Got Bed Bugs Don146t PanicFacts about Bed BugsWhat are bed bugs - PDF document

Got Bed Bugs? Don’t Panic.Facts about Bed BugsWhat are bed bugs? There are at least 92 bug species in the family Cimicidae, some of which are known to feed on humans, bats, birds and other warm-blooded animals. All bed bugs are wingless and feed by hematophagy, or blood feeding. Adults are between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch, reddish-brown in color and �at and ellip�cal in shape, appearing somewhat like a �a�ened apple seed. The bed bug’s �ny white eggs that are nearly invisible to the eye at approxi since they can resemble bites caused by many other kinds of blood feeding insects, such as mosquitoes and �eas. Cind the insects and iden�fy them, either using the descrip�on men�oned here or by taking a specimen to an entomologist. How can you detect bed bugs?Bed bugs are nocturnal insects. The night is the �me to see them ac�ve and feeding, mostly in the hours before dawn. If a�empting to see bed bugs while ac�ve, use a red light. If you are unable to see them, look for evidence of bed bugs; carefully check furniture, linens or luggage brought into the house for bed bugs or rusty-orange stains from their fecal ma�er. You can also try pu�ng duct tape on bed legs (s�cky side out), which may trap insects for iden��ca�on. You can also use pheromones and traps which are available either online or at a local hardware store. Addi�onally, dogs can be trained to �nd bed bugs, and there are many companies that specialize in bed bug detec�on.It is not a bad idea to hire a professional to inspect your home for bed bugs as well. Long term management relies on frequent monitoring in order to assess the scope of the infesta�on and determine the necessary ac�ons to implement. Bed bugs (and their eggs) are most often found in the following places:Cracks and crevices of bed frames or headboards; and,Along the seams of ma�resses, or within box springs.They may also be found in the following places:Cracks and crevices of the �oor, plaster or ceiling moldings;Along the edge of carpe�ng; Under loose wallpaper; behind picture frames, wall hangings, switch plates and outlets;In drapery pleats, the upholstery of sofas or chairs or the folds of clothes hanging in the closet;In the cracks and crevices of night stands or bureaus;Inside clocks, phones, televisions and smoke detectors; and,In more established infesta�ons, bed bugs move further from the bed.Prevent and Control I HAVE BED BUGS! What do I do? Before a�emp�ng any other control methods and especially before considering using a chemical control, do the following:Eliminate ClutterClu�er creates areas for the bed bugs to hide, making eradica�ng them excrucia�ngly di�cult. When e�orts to control bed bugs fail, it is almost always due to clu�er and lack of coopera�on with the pest control company’s prepara�on and follow up instruc�ons. Items that are badly infested may be discarded; however, with the many treatment op�ons available, it is not necessary. If you do decide to get rid of something from your home, it’s impera�ve that it gets disposed of properly. Infested furniture (especially ma�resses) haphazardly placed on the curb will only help spread Bed Bug Pesticides Are Toxic! These are the ac�ve ingredient chemicals that can be found in products labeled for bed bug control and the health e�ects that they have been linked to: Bifenthrin - Moderately Acutely Toxic, Cancer (possible), Endocrine Disrup�on, Neurotoxicity, Sensi�zer/IrritantChlorfenapyr* - Moderately Acutely Toxic, Cancer (poten�al), Kidney/Liver DamageModerately Acutely Toxic, Reproduc�ve E�ects, Neurotoxicity, Kidney/Liver Damage, Sensi�zer/IrritantModerately Acutely Toxic, Endocrine D

isrup�on, Neurotoxicity, Sensi�zer/IrritantSlightly Acutely Toxic, Neurotoxicity, Kidney/Liver DamageFenvalerate - Slightly Acutely Toxic, Endocrine Disrup�on, Neurotoxicity, Kidney/Liver Damage, Sensi�zer/IrritantHydroprene - Slightly Acutely Toxic, Sensi�zer/Irritant Moderately Acutely Toxic, Endocrine Disrup�on, Neurotoxicity, Sensi�zer/IrritantPyrethrins* - Slightly Acutely Toxic, Cancer (likely), Sensi�zer/IrritantPermethrin* - Moderately Acutely Toxic, Cancer (possible), Endocrine Disrup�on, Reproduc�ve E�ects, Neurotoxicity, Kidney/Liver Damage, Sensi�zer/IrritantPropoxur - [This pes�cide is not registered by EtA for bed bug control, however, it has been used illegally and some pest companies and states are a�emp�ng to get EtA to allow it.] Highly Toxic, Cancer (probable), Reproduc�ve E�ects, Neurotoxicity, Kidney/Liver DamageThese pes�cides can be found in products that include uses for ma�resses on the label. Beyond Pesticides, September 2010www.beyondpesticides.org A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet page 2 the bed bugs into other people’s homes. Be sure to place a warning sign on any discarded furniture to discard others from picking it up. Addi�onally, bagging or wrapping the items can help prevent the bugs from spreading while they are en route to your garbage facility. In addi�on to clu�er inside your home, it is important to eliminate clu�er outside too! Remove any animal habitats near, a�ached to, or inside the house, such as bat roosts or bird nests in the eaves, roof or a�c, and exclude animals from entry. Deal with any rodent infesta�ons using least-toxic management strategies (see Beyond tes�cides alterna�ves fact sheets - www.beyondpes�cides.org/alterna�ves/factsheets). Move woodpiles and debris away from the structure, and eliminate all garbage.Encasements and Isolating ItemsIsola�ng and encasing furniture simpli�es the habitat for treatment and prevents items from becoming infested. This will kill bed bugs only if insects have no chance for escape and if they are enclosed for long enough to starve. Recommenda�ons based on old research suggests that bed bugs can live over a year without a meal, however, in a 2010 study by Andrea tolanco from the Miller Lab at Virginia Tech �nds that bed bugs die within three months.Ma�ress and box spring encasements are costly at around $50, however if you’re considering the alterna�ve of throwing out your ma�ress and ge�ng a new one, this price pales in comparison. Encasements eliminate hiding spots for the bed bugs, which make early detec�on of an infesta�on easier. They will also trap any bed bugs that are hiding inside of the ma�ress if an infesta�on has already developed, and if le� on for over a year, will effec�vely kill those trapped. Bed Bug Central has a great guide on buying ma�ress encasements.Laundering Fabrics and ClothingThis is one of the best control methods from both a prac�cal and e�cacy standard. The heat in a clothing dryer is extremely e�ec�ve at killing both bed bugs and the eggs; however it is important to note that the same container used to transport infected clothing and fabric should not be used to hold the freshly laundered clothing. You can use either dissolvable (GreenClean™ dissolvable laundry bags) or washable bags to transport clothes to the laundry room or facility. Wash and dry clothing for a full cycle on the ho�est se�ngs that the fabric will allow; once clothes are �nished, place the clean clothing in a sealed bag to preven

t re-infesta�on and keep non-essen�al items in the sealed bags for as long as prac�cal or at least during the treatment period. Cor dry clean only clothing, or clothing that is already ‘clean’ but may be infested, simply put clothing in the dryer only and either run it for 30 minutes on the ho�est se�ng, for a full cycle on a lower heat se�ng if the fabric will be damaged at the highest heat. VacuumingThorough vacuuming will get rid of any visible bed bugs along with any dirt that provides them shelter, helping to reduce popula�ons. Make sure that the vacuum has a removable bag and seal and discard it a�er using. Addi�onally, it’s best to choose a vacuum a�achment that does not have bristles or brushes. Check for bedbugs on the seam of ma�resses.Beyond Pesticides, September 2010www.beyondpesticides.org Why you shouldn’t just sprayIn addi�on to the health e�ects associated with toxic pes�cides, the recent resurrgence of bed bugs is partly due to the development of resistance to pes�cide applica�ons. The solu�on is not the usage of even more toxic pes�cides to which these resilient insects would inevitably become resistant. Insec�cides, which kill common household insects (such as cockroaches and ants) exposed bed bugs to a range of chemicals and allowed them to gradually build up resistance to these pes�cides. As such, chemicals that were once e�ec�ve at controlling bed bugs are no longer e�cacious. Examples include esfenvalerate and other widely used synthe�c pyrethroids. The problem must be approached strategically using collabora�ve methods and ins�tu�ng ItM methods that are preven�ve and not reliant on hazardous chemicals. A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet page 3 Carefully vacuum rugs, �oors, upholstered furniture, under beds, around bed legs, bed frames, and all cracks and crevices in the room. Scrubbing infested surfaces with a s�� brush will help dislodge eggs and using a powerful vacuum will help remove them from cracks and corners. Caulk and Seal CrevicesCill cracks, nooks or crannies in bed frame, �oors, walls, the edge of baseboards and moldings with sealant. Re-glue loose wallpaper. Seal up cracks and crevices and �x screens, to prevent bed bug entrance from the outdoors.The following op�ons work best a�er the above steps op�ons are taken: Steam TreatmentsSteam treatments, when properly applied, will kill all stages of bed bugs. troper applica�on includes using low moisture or “dry” steam from a commercial unit with a �oor and upholstery a�achment, moving the nozzle over the bed bugs at a rate of 20 seconds per linear foot. If it is applied with too much pressure, the bed bugs will be blown away. In order to di�use the pressure an upholstery nozzle can be wrapped in a piece of fabric. It’s important to note that many, if not most, pest management companies have steam units available. Due to the length of �me it takes to apply, however, they might not rou�nely use it. If you hire a company to treat your home for bed bugs, be sure to ask them if they have this equipment available and request that they use this for treatment! Footnotes1 Techle�er, 2010. Insec�cides for Bed Bug Control. tinto and Associates. h�p://www.techle�er.com/Archive/Technical%20Ar�cles/bedbuginsec�cides.html2 Beyond tes�cides, 2010. Gateway on tes�cide Hazards and Safe test Management. h�p://www.beyondpes�cides.org/gateway/index.htm3 Beyond tes�cides, 2010. Under tressure EtA Denies hhio’s Request to Use Rest

ricted tes�cide, Beyond tes�cides Daily News Blog. h�p://www.beyondpes�cides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=37194 Green, t., 2010. A New Breed of Guard Dog A�acks Bedbugs. New York Times. h�p://www.ny�mes.com/2010/03/11/garden/11bedbug.html5 Na�onal Center for Healthy Housing, 2010. What’s Working for Bed Bug Control in Mul�family Housing, ci�ng tolanco-tinzón, Andrea, Virginia Technical University.h�p://www.nchh.org/tortals/0/Contents/bedbug_report.pdf6 Bed Bug Central, 2010. Bedbugs 101 Ma�ress and Box Spring Encasements. h�p://www.bedbugcentral.com/bedbugs101/topic.cfm/ma�ress-and-box-spring-encasements7 Na�onal Center for Healthy Housing, 2010. What’s Working for Bed Bug Control in Mul�family Housing. h�p://www.nchh.org/tortals/0/Contents/bedbug_report.pdf8 Ge�y, G.M., R.L. Taylor, V.R. Lewis. 2008. University research-hot house. test Control Technology. h�p://pct.texterity.com/pct/200802?pg=96&search_term=ge�y%20hot%20house&search_term=ge�y%20hot%20house#pg969 Tvedten, S. The Best Control for Bed Bugs, The Best Control II. h�p://www.stephentvedten.com/18_Bed_Bugs.pdf10 Ref#1Other ResourcesJacobs, S. 2007. Bed Bugs. tenn State University College of Agricultural Sciences, Coopera�ve Extension, Department of Entomology: Entomological Notes h�p://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/bedbugs Jones, SC. 2004. Bed Bugs. hhio State University Coopera�ve Extension. h�p://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2105.html.hlkowski, W, S Daar and H hlkowski. 1991. Common-Sense test Control. Newtown: Taunton tress, Inc. tollack, R and G Alpert. 2010. Bed Bugs: Cimex lectularius (Cimicidae). Iden�fyUS. h�p://iden�fy.us.com/bed-bugs/ to�er, MC. 2005. Bed Bugs. University of Kentucky School of Agriculture, Coopera�ve Extension. h�p://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/en�acts/ef636.aspHeat TreatmentsDepending on the quality of the prepara�on and treatment, using ambient heat can either provide complete control or signi�cantly reduce bed bug popula�on and infesta�on. A pest control company can use fans and a heat source, a space is heated to 130°C to 140°C and held un�l all areas within the space are heated to 120°C. A whole room can be heated, or a few items in a smaller, insulated area can be heated. It is not advisable for homeowners to do this task themselves, as there is the poten�al for causing a �re or serious burns. To be the most e�ec�ve all areas that are infested must reach 120°C. hpening drawers and peeling carpet away from baseboards can help this process. Though this method will work best a�er clu�er has been eliminated, thorough vacuuming has taken place, and clothing/fabrics have been laundered and enclosed in a sealed plas�c bag. However, in some cases where these steps are not possible, heat treatments may be s�ll be performed effec�vely to reduce bed bug popula�ons. These circumstances include cases where tenants or homeowners are physically unable to take the above steps. Least-Toxic Chemical Treatment (Last Resort)hpen wall voids and treat with, sodium borate or food-grade diatomaceous earth. Wear a dust mask when handling powder formula�ons. Seal void completely. Clean vacuumed areas (see above) with diluted sodium borate (2 oz per quart of water). If you hire a professional, ask what if they plan to use any pes�cides. Read about the health e�ects of pes�cide ingredients on the tes�cide Gateway - www.beyondpes�cides.org/gateway. Beyond Pesticides, September 2010www.beyondpesticides.org A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet – A Beyond tes�cides Cactsheet page 4