren Van Steenwyk.

The San Diego session on February 3 at the Hilton Mission Bay was picked up by the local news media there, with Jim Patton reporting for CW 6 News (XETV) and Loren Nancarrow featuring a segment on “Your Health” for Fox 5 (KSWB). As Van Steenwyk pointed out on Patton’s segment, the first order of business is getting an inspection to make sure you have bed bugs; once that fact is established, treatment options include heat remediation and conventional treatments. Patton mentioned dogs that are specially trained to find bed bugs, as a tail-wagging pooch pawed a specimen during a demonstration. “Looks like he’s just having fun there,” the newsman quipped. Nancarrow also showed a happy dog on the Fox 5 newscast (Clark itself doesn’t employ bed-bug dogs, which work for independent contractors, but because dogs are always a winner with viewers, they seem to get lots of camera time), and Van Steenwyk named a few other places where bed bugs are turning up – in coffeehouses, and on trains and airplanes.

Termite FAQs

Fred Speer — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:32:00 GMT

Termite FAQs | Clark Blog | Jackson Griffith

There are two kinds of houses, an old saying goes: Those with termites, and those that someday will get termites. This pest strikes fear into homeowners for good reason: each year, termites cause billions of dollars worth of damage, and most of that damage is hidden from sight – often until it’s quite extensive, and it requires structural repairs.

What are termites? Termites are wood-destroying insects of the order Isoptera. They have been around for at least 100 million years, and it’s believed they evolved from wood-eating cockroaches. Termites are eusocial insects, which means that – like ants and bees – they live in colonies organized into castes, with a queen (and king), soldiers and either workers (subterranean termites) or nymphs (immature dampwood and drywood termites).

What purpose do termites serve in nature? Termites break wood and other cellulose-containing plant material down into components small enough to be reabsorbed by the soil. Ground-dwelling termites also help aerate soil by tunneling through it. Without termites, we might be up to our necks in dead grass and trees.

That sounds pretty good. Why, then, are termites a problem? The trouble starts when termites can’t tell the difference between a dead tree and the lumber from a dead tree used to build your house. Both contain cellulose – or as termites might put it, dinner.

How do termites eat? Termites will chow down on anything containing cellulose – wood, plant material, such products made from plant materials as paper, cardboard, cotton fabrics and more. Workers (or nymphs) chew off pieces with their mandibles and ingest them, which are then broken down by bacteria and protozoa in their digestive tracts and transferred to other termites by trophyllaxis: mouth-to-mouth (or anus-to-mouth) sharing. Some termite castes, such as queens, kings and soldiers, can’t feed themselves; they depend upon liquid meals from workers or nymphs.

Are there different kinds of termites? Yes, many. In California and western Nevada, where Clark offers its services, there are three basic termite species: dampwood termites, drywood Termites and subterranean termites.

Can you tell me more about dampwood termites? Dampwood termites (Zootermopsis angusticollis; Z. nevadensis) generally only live where the weather is damp, e.g., along the coast and in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains, and need downed wood with high moisture content to survive. If you live in a forested area, they can infest if you have a long-term leak in your home.

What about drywood termites? Drywood termites (Incisitermes minor), more common in coastal areas, infest homes when winged reproductive termites (alates, or “swarmers”) enter attics and upper parts of homes, where they mate and start colonies.

And subterranean termites? Subterranean termites (Reticulitermes hesperus), common in California’s central valley, live in colonies deep underground and tunnel to the surface to feed. Subterranean termites are the most destructive kind commonly found in the Western U.S.

Really? The most destructive kind? No, that notoriety belongs to Formosan subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus), which have taken hold in other areas in the U.S., like the Southeast, but fortunately have been contained before they have been able to establish colonies on the west coast.

Are termites visible?Yes, they often are quite visible during their mating phase, typically in early spring, after a good rain. It’s common to see thousands of alates, or winged reproductives, swarming en masse and looking for mates. Some species swarm in the fall, but the timing is always related to optimal local climate conditions that trigger swarming from multiple colonies in the area, maximizing the opportunity for successful mating.

Termites? I thought those flying things were ants? Like termites, there are flying reproductive ants. The three ways to tell them apart are, 1) termites don’t have narrow waists that separate their thoraces from their abdomens, where ants do; 2) termite antennae are straight and beaded, where ant antennae are elbowed; and 3) the two sets of wings on alate termites are the same length, where the upper pair are longer than the lower pair on ants.

Are there other signs of termite activity? Yes, but it usually takes a well-trained eye to find those signs. Subterranean termites, for example, will build tubes from the ground where they nest to the sources of wood where they are feeding. Drywood termites often will eject tiny fecal pellets from holes in wood where they are active.

How can I tell if my house has termites? The easiest way is to schedule an inspection with a licensed termite inspector. The inspector will examine your home’s exterior and interior, along with your attic or any voids under your roof, and then any crawl spaces below your house. The inspector will look for leaks and damp areas, as well as dry rot and other wood-destroying fungus activity – all of which provide conditions conducive for termite activity.

What steps can I take to make my home less prone to termite invasion? Termites need moisture to survive. You can divert water away from accumulating around your home’s foundation by installing downspouts, gutters and splash blocks so they drain away from the structure. Add proper ventilation to crawl spaces and attics to reduce humidity. Make sure shrubs and vegetation don’t grow to cover vents. Remove old tree stumps and random wood left under your house when it was built. And get rid of any direct contact between wood and soil. An 18-inch gap between wood and soil is ideal.

Can I buy any kind of termite alarm system? Clark Pest Control offers a program called Term-Alert^®, which involves placing monitors in and around your home and property, which are routinely inspected by a service technician for termite activity.

Termites may be a reality, but they don’t have to be a source of free-floating anxiety for you. The termite experts at Clark Pest Control are here to answer your questions and bring you peace of mind. So call today!

Bed Bug Tour 2012 - San Diego Update

Fred Speer — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:23:00 GMT

Today we hit our last stop on the Bed bug conference 2012 tour. Our very own Darren Van Steenwyk‎ was interviewed by San Diego's FOX 5 and received a visit from Bed bug detection dogs! Stay tuned for more updates throughout the day!

News CW 6 Also stopped

Clark Pest Control's Arnold Molina touring the news crew around a Bed bug heat trailer

2012 Bed Bug Tour : San Mateo Live coverage

Fred Speer — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:28:00 GMT

Todays line-up:

8:30 - 9:30 Gail Getty (UC Extension) - Bed Bug Biology that effects your business bottom line

9:30 - 10:30 Jim F. (NPMA) - Detecting and controlling bed bugs in the 21st century

10:45 - Jeff Lipman - Beb bug liability, the legal precedence being set

On deck... Gail Getty.

Bed bug History:

DDT

One application did the job
No prep needed
Inexpensive
Resistance hit in 1947

Today

People are NOT vigilant
More clutter in the homes
Key to control: through treatment

Behavior

90% of lifetime is hidden
Feed 3-4 days
Often go days to a week or more without a blood meal
Tend to live in aggregations

How big are they? - the size of an apple seed

Let me say it right away

Can't fly
Don't jump
Coloring differs from opaque to dark brown

Life cycles

Adults
Eggs
Babies

Mating and dispersion

Tramatic insemination and female dispersal
male pierces females abdominal
Females matted repeatedly reducing longgevity of females by 25-30%
Female disperses
Result eggs deposited in unpredictale fasions

Adult life cycle

Thin with no blood meal
Female can lay eggs from 6-18 months
Eggs to egg 2 months

Eggs

Lays 2-5 eggs a day
200-500 in her life time
Eggs 'glued' to surfaces
Tggs hatch in 6-10 days on average
Temperture makes a diffrence

Babies/Nymths

Molt 5 times
Must feed to molt

EARLY DETECTION IS KEY

Feeding

Poorly understood
Carbon dioxide
Heat
Maybe movement in room
inject anticoagulant and numbs area
Some people are allergic to injection
Draws out blood

Adults

1 year no blood meal

Nymths

3 months without a blood meal
leave dark fecal spots behind
One bug inflicts multiple bites
will travel 20+ feet

Bites

Different reactions to bites
Proteins in bugs saliva can cause a progressive sensitivity to repeated bites
None - delayed up to 3 weeks
Misdiagnosis
Most common misdiagnosis - carpet beetle

Biting marks

Arms, legs, neck, back, shoulders and face

Disease

40 human pathogens
Neven proven to biologically transmit any human pathogen
Secondary infection
Not considered to be medically important

Customer Anxiety

It's real
Handle with care and empathy

Where

A study in infested aparments showed

935 FOUND IN ASSOCIATED WITH BED
23% furniture
7% less predictable places

Thank you Gail!

Next Up Jim F. of the NPMA

Understanding Bed bug treatment and inspection methods

Survey

more than 400 PMPs surveyed
99% treated bed bugs
84 % indicated bed bugs were increasing in their region

NPMA task force

Industry -Regulators - Academics

Consumer protection
Identify active infestation
Communicate fees
Communicate details of service
Communicate realistic expectations
Provide bed specific information with agreements
Canine teams require 3rd party certification
Non-chemical
Steam
Vacuum
Heat
Freeze
Traditional options

Community wide approach

Discourage disposal of mattress and furniture
Recommdations for inspection and treatment of surrounding areas and ajacent rooms
recomendations for training and educating hotel and facility staff about bed bug identification

Visual Inspections

Pros

Humans can integrate facts to enhance search parameters
Visual confirmation

Cons

Labor intensive
low level

Monitoring Devices

Pros

Can be used to monitor when visual inspections are conclusive
Proactive approach
Can be used to measure post treatment success

Cons

The most effective bait is a human
detect bed bugs over days or weeks
Low level infestations can be missed
Cost

Mattress and Box Spring Encasements

Pros

Makes inspection easier
Seals bugs and eggs inside mattress and box spring
Easy to install

Cons

Not all encasements are created equal
Ripped covers don't work
Covers can't be removed for Laundering

Traditional Product Application

Pros

Mulitiple formulations available for diffrent treatment sites
Many effective products available

Cons

Labor intensive
Resistant populations have been reported
Sensitivity may be a concern

Steam Treatments

Pros

No residue
Destroys all life stages, including eggs
Penetrates fabrics and cracks

Cons

Labor intensive
No residual
Some surfaces are heat sensitive
Temp must rapidly exceed 122 F

Thanks Jim!

Next, Jeff Lipman (Attorney/Judge) - Real legal cases

Bed bug litigation

Document you Advise - PCO are at risk of being named in a lawsuit. Improtant to document your action plan.

Follow the Action Plan

Hotel/Motel and apartment managers will be named in most lawsuits extremely important to follow the action plan and document compliance:
Written actiona plan approved by the PCO
Written engagement contract specifing bed bugs

Have PCC provide requirements for treatment readiness

Landlord and Hotel's duty to tenants and guests

1-provide a habiital premises

2-protect from clear and present danger

Landlord or Hotel Act

1-warn guests of dangers

2-evict tenants who interfere with bed bug eradiction

3-assist tenants who are mobility impaired with preparation for treatment

Ongoing Duty to Investigate

1-Bed bug monitoring

2-Periodic inspections as recommended by your PCO (Pest controlPest Control operator)

Implied warranty of Habitability

An implied warranty of habitability

When a Liability arises

The law commands that you inspect bed bugs

Landlords Obligation

To do what is reasonable under the circumstances

Unfair Deceptive Acts and Practices

Rental units may not contain illegal hazards that endanger the occupants well-being or make the unit unfit for habitation. UDAP violation

Jeff is now walking us through the Spaulding v. Young Case (1992)

Mathias v. Accor, 347 F .3d 672 (2003) This is a great case to research, this is regarding bed bugs at a motel.

Reliance not required (most of the time)

Generally courts are more receptive to consumer fraud class actions than common law fraud class actions.

Fee structure

In writing
Req. PCO to provide written estimate
PCO should specify work to be performed (Bed bug)

Insurance for Building (covers bed bugs risk and exposure)

Getting Sued - Call your Insurance company

Do not speak to the client
Do not speak to the clients attorney
Do not speak to the press
Speak to your Insurance company, they will do the talking for you

Burdons of proof

Reasonable doubt
Clear and convincing evidence
Preponderance of the evidence

What Jury hears in bed bug cases

Blood sucking pests
Fecal smears
Nymphs
Carry diseases

What the jury see's

Photos of sheets
Bites (Photos)
Suffering (Photos)
How bb travel
PCO records

Bed Bug Conference Tour 2012 is just around the corner

Fred Speer — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:44:00 GMT

Clark Pest Contol is proud to announce its 2012 Bed Bug conference tour!

This event will provide guests answers to many common myths about bed bugs and experts will also educate guests on the newest ways to detect and control bed bugs, as well as how a bed bug infestation can affect a business’ bottom line.

The 2012 speaker line up will include, Jim Fredricks from the National Pest Management Association, Gail Getty from the UC Extension, and Jeff Lipman of the Lipman Law Firm that deals with bed bug litigation and other industry experts.

2/1/2012 -Rhonert Park
8am - 2pm
Doubletree Rohnert Park
One Doubletree Dr., Rohnert Park
Breakfast and lunch will be provided

2/2/2012 - San Mateo
8am - 2pm
Marriott San Mateo
1770 South Amphlett Blvd., San Mateo
Breakfast and lunch will be provided

2/3/2012 - San Diego
8am - 2pm
Hilton Mission Bay
1775 East Mission Bay Dr., San Diego
Breakfast and lunch will be provided

Managers Can Register Now for FREE Bed Bug Educational Training Hosted by Clark Pest Control

Anyone interested in registering for either Rohnert Park, San Mateo or San Diego “Bed Bugs: Know The Truth” event may call 877-918-9988 or email salesteam@clarkpest.com.

Bed Bug Friday - A new debugger

Fred Speer — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:49:00 GMT

How to get rid of bloodsucking insects

The Economist
Jan 14th 2012 | from the print edition

FEW things destroy the reputation of a high-class hotel faster than bed bugs. These vampiric arthropods, which almost disappeared from human dwellings with the introduction of synthetic insecticides after the second world war, are making a comeback. They can drink seven times their own weight in blood in a night, leaving itchy welts on the victim’s skin and blood spots on his sheets as they do so. That is enough to send anyone scurrying to hotel-rating internet sites—and even, possibly, to lawyers.

New York is worst-hit at the moment: neither five-star hotels nor top-notch apartments have been spared. But other places, too, are starting to panic. Hotel staff from Los Angeles to London are scrutinising the seams of mattresses and the backs of skirting boards, where the bugs often hide during the day, with more than usual zeal. But frequently this is to no avail. Bed bugs are hard to spot. Even trained pest-control inspectors can miss them. What is needed is a way to flush them into the open. And James Logan, Emma Weeks and their colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Rothamsted Research think they have one: a bed-bug trap baited with something the bugs find irresistible—the smell of their own droppings.

The reason the bugs are attracted to this smell is that they use it to navigate back to their hidey-holes after a night of feeding. To develop the bait for the new trap, Dr Weeks therefore analysed the chemicals given off by bed-bug faeces and attempted to work out which of the components were acting as signposts. She did this by puffing air collected from a jar containing bed-bug faeces into a machine called a gas chromatograph, which separated the components from one another, and then through a mass spectrometer, to identify each component from its molecular weight. Having found what the smell consisted of, she wafted the chemicals in question, one by one, at bed bugs that had their antennae wired up to micro-electrodes, to see which of them provoked a response.

The result, the details of which the team is keeping secret for the moment for commercial reasons, is used to bait a trap, designed by Dr Logan, that is about the size of a standard mouse trap and has a sticky floor similar to fly paper. And it works. To paraphrase the slogan of Roach Motel, a brand of traps aimed at a different sort of insect pest, bed bugs check in, but they don’t check out.

The new trap could be used both to assess whether a hotel room or apartment is infested and also to kill the insects without dousing everything in insecticide—which is, in any case, an increasingly futile exercise, as many have now evolved resistance. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a 19th-century American sage, is supposed to have said that if a man built a better mousetrap than his neighbour, the world would make a beaten path to his door. Dr Logan and Dr Weeks are about to find out if the same thing applies to bed-bug traps.

from the print edition | Science and technology

A Dear Bug Zoo Resident Will Be Missed...Emperor Scorpion

Fred Speer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:37:00 GMT

Last week, one of our star bug zoo residents passed away, Empress, the Emperor Scorpion lived a long life and made many students smile with amazement, she will be missed!

We will be introducing her replacement tomorrow at our first bug zoo for 2012, Klaus, a young male Emperor scorpion will be on display, he's big, friendly and will be doing his first handling demo. Please welcome Klaus our newest bug zoo resident!

The emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) is one of the largest species of scorpion in the world, with adults averaging about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length. However, some species of forest scorpions are fairly similar to the emperor scorpion in size, and one scorpion,Heterometrus swammerdami, holds the record for being the world's largest scorpion at 9 inches (23 cm) in length.The life span of the emperor scorpion usually ranges from 5 to 8 years of life when held in captivity.

Even Santa Loves the Clark Bug Zoo!

Fred Speer — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:39:00 GMT

Even Santa Loves the Clark Bug Zoo!

Although the Bug Zoo serves local elementry schools, we can also been seen at public events. Our next public event will be at the World of Wonders Science Museum.

Insectfest at World of Wonders
January 21st, 2012

10am - 3pm

2 North Sacramento Street, Lodi CA.

Happy Holidays from the Clark Pest Control Bug Zoo

Toys for Tots - Clark Pest Control collects 1796 toys this season

Fred Speer — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:25:00 GMT

Clark Pest Control collected 1796 toys in our Toys for Tots Drive this year! We would like to give a very special thanks to the local businesses we partnered with to make this happen as well as each and everyone who found it within their hearts to donate to this very special cause.

Local Partners

Crush Kitchen and Bar

Salon Envy and Boutique

Lodi Beer Company

Wise Choice Self Storage

Cheese Central

House of Clocks

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

Sheri’s Sonshine Nutrition Center

Salinas Pest Control - Clark wins readers choice award

Fred Speer — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:35:00 GMT

We would like to congradulate our Salinas California branch, winner of the Californian's readers choice awards in the Pest control category! This award is based on a public readers poll. GREAT JOB SALINAS.

Your Clark Advantage - Why you should Choose Clark Pest Control

Fred Speer — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:38:00 GMT

A few reasons why you’re better off with Clark Pest Control

Yes, we’d like you to feel good about your Clark Pest Control service. But warm and fuzzy feelings are one thing, and facts are another. Here are a few factual reasons why Clark Pest Control is a cut above the competition.

What is the Clark Advantage? We are a California-based, family-owned company, and our local branches are attuned to the areas where they do business. Each of our branches has a dedication to excellence, which runs deep in our company DNA, along with a commitment to providing the most innovative and effective pest management solutions you’ll find – anywhere.

Clark Pest Control is QualityPro certified. QualityPro ensures you that we are committed to ethical hiring practices, we conduct criminal background checks on all new hires, and we go above and beyond state licensing processes. It means we don’t advertise what we can’t deliver, and we continually train our technicians and supervisors in the latest pest management technologies.

Clark Pest Control is GreenPro certified, which means that we adhere to a stringent set of qualifications, and we submit to independent audits to ensure that we comply with those standards. GreenPro means that we practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which stipulates that we inspect and monitor your home and property first, and then we eliminate sources for pest activity and recommend any repairs needed to keep pests out. If we do need to use any pest-control materials, we’ll apply them in a way that minimizes any risk to you, your family, your pets or the environment. We’ll also discuss what we’re doing with you, and get your consent.

We also can offer you our Clark S.M.A.R.T. service option, the sustainable methods and responsible treatments approach to controlling pests. And we’re the people to call for heat remediation, an effective and non-toxic method of controlling bed bug infestations.

Since 1950, Clark Pest Control has worked hard to earn your business and keep it. Our mission is to exceed your expectations with the most effective pest control in the world, and that this be done in an ethical, professional, responsive and caring manner. Whatever your pest needs, we are here for you.

Bed Bug Innovations at Clark Pest Control

Fred Speer — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:08:00 GMT

Bed bugs are all over the news these days. You may have heard that these insects are turning up in many places, in homes, apartments, hotels, restaurants, stores and even airplanes. Bed bugs are keeping us very busy.

Why are they suddenly such a problem? A currently accepted explanation is that once pesticides like DDT, credited with wiping out bed bugs after World War II, were outlawed, bed bugs returned, and today there are few ways to control them effectively. The truth is that very few insects can survive temperatures above 120◦ F. Bed bugs certainly can’t, and Clark Pest Control branches have become experts at using the heat remediation process to control bed bugs.

Heat remediation is a treatment option that involves heating up rooms to around 135◦ F, and then moving the air around so it kills all life stages of the insect – eggs, nymphs and adults – wherever they’re hiding, even in cracks and crevices. By itself, heat remediation involves no pesticide use. Talk about a Clark S.M.A.R.T. way to handle a big problem!

We also offer other bed bug services, which include conventional treatments and fumigation procedures. You can get more information by calling us, or by talking with your Clark technician about what option will work best for you.

Fall is here and so are those pesky rodents! - Clark Pest Control

Fred Speer — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:10:00 GMT

During the cooler months (October through February), we have the luxury of snuggling up in a blanket or by the fire in our homes and apartments, but, their may be something lurking in our dwellings with us. Mice and rats often take shelter in our homes, causing

damage to bothour health and property.

Rodents enter homes through almost any opening larger than a dime, damaging sheetrock, cardboard, wood and electrical wiring, increasing the risk of fire and exposure to diseases.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the fall and winter months:

Seal off all voids around pipes coming into your home from the outside
Keep branches and other plants cut back from the house
Keep your garages and sheds tidy and uncluttered

In the event you do have a rodent problem, contact a qualified pest professional, such as Clark Pest Control, that specializes in exclusion and IPM. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program will involve you and your pest management provider, working together as a partnership.

Clark Bug Zoo to attend PHF CA Walk & Family Fun Day!

Fred Speer — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:05:00 GMT

The Clark Pest Control will be showing our support at the the PHF CA Walk & Family Fun Day! Stop by and support this cause and while your here stop by our booth and see the Clark Bug Zoo! To learn more about this event see the press release below.

Join us as we WALK for hydrocephalus and take steps to improve life & "Fund a CURE" for Hydrocephalus! ********** Saturday October 8th 2011 @ 8:00am (Registration)

PHF California WALK & Family Fun Day

Central Community Park

25 E. Main Street

Mountain House, CA 95391

The event kicks off with registration from 8am - 9:30am and the opening speech with ribbon cutting at 10:15am! The ribbon cutting signifies beginning the 2nd walk season and the WALK begins!

Enjoy a full day of fun from 8am - 3pm!

Please welcome:

MISS SPARKLES!, TRACY'S BEAN SPROUT QUEEN, JIANNA PALMER, CLARK BUG ZOO, PUMPKIN PATCH, Kiddie HAY BALE MAZE, FACE PAINTING, MUSIC, VENDOR BOOTHS including; , BEST BUY, COOKIE LEE , VISALUS HEALTH SCIENCES, LITTLE BEES ITALIAN ICE, SKI HIGH KITES, COMMUNITY CENTER of the BLIND, and more to come! Its a fun day for the whole family!

And a BIG thank you to KID RED ENTERTAINMENT for providing the PA system and music, an to my dad, Ron and his company TS&L for providing food!

*************************************************************

TO REGISTER AND/OR DONATE:

www.active.com/donate/phfwalkca2011

The California Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation, Inc. is hosting the 2nd Annual Hydrocephalus WALK for Northern California on Saturday, October 8th, 2011 at the Central Community Park in Mountain House, CA!

Wish to become a sponsor?

Benefits of sponsorship of WALK events include:

•the joy and satisfaction of helping raise funds and awareness for the hydrocephalus community

•your logo on promotional materials and signage, including the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation's Web page

•opportunities to distribute promotional materials at each WALK event.

WALK events receive media coverage and are highly promoted by the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation and local volunteers. Your organization will receive national exposure while supporting hydrocephalus awareness and the mission of the PHF!

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation is to educate the community by raising the level of awareness about this brain condition. The PHF will also provide support to the families, friends and children who are diagnosed with Hydrocephalus.

The PHF will raise money for and work with the medical community in searching for a cure and additional treatment options for those with Hydrocephalus.

The PHF, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charitable organization and as such, all contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Additionally, the PHF will advocate on behalf of the members of the Hydrocephalus community and work with policy makers at the State and Federal level to raise awareness and push for more research and support in our fight against Hydrocephalus.

The PHF will be holding fundraising events to accomplish the goals stated above.

Contact me today: 855-1888 or apocketfulofchange@live.com

Clark Pest Control's new and improved online billpay solution

Fred Speer — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:59:00 GMT

Clark Pest Portal

A new and improved payment site.

Please bookmark the new site URL,http://www.clarkpestportal.com, from there you will be redirected to a secure login page.

You will still be able to use the old link,https://billpay.clarkpest.com, or go tohttp://www.clarkpest.com and click on the "Pay My Bill" button.

To login, you will now be using the email address you registered with us during initial service setup. The password you chose for the old site will work on the new site.

New to online bill pay? Not to worry, our customer service agents will be more than happy to help! For more information contact us at 1-877-918-9988 or emailclarkcares@clarkpest.com.

Welcome to Clark Pest Control's new and improved online billpay solution!

Sincerely,

Clark Pest Control

Visit Clark Pest Control at the Lodi Grape Festival

Fred Speer — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:57:00 GMT

Just a reminder, Clark Pest Control will be attending the Lodi Grape Festival Tonight through Sunday, September 18. Tonight I will be with out with my creepy crawley Bug Zoo!

Bed bugs buggin ya?

Fred Speer — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:18:00 GMT

Bugs Without Borders: Bed Bugs Spreading Out, Digging In

The little pests travel undetected and become very attached to their new homes

Truman Lewis
consumeraffairs.com

What pest is popping up just about everywhere these days? Presidential candidates, you say? Perhaps, but we were actually thinking of bed bugs. A new survey finds that the pesky devils are steadily taking over new territory.

The study, conducted by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky, surveyed U.S. pest management professionals and found that 99 percent of respondents encountered bed bug infestations in the past year. More than eight of out ten said that bed bug infestations are increasing across the country.

This represents a sharp increase in prevalence as only 11 percent of respondents reported receiving bed bug calls more than 10 years ago.

One of the most significant findings is that bed bug encounters have become much more common in public places than the previous year, in some instances increasing by 10, 20 or nearly 30 percent.

“The increase in bed bug encounters is likely due to a combination of factors, but one thing is clear — this pest shows no signs of retreating,” noted Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Of most concern are the places where pest professionals are encountering bed bugs, such as schools, hospitals, and hotels/motels.”

Public vigilance is vital to controlling the spread, she said.

“Increased public awareness, education and vigilance are key in detecting and preventing bed bug infestations as these pests tend to travel undetected from place to place, breed quickly and remain one of the most challenging to treat,” added Henriksen.

Read the article in its entirity at http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2011/09/bugs-without-borders-bed-bugs-spreading-out-digging-in.html

Clark Pest Control at the Lodi Grape Festival

Fred Speer — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:34:00 GMT

September means it’s time for the Lodi Grape Festival & Harvest Fair, and Clark Pest Control will be there again this year. The annual family-friendly funfest – this year held from Thursday, September 15 through Sunday, September 18 – offers a showcase for agriculture, and agricultural products, from San Joaquin County, along with carnival rides, entertainment and much more.

Thursday, September 15 will be Kids Day at the Festival, and the Clark Pest Control Bug Zoo will be on hand from x p.m. to 9 p.m. with an array of live arthropod delights – tarantulas, scorpions and more. Also, you’ll want to come by the Clark Pest Control Stage for some big fun and entertainment. And if you have questions about pest control, or you’d like to talk to someone about your pest control needs, we’ll have Clark Pest Control representatives on hand at the Festival.

For more information, visit the Lodi Grape Festival website, www.grapefestival.com.

Integrated Pest Management in Action

Fred Speer — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:55:00 GMT

By: Jackson Griffith
Clark Pest Control Corporate

A first hand look at IPM

My day observing Integrated Pest Management performed in the field

It’s one thing to read articles about Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, and another to observe how it’s practiced by Clark Pest Control technicians. I got to spend a day in the field last week with pest technician Biff Strom from Clark’s Rancho Cordova branch office, on a Clark S.M.A.R.T. (Sustainable Methods and Responsible Treatments) route.

After the branch’s Tuesday morning meeting, Biff and I set out for the first stop, a home in an eastern Sacramento neighborhood just south of the American River Parkway. The service ticket indicated the residents there had reported ant activity in the kitchen, and as soon as we arrived, the man of the house brandished a big can of aerosolized ant killer. “Oh, no,” Biff told him. “The last thing you want to do with those ants is spray them, because they will scatter all over your house. Also, get rid of all those chemicals under your counter, because you won’t need them.” Biff then turned on his flashlight and began poking around; a quick inspection led to the adjacent garage, with the ants most likely finding entrance through a hole cut for plumbing in the cabinetry.

Then, Biff went outside and began a systematic inspection – the point where Integrated Pest Management practice begins – of the house: at ground level, then up in the eaves, and then around the back and front yards. Spider webs were noted before he knocked them down with his Webster, because those webs can be bellwethers of insect infestations. There was ant activity along a property-line fence and down a mowing strip – Biff identified them as little black ants (Monomorium minimum); other stops later in the day would turn up Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) and odorous house ants (Tapinoma sessile). Like its name would indicate, the latter ant, when crushed, smells – either like rotting coconut, or like old Camp Fire Girl mints doused with sunscreen. There also were spider webs on some hedges in front, which got knocked down for aesthetic reasons, and there were little mounds of dirt in a decorative gravel area in the front yard, each of which housed a solitary ground-nesting wasp – which, as Biff explained to the man of the house, is non-threatening and, like the spider, actually beneficial, because it dines on other insects.

Once the inspection was finished, it was time to treat, using low-volume, generally regarded as safe materials. In places that had no observed ant activity, but had conditions conducive to pest habitation, he applied a product that flushes insects. In those places where ant activity had been observed, he applied a different material. Care was taken to apply products only where needed, another hallmark of Integrated Pest Management practice. Once treatment was completed, Biff talked to the man of the house, reminding him to plug the entry point where ants were getting into the kitchen and dump that cache of under-the-sink pesticides. Biff also explained other observations he’d made while inspecting the property, along with what he had just done to remedy any pest situations.

Biff followed that protocol at six or seven more stops during the day: inspecting, then treating only as needed, then communicating his observations to the people who lived there, either in verbal or written form. It was a great way to witness IPM as it is practiced in the field, and it was gratifying to see how Clark Pest Control is committed to finding and applying sustainable, responsible solutions to the pest problems that everyone faces. –Jackson Griffith

Thank you Jackson for sharing your first hand experiences, Jackson will be providing many more field reports in the future so stay tuned!