Author Archives: Pest Controller

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. (see professionals who specialize in bedbug control)

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 (120F 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 120F 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 isnt 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, but does not kill bugs or eggs that are hidden inside the box spring or mattress.

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.

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

COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State University entomologists have found that over-the-counter foggers or bug bombs commonly usedby consumers are not effective at killing bedbugs providing the first scientific evidence that such products should not berecommended for control of this increasingly worrisome, bloodsucking pest. The study appears in the June 2012 issue of theJournal of Economic Entomology, a peer-reviewed publication of the EntomologicalSociety of America. There has always been this perception and feedback from the pest-management industry that over-the-counter foggers are not effectiveagainst bedbugs and might make matters worse, said Susan Jones, an urban entomologist with the universitys Ohio AgriculturalResearch 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 theycome into contact with the mist, she added, many bedbug populations found in Ohio and throughout the U.S. have varying degrees ofresistance 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.

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.

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 v
ery 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.

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See the article here:
Canadian Bed Bug Site-Lots of disgusting images

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Bed bug infestation can be devastating to a homeowner for a few reasons:

Many ask what the best bed bug spray is on the market, because they think these are just like ants, mosquitoes, or any other bug that you can simply spray away. Unfortunately that isnt always the case. That said, if you simply cant afford a professional bed bug treatment then your quest for how to kill bed bugs yourself should start bylooking for a quality bed bug spray.

We had a personal bed bug scare recently, when my wife started getting bumps on her ankles and arms when she woke up. Id been sleeping in the same bed, but didnt notice any bites on my side. (Although anytime we started talking about it, I randomly started to get itchy out of paranoia.)

We just had a new baby and had only been home from the hospital a couple of days, so I was concerned about my kids in particular. I called a reputable bed bug company in town and the lady was able to give me some information on what to expect.

They had 2 treatment options, one was an initial treatment with weekly follow-ups for 6 8 weeks or until all bed bugs were gone. This was going to cost around $1,500. The other was a gas that they could use in the house, while it was air sealed for 48 hours. Obviously you couldnt come in your house for 2 days, but this would kill all bed bugs and their eggs in that time frame. This treatment was going to be $2,000 $5,000 depending on the size of our house.

I was devastated!

Luckily, we figured out that my wife wasnt being bitten at all. Instead it was an allergic reaction to some medicine she had been taking.

Benadryll is much cheaper than bed bug treatments.

The EcoRaider Bed Bug Sprayis our top choice for DIYers, and astudy at Rutgers University agrees.They found that this spray was the only one tested to have a 100% mortality rate after 10 days.

In this test, the bugs were laid out in a way to where all the sprays would have an equal opportunity to kill them. The problem in real life is that bed bugs are notorious about finding their way into small crevices, inside of mattresses, and other spots where spraying them would be near impossible.

Nevertheless, if you have no money and a bed bug problem EcoRaider should be your first choice.

All Stop Dead Bed Bugs is a spray that will kill both bed bugs and their eggs on contact. One of the concerns with bed bug sprays is the toxicity of them, particularly since you are going to be applying it to your mattress. All Stop is an eco friendly product with no harmful chemicals included, so you can sleep safe.

Rest Easy Bed Bug Travel Spray is another quality option for the DIY bed bug fighter. It comes in a twin pack, with smaller spray bottles that could easily be packed away in your suitcase. As you know, bed bugs in hotels can be a big problem because of the large variety and quantity of guests staying in those rooms. Here are some tips from Purdue if you think you may have had bed bugs in your hotel room.

Rest Easy spray also promotes itself as a green product, with environmentally friendly ingredients. Here is a short list of pros and cons about using this as a bed bug solution:

Most experts agree that a true bed bug infestation requires professional assistance. But if you dont have the money, then you simply dont have the money. Youre right to be looking for the best bed bug spray as a first step, and to be thinking about other DIY solutions you can implement.

Many professionals will tell you that heat can kill bed bugs. Often if you are having an assessment done, one of the steps is to take all the linens and clothes nearby and put them in the dryer. Typically drying it on high for 10 20 minuteswill be sufficient to kill the bugs that may have been nested in those materials. Extreme cold can kill bed bugs as well, but not nearly as effectively as heat. The main reason is that they would need to be in cold temperatures for an extended period of time, which often isnt practical for a home owner.

A couple of other things to keep an eye out for are bed bug trapsand pillow protectors.Both are relatively affordable ways to mitigate your bed bug problem. There is also some other great reading material to learn more about what you can do to prevent and fight bed bugs on your own:

Texas A&M Article

Bed Bug Killers At Home

UMN Research on Controlling and Prevention

The rest is here:
Best Bed Bug Spray Reviews: How To Kill Bed Bugs Yourself