World, Bed Bug Registry Map – Infestation Reports

'Bug Bombs' Ineffective Against Bedbugs

June 3, 2012 -- Bug bombs and other insect foggers may be no match for pesky bedbugs.

A new study confirms that these commonly used pesticides are ineffective against the current bedbug invasion.

"These foggers don't penetrate in cracks and crevices, where most bedbugs are hiding, so most of them will survive," researcher Susan Jones, an urban entomologist at Ohio State University, says in a news release. "If you use these products, you will not get the infestation under control, you will waste your money, and you will delay effective treatment of your infestation."

During the last decade, a growing number of bedbug infestations has been reported in hotel rooms, dormitories, and homes, prompting concern from public health officials.

Although the cause of this resurgence is unknown, experts suspect the tiny bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides.

In the study, published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, researchers evaluated the effects of three different over-the-counter insect foggers against bedbugs.

Researchers exposed five different groups of live bedbugs to the products for two hours, and found few adverse effects on the bugs. When the bugs had a place to hide, as in real-world conditions, few died as a result of exposure to the foggers.

The only exception was one group of bedbugs that died in significant numbers five to seven days after being directly exposed to one of the foggers.

But the researchers say it's very unlikely that bedbugs will be directly exposed to the mist from insect foggers because of their uncanny ability to hide in small spaces. In addition, many bedbug populations are resistant to at least some extent to the active ingredients in these products.

Excerpt from:
Foggers No Match for Bedbugs

Public release date: 3-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Susan C. Jones jones.1800@osu.edu 614-292-2752 Entomological Society of America

Consumer products known as "bug bombs" or "foggers" have been sold for decades for use against many common household insects. However, recent research published in the Journal of Economic Entomology (JEE) shows these products to be ineffective against bed bugs.

In "Ineffectiveness of Over-the-Counter Total-Release Foggers Against the Bed Bug (Heteroptera: Cimicidae)," an article appearing in the June issue of JEE, authors Susan C. Jones and Joshua L. Bryant provide the first scientific evidence that these products should not be recommended for control of this increasingly worrisome urban pest.

"There has always been this perception and feedback from the pest-management industry that over-the-counter foggers are not effective against bed bugs 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 OSU Extension. "But up until now there has been no published data regarding the efficacy of foggers against bedbugs."

Jones and research associate Joshua Bryant evaluated three different fogger brands obtained from a nationwide retailer, and experiments were conducted on five different bedbug populations. Following application of the three foggers, Jones and Bryant found little, if any, adverse effects on the bed bugs.

Because a majority of bed bugs 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 do come into contact with the mist, she added, many bed bug populations have varying degrees of resistance to the insecticides, so they will most likely survive the application.

"These foggers don't penetrate in cracks and crevices where most bed bugs are hiding, so most of them will survive," Jones said. "If you use these products, you will not get the infestation under control, you will waste your money, and you will delay effective treatment of your infestation. Bed bugs are among the most difficult and expensive urban pests to control. It typically takes a professional to do it right. Also, the ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects."

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Members of the media who would like access to the JEE article should write to pubs@entsoc.org.

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Bug-bomb foggers are no match for bed bugs

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) -

State Representative Dale Mallory (D)is worried that the bedbug problem in Cincinnati may lead to sour notes during the World Choir Games, asthousands ofvisitors willheadto the tri-state.

"The Ohio General Assembly recently passed a resolution to honor July as World Choir Games Month, and with that honor comes a responsibility to protect the residents of Cincinnati. My fear is that Cincinnati may not be remembered for hosting the best World Choir Games ever." said Rep. Mallory. "I am bringing the Joint Bed Bugs Task Force together to develop a concrete plan for Cincinnati and Hamilton County to mitigate bed bug infestations before the World Choir Games start."

Rep. Mallorysays he hopes toconvene the Task Force prior to the games, and says hewants to engage various stakeholders and interested parties in the month of June. The result of the Task Force meeting will be the blueprint and roadmap to lessening greater infestations for Cincinnati's guests during the World Choir Games, and will poise the area to put forth deliberate efforts beyond the month of July.

Rep. Mallory hopes to convene the Joint Bed Bugs Task Force within the next week and a half.

Copyright 2012 WXIX. All rights reserved.

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Local lawmaker worried about bedbugs prior to World Choir Games

The effects of Marcellus Shale drilling on our water and air were among the subjects at a conference at Oglebay Park on public health issues.

The annual conference, hosted by the Ohio County Health Department, presented experts including the man who sampled air quality at Mt. St. Helens and the Kuwait oil fires.

They spoke at length about gas drilling in the Ohio Valley.

The health experts on the panel today said wells in the area are leaking benzene, toluene, formaldehyde and xylene.

They say three wells in this area have exploded in the past.

Hundreds from the public health fields attended.

Speakers addressed how air quality could be better monitored, and how the experts feel about the proposed well to be drilled near Wheeling Park High School.

"Well, I think it's a mistake for the industry to come in and subject the students to what is really a poorly designed experiment," said Dr. Benjamin Stout of Wheeling Jesuit University. "What is our kids' health going to be like 10 or 20 years down the road?"

And Dr. Michael McCawley of West Virginia University spoke on the need for monitoring air quality.

"Of course the concerns are the volatile organic chemicals and the particulates," said McCawley. "And one of the things I've been talking about is making the concentrations in the air a transparent issue, with the monitors to be set up online, with the data available to anyone who wants to see it."

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Health Conference Focused On Everything From Shale Drilling To Bed Bugs