Dealing with Bed Bugs? Interview with the Glens Falls Housing Authority

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GFHALOGO

This month’s EcoRaider Interview is with Robert Landry, Executive Director of the Glens Falls Housing Authority. Situated on the eastern edge of New York, Glens Falls is about 60 minutes north of Albany and three hours north of Manhattan.

ECO: How much of a problem are bed bugs?

RL: They’re a big problem and in many cases everyone has the wrong impression of what bed bugs are. If you have bed bugs in the building everyone panics and in the community they decide they aren’t sending their mom or their dad to that specific senior housing facility. So there’s an overreaction and then the second problem is prevention. You can’t control where people go when they leave your buildings. It’s very easy to feel you’ve eradicated all of the bed bugs and we’ve come to the conclusion as long as we provide education and detection that’s the best we can do. That’s what everyone does and that’s how you control bed bugs but just having them is a black eye that we all in this industry have to deal with.

ECO: How did bed bugs first become a problem for you?

RL: Originally we hired a heat guy and that blew them throughout the building. So we put up a gallant battle and once we got them under control, our staff started using detection devices and monitors and we developed a plan where our maintenance people were checking for bed bugs more often. Do we still have bed bugs time to time? Absolutely. Do we still have hysteria in the building? Absolutely not. It cost us a lot of money in the beginning but I think we have a good plan and program in place.

ECO: How did you hear of EcoRaider?

RL: A friend of mine in New York City has a pest control company and he gave me a lot of suggestions and he said to get EcoRaider until the exterminating company can get here since we aren’t in the middle of a big city. That has really worked and helped kill the bed bugs quickly. We’ve also used your enewsletter to help educate our tenants to show them we have a protocol in place and that EcoRaider is a part of it. We have some used high capacity dryers now so we can take items to a special place to heat their clothes to eradicate bed bugs.

ECO: Where are most of the bed bugs found?

RL: The largest infestation was in the bedroom, second would be the living room area in most cases. The majority of bed bugs were found in bedrooms though and on whatever piece of furniture the residents frequent the most.

ECO: Are there any trends regarding bed bugs?

RL: The trend that I’ve found is that bed bugs have been coming from primarily our active tenants who go out in the community every day rather than those who just go to the grocery store, for example. So we’ve sat down with those who frequent social clubs and those who frequent facilities that provide mental health services because both have people coming and going from areas that may have no pest management.

ECO: Do you use encasements?

RL: Yes.  It’s been hard to tell if just one thing is effective so we regularly monitor and treat quickly. It’s been hard to say that works well but from everyone we talk to it encasements seem to be a good thing. Our protocol is about quick inspections and responding quickly to a bed bug – we provide large bags for mattresses and box springs and furniture so we can do what we can to control any further spreading of the problem.

ECO: How important is it to have a Green or Natural bed bug solution?

RL: It’s big to us and we’re tree huggers so we’re environment by nature. It’s also a protocol that we bid that out every three years that they use chemicals that are environmentally friendly. We attempt to do that with everything we do and that’s why EcoRaider is good as a green product. The reason we do that is because senior citizens don’t want us to spray a bunch of chemicals so we go out of our way to provide a green solution.

ECO: How have you used EcoRaider?
RL: If we have bed bugs then our guys can take EcoRaider and they can spray a little around if there’s been traffic to kill the bed bugs immediately. We’ll put a little here or there as a preventative product too.

ECO: Is having a product that’s preventative important?

RL: Yes absolutely. To me it’s top of the list. We are now proactive and looking for problems to solve them immediately and if someone has seen a bed bug there’s a good possibility if we get in there we might be able to isolate the location quickly and rather than wait two days to get someone in there to see them we can take care of it immediately.

ECO: What advice would you give to a peer who handles bed bug situations at another housing authority?

RL: To remember that it’s not a disaster but you do have to have a bed bug plan before you have a bed bug outbreak. Educate tenants, have a protocol plan and I think that’s what we all can do. Housing authorities are tremendously underfunded but we can still do the job. To me having a plan in place is the key because bed bugs can be very costly if you approach the problem wrong.

INTERVIEW: How Bad are Bed Bugs? This month’s Interview is with a Midwest Housing Authority Executive Director

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This month’s EcoRaider Interview is with Michelle Perkins, Executive Director of The Housing Authority of the County of DeKalb. Home to Northern Illinois University, DeKalb is about 75-90 minutes west of downtown Chicago.

ECO: How much of a problem are bed bugs?

MP: It’s a national epidemic and even though we are incredibly proactive and our pest control firm is great and they have great documentation sometimes you just have more reclusive tenants that keep to themselves or they have shame with the bed bug stigma so the only time we find out is when it traveled to another unit.

We try to let them know it’s a part of quality living and it’s not about being dirty, it’s an issue and they were brought in from somewhere. Bed bugs will travel, they will hitchhike and it’s not that they have necessarily done something wrong. We’ve tried to demystify that.

ECO: Is there any pushback from residents?

MP: The biggest issue is trying to get them to comply. The procedures are somewhat complex when there’s an infestation so having the tenant bag everything in a clean bag put it in the free dryer to clean everything, and then put everything in a new clean bag while we’re working to get the unit decluttered – that is the biggest stumbling block.

ECO: Where are most of the bed bugs found?

MP: Definitely in the mattresses and you’ll find them in a Lay-Z-Boy or in couches. They’ll generally be there but they can hide everywhere: in dressers, cracks in wood, in outlets and they travel and hitchhike on shoes and backpacks on seats in theaters, planes and buses. Kids leave with backpacks and go everywhere with them and there’s all sorts of contact.

When someone is suspected of bed bugs, either they’ll come notify us or our pest management professional will find it during an inspection and come tell us that they think we have a live situation and we’ll have to talk about treatment and go from there. Bed bugs can lay dormant for like 18 months without a blood meal so without a mattress encasement or getting rid of them completely, they’ll come back again.

ECO: Are there any trends regarding bed bugs?

MP: People are paying more attention now. We are in a college town and there’s lots of college housing and any multi-family housing that’s where you’ll see the problems. I know you see them in single-family homes but it’s a much bigger problem in multi-family units. The fact that the bed bug issue is being talked about in city codes and in the media, and tenants are complaining to landlords wondering who’s responsible who’s the bad guy … That conversation is continuing to be had as people are paying more attention to the issue.

ECO: Do you use encasements?

MP: Yes we purchased them on a grant and the residents could pay us back $10 a month and that would allow them to use it. It helped and they were happy about it and they wanted them. It’s a good thing to do too because it’s proactive.

ECO: How important is it to have a Green or Natural bed bug solution?

MP: It’s very important. We don’t use any chemicals. Green responsibility is something that’s incredibly important to us. Also so many tenants have sensitive needs like respiratory situations and some fear the chemicals so we have a handful of units that are literally designated as “no spray.” The heat treatment is not a full solution you have to be 100 percent prepared to fight bed bugs. You can apply heat in one part and green products in another but there’s no perfect solution.

ECO: What advice would you give to a peer who handles bed bug situations at another housing authority?

MP: The worst thing you can do is panic. Be diligent and open the lines of communication. If you panic you’ll set off all sorts of bells and whistles and that stops the communication and that’s the key to getting things done. You have to be diligent and follow up and stay on top of it.

Introducing The EcoRaider College Trial Program

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Introducing The EcoRaider College Trial Program – The Only Bed Bug Solution that Meets University Budgets, Kills 100 percent of Bed Bugs, is All-Natural and Student Friendly!

Unlike most products geared to kill bed bugs, EcoRaider is “The Most Effective Natural Solution” for bed bugs (According to the Entomological Society of America) and is now available for university and college use. The product, which is all natural, doesn’t stain bedding and is safe for students and pets.

The product is easy-to-use and has been rigorously tested by Rutgers and Purdue universities and has been named the most effective natural product on the market. EcoRaider is cost-effective and kills 100 percent of bed bugs on contact. In addition, Pest Management Professionals that use EcoRaider are suggesting their customers use the product as a preventative solution between treatments – to prevent bed bug infestations before they occur!

TRIAL PROGRAM – To try EcoRaider with zero commitment, email our College Contact Ed DeMask or call him at 630-389-0572 to arrange to have product delivered to your college or university … completely free.

EcoRaider, which kills bed bugs and is effective on all stages of the pest without lingering environmental effects, was named “the most effective bio-insecticide for bed bugs” by Entomological Society of America-published lab data in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

EcoRaider is a ready-to-use, naturally derived bio-insecticide that can be applied anywhere bed bugs are found without restriction. EcoRaider can be used in various environments, including schools, health-care facilities and public spaces.

For more information, call (201) 751-0011. Also, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dealing with Bed Bug Problems at Schools and Universities

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Bed bugs are the ultimate hitchhikers – making them ideal for both middle and high school settings where students are using their backpack much of the day. The same goes for college and university students, not only because of their backpacks but because of the sheer numbers of people coming into contact with each other throughout a school day.

Prevention is always the first goal for being bed-bug free. So what are some ways to reduce the chance of getting bed bugs?

  • Use trash or plastic bags for clothing when doing laundry in a public laundromat.
  • Never place backpacks on beds or on the floor – have a metal hanger to hook up the backpack away from living areas.
  • Check the mattress and box spring regularly to avoid an infestation.
  • Use natural or “green” pest control products especially when roommates or classmates could be sensitive to pesticides.
  • If there’s a reason to suspect bed bugs in a backpack or bag, put it in the bathroom in the tub, away from feeding sources.

While those tips may work, every so often a bed bug comes to you regardless of how hard you try to prevent it from happening. Especially in college with thousands of students interacting in the same buildings, rooms, etc.

Once you have a bed bug problem, there are several steps you or your student can take to control the problem and prevent an infestation.

  • Put your student’s belongings in a bin or plastic bag to separate them from the rest of the home.
  • Inspect the student’s room, specifically the mattress, box spring and areas where the student spends the most of his time.
  • If possible, reduce the number of items being transported back and forth between school and home or school and dorm.
  • Check the student’s locker or dorm somewhat discreetly as not to cause a panic or upset other students.
  • If necessary, call in a licensed Pest Management Professional or ask the school to do so.

EcoRaider, which kills bed bugs and is effective on all stages of the pest without lingering environmental effects, was named “the most effective bio-insecticide for bed bugs” by Entomological Society of America-published lab data in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

EcoRaider is a ready-to-use, naturally derived bio-insecticide that can be applied anywhere bed bugs are found without restriction. EcoRaider can be used in various environments, including schools, health-care facilities and public spaces.

Why EcoRaider is “the best natural bed bug killer” ?

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EcoRaider is not only used by diy users but also professional exterminators as a primary tool for bed bugs eradication around the country because it provides a natural, non-toxic, environmentally friendly treatment for bed bugs. Unlike products with synthetic active ingredients, EcoRaider is natural and green, making it safe for use around children and pets.

But the product is not just ideal for home use because it has a natural makeup – it’s considered a top bed bug product because it works even better than top professional products. Literally!

Fast and sure kill with extended residual protection

Rutgers University study shows that EcoRaider kills 100 percent of bed bugs on contact, and delivers a 14-day

residual, meaning it continues to work for two weeks after use.  Lab report shows EcoRaider is 97 percent effective two weeks after application!

In another independent study published by Entomological Society of America on Journal of Economic Entomology, EcoRaider is the only natural product that killed 100% of bed bugs and by far the best among all tested 12 products in eliminating bed bug eggs.

The Most Effective Egg Killer

In the same study published by Entomological Society of America, EcoRaider is by far the most effective among all products tested in killing bed bug eggs. Even outperforming top rated professional grade pesticides.

Kills Pesticide Resistant Bed Bugs

Another reason to use EcoRaider is because it is effective even against pesticide resistant bed bugs. With the resurgence in the last 5-7 years, bed bugs have developed increasing resistance to the newer class of pyrethroid and neonicotinoid based synthetic pesticides. Bed bugs collected from shelters that had been treated repeatedly with different conventional pesticides showed high resistance even to pesticide with combined of both pyrethoids and newoicotinoid actives. While test shows bed bugs from the same population do not show any resistance towards EcoRaider.

EcoRaider, which kills bed bugs and is effective on all stages of the pest without lingering environmental effects, was chosen to be tested against some top professional pesticide in a USDA IR4 Public Health Pesticide Program in the purpose of developing effective method to control bed bug infestations in public housing buildings. Field collected date for over 12 weeks indicates that EcoRaider, a natural and non-toxic product, provides uncompromising performance as the top professional pesticide against severe bed bug infestations.

Based on solid science and research, EcoRaider is proven to kill bed bugs, both in the lab and in the field.  Safe for people, for pets, the whole household.  It’s the simple solution for bed bug protection.

EcoRaider is a ready-to-use, naturally derived bio-insecticide that can be applied anywhere bed bugs are found without restriction. EcoRaider can be used in various environments, including schools, health-care facilities and public spaces.

For more information, call (201) 751-0011. Also, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Bed bugs! Iowa bed bug cases increase!

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Pest control companies say they’re seeing an increase in bedbug cases in eastern Iowa.

The pesky, blood-sucking bugs don’t carry diseases but can cause painful bites. They often come out to feed at night and hide during the day in the crevices of mattresses and furniture. Bed bug treatments are common and bed bug sprays help get rid of bed bugs.

Jeff Voss of Voss Pest Control tells the Telegraph Herald that the business already has surpassed the total number of bedbug treatments they completed in 2014. Voss says they have done less than 100 treatments so far this year, but that the figure is “snowballing.”

Operations manager Charles Jones for BedBug Chasers in Marion says the company is addressing more homes and businesses infested with bedbugs every year. So what kills bed bugs and how to treat for bed bugs?

EcoRaider! … EcoRaider is how to get rid of bed bugs

EcoRaider, which kills bed bugs and is effective on all stages of the pest without lingering environmental effects, was named “the most effective bio-insecticide for bed bugs” by Entomological Society of America-published lab data in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

The product carries no signal words or cautions, has no label restrictions or precautions on usage, and is a green product, making it an ideal fit for sensitive accounts and environments where low-impact methods are advised, the company said. It also can be incorporated with other treatment methods such as heat or steam.

EcoRaider is a ready-to-use, naturally derived bio-insecticide that can be applied anywhere bed bugs are found without restriction. EcoRaider can be used in various environments, including schools, health-care facilities and public spaces.

For more information, call (201) 751-0011. Also, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Bed Bugs Are On The Rise: How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs

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Few animals, even among insects, are as reviled by people as are bed bugs, more formally known as Cimex lectularius. The problem becomes how to kill bed bugs.

And according to a news release from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) published recently, we’re only going to become more and more familiar with them, as the rate of bed bug infestations continue to climb upward.

More Bug Than Bed

Despite the name, bed bugs are suited to virtually any environment that contains humans, including doctors’ offices, buses, taxis, and retail stores. And according to the 2015 Bugs Without Borders survey conducted by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky, they are definitely becoming more prevalent.

Polling 7,000 pest management professionals, they found that 58 percent of nursing homes had been treated for bed bugs vs. 46 percent in the 2013 survey; 45 percent vs. 36 percent of offices; and 43 percent vs. 41 percent of schools and daycare centers. And 64 percent of these professionals agreed that bed bugs are on the rise. Even more troubling was the finding that a similar percentage believed that these pesky pests are among the hardest to properly control.

Why are bed bug infestations increasing?

According to an expert quoted by the AAD, Dr. Theodore Rosen, a professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine, the elimination of DDT in the United States during the 1970s, which nearly eradicated the bed bug population when it was in popular use, coupled with the development of insecticides that only targeted cockroaches, a predator of bed bugs, largely, but not entirely, explain their resurgence.

Other factors include an increase in air travel and a boost in the popularity of secondhand furniture. And much like bacteria, bed bugs are growing resistant to the current arsenal of pesticides available (DDT-resistance was already being noticed in bed bugs when it was discontinued). “It was kind of like the perfect storm,” Dr. Rosen said in the AAD’s release.

With that in mind, here are some more kernels of information about them, including what to do when you come across them:

They can’t fly.

Nor can they cause disease — they can, however, cause a telltale allergic rash through their blood-sucking bite. Some research indicates that a substantial proportion of people don’t react to the bite, but it’s largely very dated or from small sample sizes. For many people, the allergic reaction may only happen after the second or third bite, not the first.

Though they are considered nocturnal, bed bugs are more attuned to warmth than anything else and can emerge at any time of day. That might be partly why, according to the Bugs Without Borders survey, bed bug infestations peak around the summertime. Though it could also be the case that people simply travel more then.

Their affinity to warm temperatures only applies to feeding time, however. Even if you’re carrying them around from place to place, they’re very unlikely to hitch a ride on your exceedingly warm body, instead they’ll reside in your cooled luggage.

Bed bugs are also often associated with unclean, dirty environments but that’s giving them too much credit. Any place with human hosts will do fine, whether a ritzy lounge or an unwashed college student’s dorm. There is evidence that they prefer to attack urban areas over those rural, however.

Bed bugs live in all 50 states. Under normal conditions, they can live up to a year, but only a few months without feeding. Bed bug sprays have been very effective against bed bugs.

They’re now known as bed bugs, but once upon a time it would have been appropriate to call them cave bugs, since it’s believed that they moved from picking on bats to hassling humans once we moved into these spacious indoor environments several thousand years ago. As we left the caves to build civilizations, they came along for the ride.

When sleeping in a new environment, such as a hotel, there are simple precautions you can take, including checking the bed. “Bedbugs tend to settle in corners, so make sure to pay attention to those areas,” Rosen said. “Look closely anywhere there’s a 90-degree angle.”

Whether it’s away or at home, the most prudent thing is to call for professional help. Bed bugs are almost impossible to eliminate fully through home remedies like steaming your clothes or bedding.

Though we’re currently losing the battle against bed bugs, a new innovation developed by husband-wife team and biologists Dr. Regine Gries and Dr. Gerhard Gries may someday win the war. They were able to create a pheromone-scented trap that lures bed bugs away from their hiding place. “This trap will help landlords, tenants, and pest-control professionals determine whether premises have a bedbug problem, so that they can treat it quickly. It will also be useful for monitoring the treatment’s effectiveness,” said Gerhard in a statement at the time. The Gries trap may be available as early as this year.

EcoRaider is a great bed bug treatment

EcoRaider, which kills bed bugs and is effective on all stages of the pest without lingering environmental effects, was named “the most effective bio-insecticide for bed bugs” by Entomological Society of America-published lab data in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

EcoRaider is a ready-to-use, naturally derived bio-insecticide that can be applied anywhere bed bugs are found without restriction. EcoRaider can be used in various environments, including schools, health-care facilities and public spaces.

(From Medical Daily)

USDA IR-4 Study Measuring Efficacy of Green Product for Controlling Bed Bugs in Apartment Buildings

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May 29, 2015

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. – The USDA IR‐4 Public Health Pesticides Program recently published the results of one of their funded projects, a field study conducted by the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University in 2013. Results of the study revealed that EcoRaider, a 25b exempted bio-insecticide, shows similar control on bed bugs to that of a leading professional pesticide.

The field study was conducted in a high-rise public housing apartment building in Irvington, NJ with a known bed bug infestation. Temprid SC was used for means of comparison because it is a popularly used product previously proven to be highly effective against bed bugs and used by many professionals. After 12 weeks of evaluation on 24 treated apartments, the study concluded that “no significant difference was found between Temprid SC and EcoRaider” in the overall bed bug reduction rate.

Bed bugs can be difficult to control in public housing settings. The apartments are often inhabited by the elderly who are reluctant to vacate the premises, typically have more clutter and are willing to do less prep work. Tenants often struggle with long-term infestations and have gone through a variety of treatments with consumer or professional pesticides. According to researchers from Rutgers University, bed bug populations in such environments are typically found to have “moderate to high levels of resistance” to pesticides.

Since bed bug work requires treating the bed and sleeping areas, there is a concern over misuse of pesticides and the associated health concerns that might have. Therefore, having this study identify a ‘low-risk and effective alternative pesticide’ is an important initiative for the USDA IR-4 Public Health Pesticides Program. The program supports the development of new pesticides to protect public health.

Pest professionals are also recognizing the benefits of utilizing green products in their service offerings. Bill Hastings, Director of Ancillary Services Rose Pest Solutions in Chicago, shares his experience with green products, “Many botanical products that we’ve tried had some performance/efficacy issues coupled with an odor problem. With EcoRaider, we are getting great efficacy without any long lasting or offensive odor issues. We haven’t received any performance or odor complaints using EcoRaider. We have included EcoRaider in our bed bug protocol with chemical and heat treatments and especially for use in sensitive accounts.”

EcoRaider is a 25b exempt minimum risk pest control product manufactured by Reneotech Inc, North Bergen, NJ.  It carries no signal words or cautions, and has no label restrictions or precautions on usage. As a green product, EcoRaider is ideal for sensitive environments where low impact methods are advised yet high efficacy is needed.

How to Conduct a Bed Bug Inspection

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What Bed Bugs Look Like

In order to conduct an effective bed bug inspection you must know a little bit about bed bugs. A bed bug, whose scientific name is cimex lectularius, is a small, oval shaped, wingless bug with six legs. The average adult bed bug is approximately five millimeters long and is about as wide as a credit card is thick; a newly hatched nymph however is much smaller and can be the size of a pinhead. The shape of an adult bed bug has been described as similar to that of an apple seed except that a bed bug is relatively flat. Bed bugs range in colors from nearly white at the nymph stage to brown as adults and rusty-brown if they are adults that have recently fed on blood.

A Simple, Visual Inspection of Sleeping Areas

The least complex, and first method you should use to inspect for bed bugs is a simple visual inspection. This can be done with no tools at all, but using a good flashlight and a magnifying glass can be very helpful. Note that bed bugs are a nocturnal pest, extremely tiny and thin and will hideout in the smallest of cracks and crevices during daylight hours. Therefore, adult bed bugs may be difficult to see during the day. During your inspection, you are really looking for evidence of bed bugs or bed bug eggs in cracks and crevices. Although bed bugs can be found in many areas, the first place that should be inspected is any soft furniture used as a sleeping area that has places for a bed bug to hide; pieces of furniture that fall into this category include both beds and sofas.

Adult bed bugs should be observable with the naked eye but will typically not be found during the day. If adult bed bugs are hiding, only nymphs and eggs may be present and a magnifying glass will be very beneficial in seeing them. In some cases you will not see actual bed bugs but you will see evidence that they were there. Small dark spots on the mattress may be bed bug feces, eggs, shed skin, or blood blots. Unfortunately it is sometimes hard for untrained people to identify bed bug waste.

When inspecting a bed, the first step should be to carefully lookover the fitted sheet and mattress pad that is the sleeping surface. Look for blood stains, often described as looking like pepper, and also inspect for bug parts or squished bugs. Next, it is important to inspect the seams, edging, and corners of the mattress. Gently pull at the sides of the mattress to make it easier to look in the corners. If you have a flashlight, shine the flashlight in the area for better visibility. If you are inspecting a chair, sofa, or other upholstered piece of furniture, first take of any removable cushions, and like the inspection of the bed, look at any crevices, corners or seams where a bed bug would be able to hide.

A Thorough Bed Bug Inspection

If you want to conduct a more in-depth inspection, after you have looked at the tops of upholstered items, move on to other, more discreet areas that may contain bed bugs. After completely inspecting and stripping a mattress turn it over and inspect the underside as well as the top of the box spring. Next, remove the box spring and with a flashlight thoroughly inspect the bottom side of it. The underside of box springs is a favorite hiding spot for bed bugs.

In a room that has a bed, sofa, or chair, the next place to inspect is the furniture around those items. Make sure to take a close look at the front and backside of the head-boards. Picture frames hung near furniture, night stands, joints of any drawers and even electrical outlets can be infestation areas for bed bugs. Bed bugs may also be present in places where we often hang clothing like a coat closet or on the back of a door.

Another option beyond the visual inspection is the use of detection device. There are devices on the market now that will let you know if you have a bed bug problem by encouraging bed bugs to enter a device that traps them until you are able to see them. These devices are usually small and discrete so they can be placed either between the mattress and the box spring of a bed, or near any area you may suspect there are bed bugs.

If Bed Bugs Are Discovered

If you do uncover bugs near a sleeping area in the home we recommend saving it in a sealed container and having a pest professional or local cooperative extension identify it. In the case of an infestation you will want to carefully place all bed linens immediately into a sealed plastic bag and wash and dry them on the highest temperature setting. This will kill all stages of the bugs. There is no need to throw out your mattress! If bed bugs have infested the room there is a good chance that they will simply reinfest any new mattress brought into the room.

To learn more about bed bug, read here.

Bed Bugs Resistant to Freezing Says New Research

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It was quite cold in Denver during the 4th annual Global Bed Bug Summit, in fact below freezing for much of the two day program. But research is discovering that freezing temperatures are not always enough to kill bed bugs, and certainly not immediately.

Chilling News from the Lab
Bed bugs, like most insects, have learned to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions.  Just as they have learned to adapt to many modern pesticides and have developed resistance to them, bed bugs have also evidently evolved mechanisms to resist extreme cold.  At least for a time.

As recently reported in a number of news sources, an article in the December 2013 edition of the Journal of Economic Entomology, published by the Entomological Society of America, titled “Cold Tolerance of Bed Bugs and Practical Recommendations for Control,” laid out the evidence.

Researchers attempted to determine what temperatures would be 100% lethal to all bed bug stages, from nymph to adult.  They found it would require 80 continuous hours at -16 Celsius (3.2 F).  Amping up the cold to -20 Celsius (4 F) would kill in about 48 hrs.

Apparently bed bugs have learned to adapt to freezing, at least for a short time, by lowering the freezing point of their bodily fluids, and thus can survive with a greatly reduced metabolism. Here we have yet another example of the extreme adaptability of this persistent pest.

This research should immediately call into question cryogenic treatments for bed bugs used in the past, which have now largely been abandoned by the pest control industry. While cryogenic treatment is certainly “green’ and has no harmful side effects for humans or animals, it is very difficult for it to be effective. A constant and sustained temperature, as the research shows, has to be maintained to actually be effective.  And the bed bug must be fully exposed to that killing temperature for a sustained period..

The Laboratory vs. the Field
The lab is not the field. The research laboratory is a controlled environment by definition.  The field – the real world – is not.  Variables interject and conditions can change, often suddenly.  Consider this scenario:  A sofa discarded late in the day, say in Denver during freezing weather, may contain bed bugs.  As the temperature dips, the bed bug is burrowed into the cushions, the frame, or other somewhat insulated areas. Overnight the temperature is well below the lab threshold, but our bed bug is snug and warm.  No worries.  He’s not fully exposed to the lab determined optimal killing temperature. He’s snug as a bug in a rug, as the old saying goes.

Come the new day, temps rise to, say -8 Celsius (27 F), and our bed bug is out of the woods for now.  A passer-by stops for a minute out of curiosity to inspect the discarded sofa and as his pants leg, or shoe perhaps comes in contact with the discarded sofa, the bed bug sensing warmth (and maybe the prospect of a blood meal!) hops on board for a ride home with our unsuspecting passer-by.  The bed bug is happy.  There is the prospect for a meal, and if a it’s a female ready to lay eggs, the prospect of a new colony, and lots of potential misery for our unsuspecting pedestrian.  A new infestation in the urban environment is about to take hold.  That’s real world.  That’s the way it works.

You Can Do It Yourself!  Just Put ‘Em in Your Freezer!
On the heels of this interesting research, some of the popular articles reviewed (trying to be helpful, we guess) have even suggested that people can place infected items, clothing, etc., in the freezer for two to four days to rid those articles of bed bugs.  That’s good in theory, based on the research.  But that also raises some practical questions:  Can most home freezers actually maintain the requisite temperatures for a sufficient time, especially while otherwise in use for food storage.  Open the freezer to dig around for that pint of Haagen Dazs Gelato you have stashed away, or the frozen spinach for dinner, and you’ve immediately blown your base temperature.  That will probably cost you another hour or  so at 3.2 F to compensate.

Besides that, do people really want to stuff pillows, mattresses, chairs, drapes, and  a hamper of infected clotting in their freezer for a couple of days?  Probably not, would be our guess.  Great in theory.  Not so great in practice.

Perhaps a better and simpler idea would be to wash any infected personal items in hot soapy water and dry on high heat.  Much quicker, just as effective, certainly ‘green,’ and it doesn’t’ monopolize your freezer.  Your freezer is now free for its intended use — stocking with Haagen Dazs, frozen cheese cake, and all those pizza specials from the neighborhood grocery.  That’s what home freezers are for.  Not for do-it-yourself bed bug remediation.

The Simple Solution:
EcoRaider, based on solid science and research, is proven to kill bed bugs, both in the lab and in the field.  Safe for people, for pets, the whole household.  It’s the simple solution.

And you certainly won’t have to worry about overloading the washer (or freezer!)