World, Bed Bug Registry Map – Infestation Reports

Bed bugs are making a comeback, but Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has an on-demand online course to protect you and your home from this unwanted visitor.

People have a visceral reaction to the words bed bugs, said Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management specialist, Dallas. She and other AgriLife Extension IPM specialists created a $25 online program to help people learn how to effectively protect themselves from the pest.

Bed bugs have hitched rides via human movement for centuries before the pests were finally brought under control during the age of heavy chemical use, Hurley said. But after chemicals like DDT and organophosphates were decommissioned, they made a comeback.

Resistance to pesticides and modern travel habits are driving the pests resurgence in the U.S., she said.

For decades, bed bugs werent a problem, but since 2010 incidents have kept increasing, she said.

The one-hour online course teaches participants how to check for bed bugs, what they look like, how to get rid of them, and modern treatment options.

Picking up bed bugs during a hotel stay is a common scenario, Hurley said.

People travel for work or vacation, and they never know it until they have a reaction to the bites, and by then they may have spread them to other locations, including their own home, she said. One of the instructional videos covers how to look for signs of bed bugs in hotel rooms and avoid those little hitchhikers.

Hurleys family was caught in that scenario during a trip to Italy last year. They didnt realize bed bugs were the issue until they were returning home and had to treat their suitcases and clothes by stuffing them into freezers for two weeks to kill the pests.

The program is research- and fact-based and includes simple things every homeowner can do to be aware of and be better protected from infestations, Hurley said.

The course provides good information, especially for travelers, she said. Education is knowledge, and its good knowledge to have whether youre going to Europe in the future or taking a weekend road trip.

Going through the course can also give homeowners good insight into questions they may want to ask professional pest controllers who might enter their home.

As for people in the pest control industry, the course would also provide them with essential information, Hurley said. The course offers one structural Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education credits for applicators.

The course is available on demand and accessible at any time once an account is created and paid for, Hurley said. Participants can go through it at their own speed and come in and out at their convenience.

It is somewhat interactive, she said, with slides and photos that include narration and videos. There is a final exam with a 70% efficiency requirement at the end for applicators seeking the one structural pest management continuing education units.

The course will cover:

The course is worth the hour for anyone who wants their household to have the peace of mind knowing about common ways bed bugs enter homes, how to recognize their presence and what to do next, she said. Its just good, straight-forward information to know.

-30-

See the rest here:
Bed bug cases on the rise since 2010 | AgriLife Today - AgriLife Today

Bed bug on skin image by Pat Porter

Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is the species most adapted to living with humans. It has done so since ancient times.

Adult bed bugs are about 1/4 inch long and reddish brown, with oval, flattened bodies. They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. The immatures (nymphs) resemble the adults, but are smaller and lighter in color. The youngest nymphs are approximately pinhead size and visible to the naked eye. Bed bugs do not have wings and do not fly, but can move quickly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces.

Bed bug on dime, taken by Pat Porter

Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed. However if necessary, they will crawl quite a ways to obtain a blood meal. Initial infestations tend to be around beds, but the bugs eventually may become scattered throughout a room, occupying any crevice or protected location. They also can spread to adjacent rooms or apartments. This can be especially problematic on college campuses, hotels and anywhere multi-housing scenarios occur. For this reason, control must be comprehensive and pest management professionals must think 3-dimensionally.

Bed bugs feed mostly at night, by piercing the skin of people as they sleep. However, if they are very hungry and if the light is dim, they will feed during the day. When bed bugs are not feeding, they spend their time in large, dense aggregations that consist of all life stages from eggs to adult. They use chemical communication to locate each other in these groups that are typically in flat, dark spaces.

When bed bugs bite, they inject a fluid into the skin that assists them in obtaining blood. Often, but not always, the fluid causes the skin to become irritated, inflamed and to itch. Elongated, spindle shaped welts can develop as a result of the bite. If the bites are on the limbs (arms or legs), these welts will be aligned with the long axis of the limb. This elongated, spindle shape can distinguish the welts from those resulting from mosquito or flea bites. In some cases, it may take several days for the reaction to occur.

If its feeding is undisturbed, a full grown bed bug becomes engorged with blood in 3 to 15 minutes. It then crawls back to its hiding place, where it remains for several days digesting its meal. When hunger returns, the bug emerges from hiding and seeks another meal of blood.

The three life stages are egg, nymph and adult.Under favorable conditions of temperature (above 70 F) and regular feeding, female bed bugs will lay about 200 eggs during their lifetime at the rate of 3 or 4 per day. Eggs are coated with a sticky substance, causing them to adhere to objects on which they are deposited. The eggs hatch in 6 to 17 days and the nymphs begin to feed on blood immediately.

After 5 molts, bed bugs reach maturity. However, bed bugs must obtain a blood meal before each molt and females must also feed before laying eggs. There may be 3 or more generations a year. Environmental factors and the availability of food will cause considerable variation in the developmental rate of all stages of growth. Young and old bed bugs may live for several weeks to several months without feeding, depending upon the temperature.

To control bed bugs in homes, locate their hiding places such as described above and treat with an insecticide approved for this use. Select a product whose label includes specific directions for bed bug control. Spray or dust beds (slats, springs and frame) and other hiding places about the room.

Because it is impossible to penetrate all hiding places, control is usually not immediate. A few living bugs may be seen for a week to 10 days after application. After 10 days, a second application, equal to the first is necessary to kill the just hatching nymphs. The pesticides used for bedbug control have a short residual life and so this second application is always needed. For heavily infested areas, it is recommended that a commercial pest control operator be consulted to control the infestation.

Always read and follow carefully the instructions on the container label.

Bed Bugs Insects in the City

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

Go here to see the original:
Bed bugs - Texas A&M University