BED BUG TREATMENT & CONTROL JUST SPRAYING PESTICIDES IS NOT THE SOLUTION

Control of bed bugs is best achieved by following an integrated pest management (IPM) approach that involves multiple tactics, such as preventive measures, sanitation, and chemicals, steam or heat applied to targeted sites.

Bed bugs are challenging pests to control. They hide in many tiny places, so inspections and treatments must be thorough. In most cases, it will be prudent to enlist the services of a professional pest control firm.

Experienced companies know where to look for bed bugs, and have an assortment of management tools at their disposal. Owners and occupants will need to assist the professional in important ways. Affording access for inspection and treatment is essential, and excess clutter should be removed. In some cases, infested mattresses and box springs will need to be discarded. Since bed bugs can disperse throughout a building, it may also be necessary to inspect adjoining rooms and apartments.

Bed bugs were treated years ago by wholesale spraying of pesticides. This practice is no longer permitted. Thoroughness is still important, but treatments today are generally more targeted and judicious. It often takes hours to properly inspect and treat a bed bug infestation, and follow-up visits are usually required.

Infested bedding and garments will need to be bagged and laundered (120°F minimum), or discarded since these items cannot be treated with insecticides. Smaller items that cannot be laundered can sometimes be de-infested by heating. Individual items, for example, can be wrapped in black plastic bags and placed in a hot, sunny location for at least a few days (the 120°F minimum target temperature should be monitored in the centermost location with a thermometer). Bedbugs also succumb to cold temperatures below freezing, but the chilling period must be maintained for at least two weeks. Attempts to rid an entire home or apartment of bed bugs by raising or lowering the thermostat will be entirely unsuccessful. Vacuuming can be very useful for removing bugs and eggs from mattresses, carpet, walls, and other surfaces. Pay particular attention to seams, tufts and edges of mattresses and box springs, and the perimeter edge of wall-to-wall carpets. Afterward, dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed trash bag. Steam cleaning of carpets is also helpful for killing bugs and eggs that vacuuming may have missed. Repair cracks in plaster and glue down loosened wallpaper to eliminate bed bug harborage sites. Remove and destroy wild animal roosts and bird nests when possible.

While the former measures are helpful, insecticides are important for bed bug elimination. Pest control professionals treat using a variety of low-odor sprays, dusts, and aerosols. (Baits designed to control ants and cockroaches are ineffective). Application entails treating all cracks and crevices where the bugs are discovered, or tend to hide. Eliminating bed bugs from mattresses and box springs is challenging. If there are holes or tears in the fabric, the bugs and eggs may be inside, as well as outside. There also are restrictions on how beds can be treated with pesticides. For these reasons, pest control firms often recommend that infested beds be discarded. If disposal isn’t an option, encasing the mattress and box spring will be helpful if bugs are still present. (Allergy supply companies sell zippered bed encasements for dust mite prevention). Some pest control firms treat seams, tufts, and crevices of bed components, but they will not spray the mattress surface, bed sheets, blankets, or clothing. Vacuuming and brushing will further help to remove bugs and eggs from mattresses and box springs that cannot be discarded. Some pest control firms also treat beds with portable steam machines. The technique is useful as it kills bugs and their eggs.

Insecticides

Just spraying pesticides is not the solution! Residual insecticides (usually pyrethroids) are applied as spot treatments to cracks and crevices where bed bugs are hiding. Increased penetration of the insecticide into cracks and crevices can be achieved if accumulated dirt and debris are first removed using a vacuum cleaner. Many readily available aerosol pesticide sprays will cause bed bugs to scatter making eradication more difficult. Dust formulations may be used to treat wall voids and attics. Repeat insecticide applications if bed bugs are present two weeks after the initial treatment since it is difficult to find all hiding places and hidden eggs may have hatched.

Insecticides should not be used  on bedding or linens. These items should be dry cleaned or laundered in hot water and dried using the “hot” setting

Life cycle of the bed bug,

Starting from the top left, moving counter clockwise: eggs (1mm), 1^ststage nymph (1.5 mm), 2^nd stage nymph (2 mm), 3^rd stage nymph (2.5 mm), 4^th stage nymph (3 mm), 5th stage nymph (1.5 mm), unfed adult (5.5 mm), and fed adult.

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 Over-the-counter Foggers  Ineffective Against Bedbugs: Ohio University Study

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State University entomologists have found that over-the-counter foggers or “bug bombs” commonly used by consumers are not effective at killing bedbugs — providing the first scientific evidence that such products should not be recommended for control of this increasingly worrisome, bloodsucking pest.   The study appears in the June 2012 issue of the Journal of Economic Entomology, a peer-reviewed publication of the Entomological Society of America.   “There has always been this perception and feedback from the pest-management industry that over-the-counter foggers are not effective against bedbugs and might make matters worse,” said Susan Jones, an urban entomologist with the university’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and a household and structural pest specialist with Ohio State University Extension. “But up until, now there has been no published data regarding the efficacy of foggers against bedbugs.”

Because a majority of bedbugs spend most of the time hiding in protected sites (under sheets and mattresses, in cracks and crevices, deep inside carpets, etc.), Jones said it is very unlikely that they will be exposed to the insecticide mist from foggers. And even if they come into contact with the mist, she added, many bedbug populations found in Ohio and throughout the U.S. have varying degrees of resistance to pyrethroids and will most likely survive application.

“Bug Bombs” or total release aerosol insecticides never work for bed bugs and can be very dangerous when used.

Prevention

The mobile nature of bed bugs limits their prevention. Avoidance is especially challenging in hotels, motels, and apartments because occupants and their belongings are constantly changing. This affords many opportunities for the bugs to be introduced. Householders should be wary of acquiring secondhand beds, bedding, and furniture. At a minimum, such items should be examined closely before being brought into the home. When traveling in countries where bed bugs are prevalent, it might be prudent to examine the bed and headboard area for signs of the bugs, and elevate luggage off the floor.  Warehouses, storage facilities, trucks and railroad cars may be infested so common bed bugs can infest homes by stowing away on new furniture stored or shipped from these places. Familiarity may help to avoid infestation, or at least prompt earlier intervention by a professional.

An Expert’s Opinion

Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture:

“Bed bugs are challenging pests to control. They hide in many tiny places, so inspections and treatments must be very thorough. In most cases, it will be prudent to enlist the services of a professional pest control firm. Experienced companies know where to look for bed bugs, and have an assortment of management tools at their disposal.”JuJu

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How to Avoid Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are opportunistic creatures. They’re small and can get into your home without being noticed. Some might hide in your clothing, or creep through cracks in the walls or come in along wiring conduits and pipes. They’ve even been known to get in via luggage or on used furniture. The best ways to avoid bed bugs start here, although there are many ways you can prevent an infestation.
Check Everything Brought Home
Since they can be anywhere, you should always be on the lookout for these insects. Wash and dry clothes on hot settings if you have any suspicion whatsoever you’ve been exposed. If you can’t get to a laundry machine, then seal items in a plastic bag until that’s possible.
Also check every surface, bed, and piece of furniture where you travel. Bed bugs have infested small motel rooms and even 5-star hotels. Try to keep the suitcase off the floor. Inspect all your items before you leave. It only takes a handful, or just one pregnant female, to begin an infestation somewhere else. Plus, they can live for months without feeding so a day or two in transit won’t hurt.
Some people are tempted to save money by claiming old mattresses, upholstered furniture, or beds off the street. This is generally a bad idea. You’re likely to spend more on bed bug remediation later on. These items may have been thrown out because they were infested in the first place.
Even if you rent furniture from a reputable source, be sure to check it thoroughly. Bugs can get in during transit or be there without anyone knowing it.
Stay Clean
Keeping your home clean and uncluttered is good for many reasons. If you have too many things lying around, it makes your home unsightly and also gives bed bugs more hiding places. It pays off in many ways to be neat.
In addition, sheets, blankets, and clothing that comes in contact with the floor should be washed regularly and dried with heat. The laundry bin and hamper are safe havens. Clean these as well with each laundry. Washing can significantly reduce the number of bugs and prevent them from getting out of control.
Regular vacuuming is effective as well. It can suck up insects and their eggs from mattresses, carpeting, furniture, and more, but during infestations, it’s not a cure-all. If you suspect bed bugs are present, remove the bag afterwards, seal it, and throw it away outside. Bagless vacuums should be cleaned thoroughly before stored or used again.
DIY In the Home
Purchase a caulking material and seal up any cracks or crevices you see. These only have to be as wide as a credit card for bed bugs to crawl through. This is a good idea even if you’ve never had bed bugs and can stop other pests as well. The smallest spaces can allow uninvited guests to come in from other apartments, outside, and other rooms of your home.
If you know what to look for, you can detect bed bugs early. Droppings, tiny eggs, and blood stains can be found on any surface. They’re generally prone to staying within 20 feet of sleeping areas or anywhere you commonly stay. Record your findings as this can help a pest control technician greatly.
If You See a Bed Bug
There are many insects that look similar. A technique for confirming a bed bug is to use a clear piece of tape. Attach the bug to it and stick that on white paper. Now you can check it against pictures of bed bugs or consult with a pest control professional.
While the problem is widespread and ugly, it’s important not to panic. You can still avoid an infestation. Call a pest expert or your landlord right away so even a small problem can be dealt with promptly. Many people try to get rid of these pests alone, in haste, which ends up spreading them and making the issue much worse.
Prevention Is Key
There are many methods on how to avoid bed bugs. Clean habits and being vigilant about anything brought home, even luggage, will help to keep them out. After all, the best bed bug treatment is prevention.

But if you are really want to get rid of bed bugs today there is only one thing that has been proven to work instantly. It's a bed bug extermination

Bed bugs repulsed by certain colours

Bed bugs appear to have a strong preference for particular colours – a quirk that could be used against the troublesome pests, say scientists.
According to the work in the Journal of Medical Entomology, the blood-sucking insects love black and red but hate yellow and green.
This information could help make better traps to lure and catch the bugs.
But it is too soon to say if yellow sheets can stop them nesting in your bed, say the US researchers.
Bed bugs are tiny and they like to live close to their next meal – your blood. They can hide in the seam of your mattress or a joint in your bed frame. They tend to prefer fabric and wood over plastic and metal.
But Dr Corraine McNeill and colleagues wanted to find out if colours affected where bed bugs might dwell.
They carried out a series of experiments in their lab, placing bed bugs in dishes with different colour shelters made out of card.
Rather than taking cover at random, the bugs appeared to select the shelters according to their colour, showing a preference for black and red.
Dr McNeill said: “We originally thought the bed bugs might prefer red because blood is red and that’s what they feed on.
“However, after doing the study, the main reason we think they preferred red colours is because bed bug themselves appear red, so they go to these harborages because they want to be with other bed bugs.”
The bugs appeared to dislike yellow and green shelters, possibly because these bright colours remind them of brightly lit areas that are less safe to hide in, say the researchers.
Past studies have found these two colours are unattractive to other blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes and sandflies.
Dr McNeill said: “I always joke with people, ‘Make sure you get yellow sheets!’ But to be very honest, I think that would be stretching the results a little too much.
“I don’t know how far I would go to say don’t get a red suitcase or red sheets, but the research hasn’t been done yet, so we can’t really rule that out completely.”