VA: Virginia Offers Bed Bug Forums
News Date August 31, 2010
Because bed bugs are quickly becoming the leading public health pest of the 21st Century, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) recently developed a Bed Bug Outreach and Education Project and hosted a series of Bed Bug Forums across the state. The project was funded through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Forums, which were held in Alexandria, Dulles, Norfolk, Richmond and Roanoke, provided attendees with basic information regarding the biology of bed bugs, the health significance of the pest, inspection and current treatment methods and challenges of bed bug management, and also suggested best management practices.
More than 340 people attended the Forums, representing pest management professionals, housing services including management associations for multifamily housing, members of the hospitality industry, public agencies and other individuals and groups interested in bed bug biology and management. "The resurgence of bed bugs in recent years has brought the pest from the shadows to the limelight," said Matthew J. Lohr, VDACS Commissioner. "A few years ago, no one admitted to having an infestation, but now there is a growing, collective effort to prevent, control and eradicate the pest." (Click here for more).