Free advice

Today marked the fourth time now that I participated in the packaging and removal of all, thats' all of the worldly belongings of an entire family.

Three of these families hailed from public housing, while the other did not reside in public housing. But the one thing they all have in commom was when they realized they had an issue with bedbugs, they decided to self-treat with products from the local big box hardware store rather than seek professional help.

And by professional help, I don't necessarily mean pest control operators. The staff and management of most public and private housing complexes can be considered as much---professional help---since they too have been coming up to speed on all things bedbugs from an educational standpoint. One of these folks told me just today, "We'll be dealing with this for the rest of our lives," with no argument offered by me.

Below: 38 contractor bags and counting...

It's depressing to remove every single thing that a family owned only hours before with the knowledge that all of it is headed for the trash heap. Clothes. Furniture. Toys. Electronic devices. All of it.

And my only point, the advice I offer is to run screaming for professional help if you even suspect you have an issue with the most resilient of the blood-sucking invaders.

As for this other apartment pictured below, they are asking for serious trouble with other sorts of pests.

29 days 'til termite season. Thank goodness!

Later