Pests are bothersome, annoying and potentially dangerous creatures that you do not want in your home. Current events are all about bed bugs but let’s not dismiss the ongoing run-of-the-mill everyday battles with ants, stink bugs, roaches, silverfish, etc.
However there is a growing pest problem so small that you can’t even see it. People who have this pest feel strange crawling and biting sensations and there is no evidence of a bug on their bodies. Doctors tell them ‘it’s all in your head’ which further exacerbates their frustrations. Imagine invisible bugs crawling on your body, feeling their bites and then having no one believe you?
This phenomenon has been dubbed Invisible Bug Biting Syndrome, or IBBS, by Richard “The Bugman” Fagerlund who is one of the country’s leading experts on Natural Pest Control and noted columnist of “Ask the Bugman”. Richard has seen this situation many times and the frequency is growing. What used to be one or two inquiries a month has grown to more than 3 inquiries about it each week. He realized a while back this situation deserved a title all its own and began the task of solving it.
The letters and e-mails from people all have common threads of frustration, desperation, and hopelessness having been to multiple sources looking for help. Pest Control companies have been called in yet say they can’t see a pest. Dermatologists throw up their hands as they cannot see a pest.
So what is it? Well, many thanks to the investigative skills of Richard Fagerlund as well as his compassion for those suffering as the cause of many cases of IBBS have been solved. In a word – Mites.
Mites. Really? We’ve all heard of mites – typically in terms of Dust Mites and yes, we all know they are microscopic. But the sensations of biting and crawling don’t apply. And this isn’t spider mites, the tiny red dots that infect conifers. No we are talking about parasitic mites that typically live on other animals and feed on humans as a last resort.
Rat Mites or Bird Mites in particular are common causes of IBBS. Let’s say you have birds nesting in the eaves of your house or rats that take up residence inside your crawl space. These animals carry mites. As the Homeowner, you take action to get rid of these animals or for some reason they leave. Unfortunately for you, the mites stayed behind and are now hungry for blood.
It takes a while for an infestation to get to the level of IBBS but then again, it is an invisible, growing menace no one can see so how can you tell it exists much less that it is getting worse? The only true way to accurately diagnose these mites is to use scotch tape and dab it against skin when the sensation of crawling and biting is occurring. Then that tape must be looked at under a strong microscope. Don’t even think about a magnifying glass or even your average run-of-the-mill microscope will do. No, these mites are exceptionally small and need a high-powered lens just to be able to see them. And sorry to be a little gross here to illustrate, but the scotch tape viewed under a decent microscope can reveal a very high volume of mites and to think it is only one small area of the skin…
But here is the good news – IBBS is easily treated and the treatment is perfectly safe! Greenbug for People will wipe these IBBS babies out like flipping a switch. It is the exact same directions and protocol for treating bed bugs which requires using a fogger in order to penetrate all the nooks and crannies of an infested home. But it is easy enough for a homeowner to do and is completely non-toxic. Greenbug offers an all natural, completely safe AND effective solution to this problem!
And just in case an exterminator decides to treat for some unseen pest (which is illegal by the way as you cannot apply registered pesticides unless you have a specific targeted pest) but in the event that an IBBS sufferer is taken seriously to the point of receiving an application of synthetic pesticide – it won’t work. Mites have developed pesticide resistance to all but the very strongest and most lethal chemical pesticides available for use. In other words, the use of synthetic chemical pesticides will do nothing but put poison in your home.
So many thanks to the research of Richard “The Bugman” Fagerlund and now thanks to the harnessing of Nature’s greatest pest-fighting substance by Greenbug; those who suffer from unexplained sensations of biting and crawling pests can be heard and a solution found. So no, it’s not “all in your head”. IBBS is real and the frustrations and desperation it causes are now recognized and control is available.
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Kay Cushyman says:
April 19, 2012 at 5:46 pm (UTC -4)
I had a mite infestation in my horse barn last summer after the barn swallow left…I am using greenbug now on a weekly basis and spray all nesting sites plus I spray my 6 horses every day to keep all bugs away from them. My daughter in VT says it works on keeping ants out of her kitchen too.
Paul says:
August 10, 2012 at 7:39 am (UTC -4)
Hi, how can i purchase greenbug products if i’m from UK?
Louise says:
August 21, 2012 at 9:40 am (UTC -4)
We have not received permission to ship to the UK yet. Our products are completely safe and natural yet in the world of shipping, they are classified as pesticides which inherently implies danger. We are approved to sell in Canada and the US as of right now. If you know someone in either country who can order it for you we can sell to them who can ship to you.
Helena says:
August 20, 2012 at 11:13 pm (UTC -4)
I just finished fumigating my small apartment with a box containing three fogging products recommended for roaches, ticks, fleas, etc. My apartment is small so I went ahead and used them all. The day after I cleaned every corner of my place,then I sat down by computer desk. Suddenly I felt something jumping to my legs, biting me hard that made me jump, I thought I had brought in a mosquito from outside. Then two minutes later, I felt it again, and again but couldn’t see anything. To my frustration, I filled up half way a small container with warm water, and placed it by my feet. I believe the fogging session did not help to rid of all bugs, but what I know is that these invisible to the naked eye bugs are driving me crazy. I felt them jumping my to feet and legs, and stinging as I immediately slapped the spot. They became more aggressive right after the fumigation, and to my surprise I was able to barely see with a magnifying glass- a great amount of fuzzy little legs with wings inside the container. The container will be taken to a specialist.
Louise says:
August 21, 2012 at 9:34 am (UTC -4)
Greenbug used in a fogger would wipe those pests out right away! It really sounds like you have mites which are not affected by insecticides at all (as they are mites, not insects). Greenbug would kill all the adult mites within seconds and then destroy the next generation of mites within a few hours. However, the fogger is key so it can penetrate into all the nooks and crannies to get every last one of them. Good luck!
Helena says:
September 12, 2012 at 8:58 am (UTC -4)
To the mites sufferers: Cartons or boxes full of paper, although sealed, accumulate dust no matter how much you clean. There is where the mites grow! I removed the box from the area and took it to my porch, and transferred the container into a plastic container, added pine chips and sealed it. The old box went to the garbage. Then I vacuumed and mopped thoroughly the area and surroundings with a solution (1/3 Clorox and 3/4 water) for four consecutive days. I have not seen ANY of them any longer, wuaaaaaaah, what a relief! You should try but careful with the Clorox for it may discolor your furniture or any other material. Good luck!
Louise says:
January 2, 2013 at 1:02 pm (UTC -4)
If you treated with chemical insecticides, it is very possible to develop reactions. Greenbug products are completely green so they take care of the pests without causing these side effects. Good luck to you!