Category Archives: Bed Bugs Texas

Bed bugs are universal pests of humans and domestic animals, as well as of bats, birds, and various other mammals. The sole food of bed bugs is the blood of warm-blooded animals. Common names used for the bed bug include mahogany flat, chinch, and red coat.

Prior to World War II, bed bug infestations were common. Since the development of synthetic organic insecticides such as DDT and chlordane almost 70 years ago, bed bug infestations in buildings have declined significantly - almost disappeared. In fact, in the United States, bed bug infestations have been exceedingly rare - almost non-existent - until a few years ago.

Today, bedbugs can be found in every State in the United States, and almost every city. Bedbugs are so common now that the federal government considers them almost "epidemic". The National Pest Management Association has declared war on bed bugs and has held bedbug meetings all across the Nation to help educate pest control companies in an effort to help control them.

The most frequent bed bug encountered in the United States is Cimes lectularius, the common bed bug. However, one other bed bug species occasionally found in the southern United States, is Cimex hemiperus, the tropical bed bug. Both of these species are oval, flat and reddish brown. They range from one-fourth inch to five-eighths inch in length. Nymphs and adults have piercing-sucking mouthparts and are incapable of flight. However, small stubby wing remnants can be observed on the adults.

In laboratory tests, bed bugs have been found to carry the causative agents for several diseases, such as anthrax, plague, tularemia, yellow fever, relapsing fever, and typhus. However, there is little evidence that they carry these disease organisms under normal conditions, so they are not considered an important factor in disease transmission.

Occasionally, you might find other bugs which resemble the common bed bug including the bat bug and swallow bug. Both of these species superficially resemble the common bed bug. However, their primary hosts are bats and birds and there are small but diagnostic morphological differences. Problem infestations with these bugs may occur in attics or unused chimneys. Typically, when one host is gone these bugs seek an alternative host blood meal. This is when humans are bitten. It is important to differentiate between the common bed bug and other bugs that feed on bats and birds because control efforts can be targeted at the wrong sites and infestations can continue.

Bed bugs have an odor that in pronounced and in severe infestations has been described as an "obnoxious sweetness". Harborage sites are marked by brown or black spots of dried blood on surfaces where bugs rest.

Bed bugs are very hardy insects. Both adults and nymphs can survive prolonged periods without food or under adverse temperature conditions. Adults can live for a year or longer without feeding and can survive over winter in an unheated building. Nymphs are not as hardy as adults, but they can survive for considerable periods under adverse conditions.

An adult bed bug is about 1/5 inch long and 1/8 inch wide. Its reddish brown to mahogany-colored body is greatly flattened and oval shaped. After feeding, the bug's body enlarges considerably, becoming longer and much less flattened. Although the body is covered with tiny hairs, these hairs are so small that they are almost invisible to the naked eye, so the general body appearance is shiny. Bed bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts that enable them to pierce the skin and suck blood from their hosts.

Bed bug females lay between 200 and 500 eggs during their lifetime in batches of three to four eggs per day. These eggs hatch after 6 to 17 days. Nymphal bed bugs molt five to six times before becoming adults. Under the best conditions, the life cycle is complete in four to five weeks, but since ideal conditions are rarely found it can take four to five months. Adult bed bugs can live 10 months or more without food. Nymphal bed bugs are known to survive for more than two months without feeding.

Bed bugs tend to live in clusters similar to German cockroaches. Adult bed bugs generally travel 15 to 20 feet, or less, from their harborage sites. Common bed bugs feed on human blood just below the surface of the skin with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Those bitten by a bed bug may develop small, white to red, hard welts at the bite site. These bites itch intensely.

Bed bugs feed exclusively at night. They take approximately three to five minutes to engorge on blood. Once feeding is complete, they return to their harborage. Feedings take place every few days and nymphs require approximately six blood meals for complete development. Humans are the preferred host for the common bed bug, but it will feed readily on other animals, such as poultry, mice, rats, canaries, dogs, and cats, when necessary. Normally the bugs feed at night, but they will feed during daylight hours in places such as theaters, offices, and rest rooms that are not ordinarily used at night.

1. Perform an extensive bed bug inspection

This includes identifying the bed bugs, assessing the structure and considering your treatment strategy. Bed bugs generally hide in cracks and crevices during normal daylight hours. They enter such areas easily because of their extremely flattened bodies. Typical hiding places are in the folds and tufts of mattresses, coils of springs, cracks and hollow posts of bedsteads, and upholstery of chairs and sofas. However, they are not restricted to these places. In heavy infestations, bed bugs are frequently found in places such as behind loose wallpaper, behind pictures on the wall, under door and window casings, behind baseboards, and even in light fixtures or medicine cabinets. When inspecting for bed bugs, you must look in any place that offers darkness, isolation, and protection.

2. Prepare your home for bed bug treatment

Bed bugs are tough to control. They hide in many places - in beds, closets, furniture, behind pictures, in tiny cracks in the walls, and even inside the walls - so inspections and treatments must be thorough. Before you can treat your home for bedbugs, you must prepare it.

Disassemble your beds - remove all sheets, blankets, mattress covers, pillowcases, etc. from your beds and wash thoroughly. Fold them and place them in plastic garbage bags. Do not put them back on the bed until after the treatment.

Remove everything from bedroom and closets. Your closets must be empty. Empty all dresser drawers and night stand drawers. Take everything out of nightstands and other furniture near the beds. Dresser drawers and nightstands must be empty. Remove all clothing, toys, boxes, etc. from bedroom floors. Place items in the living room.

Wash ALL clothing, towels, and other linens. This means everything. After washing, place the clean items inside plastic storage bins or plastic garbage bags. Store them in your living room until after treatment.

Vacuum floors, furniture, inside closets, dresser drawers, and bed stands. Also vacuum mattresses and box springs. Dispose of vacuum bag outdoors.

Move furniture away from walls. Make sure you can get into all closets. If possible, move bedroom furniture away from walls so there is a 3 foot space between the furniture and walls. You need plenty of room to be able to treat and inspect.

Pull carpet edges back from walls. Being careful, take a pair pliers and gently grab the corners of the carpet and pull the carpet back about 1 foot. Do this one wall at time during treatment. After treatment as described below, replace the carpet and tuck under the baseboards. If you do this 1 wall at time you will not usually need to re-stretch the carpet.

3. What to spray and how to treat for Bed Bugs

Your thoroughness in your treatment is as important as your thoroughness during inspection. Beg Bug treatment can begin after you remove the bedding, disassemble the bed, empty nightstands, pull up carpet edge and vacuum.

Dust the wall voids. Bed bugs can often travel from room to room, especially in apartments, hotels and condo's. They travel along electrical wiring and plumbing lines. Specifically treat wall voids with a hand duster either by removing wall switch plate covers and/or drill access holes discreetly between studs. Cimexa Dust or Delta Dust are excellent choices for void applications. It kills populations in walls and voids and creates a repellent, hostile environment which reduces the likelihood of bed bugs traveling through voids to other areas. Use a small hand type duster to "puff" insecticidal dusts into these areas. A light coating is all that is needed. To much dust and the bed bugs will just crawl around it.

Dust every crack and crevice. Every crack and crevice, electrical switch plate, wall switch - EVERYTHING - within 10 to 15 feet of the bed should be treated, particularly those closest to the bed. Use the "running method" of moving the application tip along the length of the crack. Look for cracks from the ground level to the ceiling as you treat each section of the room. Use Cimexa Dust or Delta Dust. If you make a mess, simply wipe it up. To much insecticide is better than too little for bed bug control.

Treat mattress box spring and furniture voids with Cimexa Dust or Delta Dust. Turn bed box springs over and remove the cloth cover seal. Thoroughly inspect and treat the box springs area with insecticidal dust. After treatment replace the cloth cover seal with staples or screws. Hollow bed-frames, platforms, headboards and any other voids discovered during inspection should also be treated where possible. The upper mattress can be sprayed and treated with Bedlam Plus, Zenprox or Sterifab.

Apply residual Bed Bug Insecticide Spray. After every crack, crevice, switch plate, electrical switch, baseboard, box springs, mattress, etc, has been treated and everything is put back, it is time for the residual treatment. Using a hand held sprayer such as the Chapin Sure Spray apply Optimate, Cy-Kick, Suspend SC or Demand along the baseboards in the bedroom and closet, under and around the bed, behind the headboard, inside bed stands etc.

Do not spray these products directly onto the Mattress or box spring, only Bedlam Plus, Zenprox or Sterifab should be used on mattresses and on box springs. After spraying, wait until all surfaces are dried before putting everything back and continuing your treatment.

Encase Mattresses and use bed bug interceptor traps on bed frames. After everything is put back and all pesticides are dried, vacuum the area again to remove any dead or dying bedbugs and to pick up any spilled dust or pesticide. Be sure to throw the vacuum cleaner bag away outdoors. A thorough treatment is essential to achieve adequate control. It is usually desirable to apply insecticides for bed bugs early in the day, so that insecticide spray residues will have several hours to dry, or dusts will have time to settle, before the room will be used again for sleeping. As a safety consideration it is particularly important to dry and cover mattresses completely before they are reused. A mattress encasement such as The Elite Zippered Mattress and Boxspring Encasement should be used to cover and conceal the mattress and the boxsprings. It is important to use a quality zippered encasement (cover) with a special zipper closure to make sure that bedbugs do not crawl out of the zipper opening.

Bed Bugs can re-infest your freshly treated bed, so be sure to stop them from crawling up the bed posts by using Climb-Up Bed Bug Insect Interceptors. The Climb-Up Insect Interceptor is a small dish that is placed under the bed post and captures bedbugs in a a powder coated ring. These type of bed bug traps are very effective and should be used on every bed to help make a complete bed bug proof bed.

Monitor Bed Bug movement with Traps. Bed Bug traps don't work to control bed bugs - they only monitor bed bug movement. Try using Catchmaster 288i Professional Bug Traps by placing them against walls, behind furniture, sticking them under bedframes (yes they work upside down), and anywhere you think bed bugs could be crawling to get back to the bed. Inspect these traps every few days. If you capture bed bugs, then you may have to retreat and do this entire procedure over again. If the traps are empty, then pat yourself on the back for a job well done, but don't think that bed bugs are gone forever. They could be walking around the trap or just waiting for the comforter to hit floor before they climb back into bed!

The best bed bug traps are those that are used under the bed. The Climb-Up Bed Bug Interceptor is placed below the bed frame rollers or legs. The Climb-Up prevents bed bugs from being able to crawl either from the bed to the floor or from the floor to the bed. The Climb-Up works very well at isolating the bed from the floor and making it bed bug proof. As long as the comforter or some other linen is not touching the floor, then the bed is protected.

Other bed bug traps include Pro Pest Bed Bug Monitor. These bed bug traps are actually mattress traps. They are placed in between the mattress and box spring to capture bed bugs.

To use heat or not to heat? While not always successful, there are other methods of bed bug control. For example, using heat above 98 F is lethal to bed bugs. This type of treatment should usually be peformed by an experienced company since great damage can be done to walls, furniture, flooring, etc, not to mention that you need the proper equipment to be able to perform it. If you are interested in hiring a company to perform a heat treatment, contact us for recommendations for companies in your area.

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Bed Bugs - How To Kill and Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Table of Contents What are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are small, wingless insects that have not been known to transmit disease. Adult bed bugs have flat, oval shaped bodies. They are between 1 to 7 millimeters in length (about the size of an apple seed). The size of an adult bed bug varies, because their bodies become larger after a blood meal. After eating they change to a reddish color. Bed bugs are usually active at night and bite humans and animals while they are sleeping. They can live several months without feeding.

Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

Bed bugs can be found anywhere, such as houses, apartments, group living situations, hospitals, hotels/motels, and public transportation vehicles. These places have areas where people sleep or spend significant amounts of time. Their usual hiding places are in seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and along and/or directly behind headboards. Once a bed bug population multiplies, they can be found: behind baseboards; in cracks and crevices in furniture, floors, or walls; under cluttered areas; and in electronic appliances. A bed bug infestation is apparent by noticing black or brown spots (which are their waste products) on surfaces. The eggs, egg shells, and exoskeletons of the bed bugs can be found in their hiding places as well. Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

Because bed bugs can be found in homes and a variety of public places, they can easily be transported from place to place by people. They can hide in the seams of luggage and in the folds of clothing. They can also be transported in furniture.

Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, but many people have mild to severe allergic reactions to the bites. Bed bug bite marks usually appear on the face, neck, arms, hands, but can appear on other body parts. The marks are slightly swollen, red areas that can itch or be irritating.

It usually takes multiple visits by licensed pest control operator who has experience in elimination of bed bugs. Please seek the advice of a licensed pest control operator for treatment options. Over the counter foggers and pesticides will not eliminate bed bugs.

If you are experiencing bed bug bites and feel that you are having an allergic reaction, please contact your physician. Topical antihistamine or anti-inflammatory medication may provide relief.

Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

If you suspect your apartment may be infested with bed bugs:

Bed bugs prefer an environment where they can hide during the day and come out at night to feed. Most schools or daycare settings do not offer this type of environment; however, bed bugs can hide in clothing and personal belongings such as backpacks and lunch bags. This provides them an opportunity to migrate and spread to other individuals.

Schools are required to have a school Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) in place that should address all forms of pests. Trained staff should be available to identify bed bugs in the classroom, on childrens items, and be able to identify bed bug bites on children. Please treat students respectfully and handle the situations discreetly. Information should be sent to students for their families and educational seminars should be held for the benefit of the school community.

Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

In some cases bed bugs are unknowingly brought into hotels in luggage, clothing, blankets and pillows from hotel guests. Hotels with high turnover are especially vulnerable to infestation. No hotel is immune to a bed bug infestation.

Several steps may be taken to reduce the incidence of bed bugs in a hotel:

Remember over the counter pesticides and foggers are NOT Effective treatments for bed bugs.

Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

Be careful when you travel. You can come into contact with bed bugs anywhere. Here are some tips that may help you while traveling.

Click on picture for a larger view Photo courtesy of Louis N Sorkin, BCE

A good Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach should utilize all possible methods of prevention and treatment available that reduce the risk of pesticide exposure. Facilities should have an IPM plan in place to deal with bed bug issues before they become a problem. IPM methods include:

Once bed bugs have been identified:

More here:
Bed Bugs - Public Health Sanitation Program - dshs.texas.gov

Bed bug problems are becoming more common in apartment communities. More than ever, its important for tenants and landlords to understand these insects and what it takes to eliminate them from apartments.

Bed bugs are tiny insects that live by feeding on human blood, usually at night. They are secretive, hiding in cracks and crevices during the day, and coming out at night to feed. The bite of the bed bug is painless and may or may not leave a red mark or itchiness.

Bed bugs are small, and come out mostly at night.

Because of their small size and painless bite, bed bugs may initially go unnoticed. If you notice that you are waking up with itchy welts, see tiny red spots on bedding, or think you have seen the bugs, you may have a problem. Bed bugs do not have nests, but will congregate in choice hiding places. These areas may be marked by tiny dark spots and stains, and may have a sweetish odor.

Fortunately bed bugs are not known to carry any diseases to humans, although some people may experience irritation or allergic reactions to bed bug bites. Mostly bed bugs are considered disgusting and can be a source of stress and concern for people living in infested apartments.

Bed bug in textured ceiling with droppings (upper right, lower right and lower left) around harborage between popcorn texture.

Bed bugs are no longer an unusual pestin apartments. Since approximately 2000, bed bugs have reemerged as an important pest in the United States. Bed bugs are occasionally introduced into an apartment via luggage that has become infested from a hotel or hostel. In apartment complexes, it is probably more common for bed bugs to enter a home from a nearby infested apartment, during moving, or through picking up used or recycled furniture or mattresses. Once introduced into an apartment building, bed bugs can readily spread from one infested unit to another.

If you think you see a bed bug, capture it if possible. Place in a leak-proof container, preferably with a little rubbing alcohol, and show it to your apartment manager to confirm its identity. Even if you cannot capture one of the insects, you should inform your building manager if you suspect you have a bed bug problem.

When beg bugs are found in one apartment unit, it is considered standard practice in the pest control industry to inspect all apartments surrounding the infested apartment. If no bed bugs are found, surrounding apartments do not necessarily need to be treated. But if an adjacent apartment is found infested, it should be treated and all adjacent apartments should also be inspected (see next question).

If you live in an apartment or condominium, its best to alert the property manager right away (preferably by phone and in writing). In multi-family housing a manager-coordinated bed bug control effort using a pest control company is generally needed. Bed bugs readily move from apartment to apartment, with many people unaware that they have a problem, so chances are that you will not eliminate a bed bug problem by yourself. If one apartment is infested, adjoining units (left side, right side, above and below) should be assumed to be infested unless shown otherwise through inspection or monitoring. Simply asking tenants whether they have bed bugs is not enough. In one study only half of residents in a large apartment with bed bugs knew (or admitted) they had a bed bug problem.

Bed bug treatment consists of a thorough inspection followed by vacuuming and treatment of all detected bug hiding spots. Treatment is labor intensive and may take several hours per apartment. It will also probably require several visits and treatments to permanently get rid of a bed bug problem.

In Texas, multifamily housing, hotels, orany business providing lodging must be treated for pests by a licensed pesticide applicator. So unless the apartment employee who entersyour home to control bed bugsislicensed by the Texas Pest Control Service, this would be illegal. Illegal activity by an unlicensed person includes theuse of over-the-counter pesticides, heat treatment or any other non-chemical control methodsanything intended to control pests like bed bugs, cockroaches, mice, etc.

Apartment with clothing and personal items bagged and ready for pest control.

As a tenant, your first responsibility is to report any suspected bed bug problem immediately. Once an appointment is made for your treatment, it will be your duty to prepare your apartment. The following tips will help your pest control service and YOU to get rid of bed bugs quickly.

Its essential to cooperate with management and with your pest control professionals to get complete bed bug control. Once established, bed bugs can be difficult to control, especially without the help of tenants like you.

For more information about bed bugs, including their biology and how to recognize them, see publication L-1742 Bed Bugs as well as the EPA website on bed bugs. If you live in a situation where professional pest control is not available or not being provided by management, see our publication on Do-it-yourself bed bug control (ENT-3012) for tips on controlling bed bugs. The fact sheet on How to Select a Bed Bug Control Provider (ENT-033) has special information to assist apartment managers in working with pest control contractors.

Michael Merchant, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Urban Entomologist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Dallas.

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Bed bugs and your apartment | Insects in the City

Just try to sleep tight. The bed bugs are back, a New York Times headline proclaimed in 2005. The article reported on a resurgence of reports about infestations of tiny Cimex lectularius in New York City. These stealthy and fast-moving nocturnal creatures that were all but eradicated by DDT after World War II, have recently been found in hospital maternity wards, private schools and even a plastic surgeons waiting room, the article stated.1

The New York experience is not unique. Around the world, pest control specialists have reported 10-fold, 100-fold, even 1,000-fold increases in bed bug jobs over the past five or ten years, according to pest control consultants Lawrence J. Pinto, Richard Cooper, and Sandy Kraft.2

Bed bugs have been a nuisance to humans at least as far back as ancient Greece. Although largely eradicated in the Western countries in the 1940s with the aggressive use of pesticides, notably DDT, they began to re-emerge in the mid-1990s. Entomologists and pest control specialists believe that several factors may contribute to this trend. These factors include the continuing decline or elimination of effective vector/pest control programs at state and local public health agencies, increased resistance to various insecticides, and an increase in international travel, which raises the chances that the tiny pests will be unknowingly packed into luggage.3

Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, but they are a troublesome health nuisance. Their bites can cause mild to severe allergic reactions, and people living in infested homes have reported anxiety, insomnia, and systemic reactions.4 These bites dont just occur at home. Using workers compensation (WC) claims data from California between 2000 and 2011, the California Department of Public Health identified 96 workers who were bitten by bed bugs while traveling for work. The majority of bed bug-related WC claims in California consisted of complaints of bed bug bites or rashes caused from bites; however there were several reports of physical injuries (such as strains) sustained by workers while moving furniture to look for or treat bed bugs. (More information on work-related insecticide exposures is provided below.)

For apartment owners and managers, hotels and motels, and other businesses involving the stewardship of property, a bed bug infestation can be a serious business cost in remediation expenses, public stigma, and lawsuits.5 The annoyance, economic costs, frustration and emotional agony of bed bug infestations may tempt business owners and homeowners to take extreme measures. However, a recent study by NIOSH scientists and their colleagues highlights the need to be informed and strategic in dealing with the problem, so that tackling one problem does not introduce greater health risks of another kind.

Bed bug infestations often are treated with insecticides, but insecticide resistance is a problem, and excessive use of insecticides or improper application can increase the potential for illness in humans. To better understand the problem of illness associated with bed bug-related insecticide, investigators looked for cases using the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) Pesticides program and data from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. A total of 110 illnesses and one fatality associated with bed bug-related insecticide were identified in seven states: California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Texas, and Washington.

The most frequently reported health outcomes were neurologic symptoms (40%), including headache and dizziness; respiratory symptoms (40%), including upper respiratory tract pain and irritation and dyspnea; and gastrointestinal symptoms (33%), including nausea and vomiting. Most (81%) symptoms were of low severity. The individual whose death was linked to bed-bug related insecticide had a series of preexisting medical conditions and was exposed to high levels of insecticide through atypical applications.6

The most common factors contributing to illness were excessive insecticide application, failure to wash or change pesticide-treated bedding, and inadequate notification of pesticide application. The majority of insecticide exposures were to pyrethroids and/or pyrethrins, and were in toxicity category III and are considered to be slightly toxic.

Among the cases of illnesses from bed bug-related insecticide, 12% were work-related. Of these, three illnesses involved workers who applied pesticides, including two pest control operators, of whom one was a certified applicator. Four cases involved workers who were unaware of pesticide applications (e.g., two carpet cleaners who cleaned an apartment recently treated with pesticides). Two cases involved hotel workers (a maintenance worker and a manager) who were exposed when they entered a recently treated hotel room, and two cases involved emergency medical technicians who responded to a scene where they found white powder thought to be an organophosphate pesticide.

To prevent future illness from bed bug-related insecticides, NIOSH recommends educating the public about effective bed bug management including:

Those who choose to treat their bed bug infestation with insecticides should seek the services of a certified exterminator who uses an integrated pest management approach to avoid pesticide misuse. Those applying insecticides should follow product instructions for safe and appropriate use. Insecticide labels that are easy to read and understand also can help prevent illnesses associated with bed bug control.

If individuals develop an illness from exposure to bed-bug related insecticides, they should consult their personal physician or the poison control center (1-800-222-1222) and mention that the insecticide exposure occurred while attempting to eliminate bed bugs.

If bed bugs are a problem where you live or work, be bright in your fight and dont let the bed bugs bite!

Dr. Howard is the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Dr. Hudsonis an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at NIOSH

Dr. Calvert is a Team Leader and Senior Medical Epidemiologist in the NIOSH Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies

Here is the original post:
CDC - NIOSH Science Blog Bed Bugs!

Bed bug, Cimex lectularis

Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pest problems to eradicate quickly. By far, the best solution for bed bugs is to hire a pest control company with experience successfully controlling bed bugs. Unfortunately, this can be expensive and beyond the means of many people. If you feel you cannot afford to hire a professional, and want to attempt do-it-yourself bed bug control, there are some things you can do. With diligence and patience and some hard work you have a fighting chance of getting rid of bed bugs in your home.

If you live in an apartment or condominium, its best to alert the property manager. A coordinated bed bug control effort using a pest control company is generally needed in such situations. Bed bugs readily move from apartment to apartment, with many people unaware that they have a problem. If one apartment is infested, adjoining units (left side, right side, above and below) should be assumed to be infested unless shown otherwise through inspection or monitoring. Simply asking tenants whether they have bed bugs is not enough. In one recent study only half of residents in a large apartment with bed bugs knew (or admitted) they had a bed bug problem.

Pesticides alone are not the answer to bed bugs. Most of the commonly used pesticides today, including professional products and consumer products advertised for control of bed bugs, are at best moderately effective at controlling these pests. Pesticides must be used with care for safety and with attention to proper application to work well. Aerosol bug bombs or fumigators are also mostly ineffective in eliminating bed bugs. Aerosol insecticides mainly kill insects that are exposed, and out of their hiding places, not those hidden behind baseboards, in cracks and crevices of the bed, under carpet edging and in walls.

A bed that has been treated, encased and isolated from the rest of the room with Climbup Interceptor cups is a safe place to sleep.

Bed bugs are flattened for hiding in cracks and crevices. This bed bug was hiding along the welting on the edge of a mattress.

A last warning

Pesticides should always be used with caution, and especially when used indoors. Never use a pesticide for bed bugs that does not bear clear directions stating that it can be used indoors. Never spray yourself, children or pets with a pesticide. And follow the label safety directions carefully. Pesticide labels contain directionsfor use that are not merely suggestions. Failure to follow directions exactly is illegal and can result in poor control and possible harm to yourself and family. For more information, see the EPA Consumer Alert on pesticides and bed bugs.

For more information about bed bugs, including their biology and how to recognize them, see other factsheets on the Citybugs bed bug page. The State of Michigan has also recently published a very detailed guide to Do-it-yourself bed bug control.Also, if you decide you need professional help, check out our advice onHow to Select a Bed Bug Control Professional, ENTO-033

Michael Merchant, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Urban Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dallas.

Please note that I am unable respond to all questions posed in the comment section of this fact sheet. Before commenting, check to see whether your question is already addressed here, or in a link provided in this article.

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Bed bugs: Do-it-yourself control options | Insects in the City