Bed Bug Crash Course

Jeffrey White BedBug Central [email protected]

So What is Working?

Research is Providing Some Insight Into Pesticide Efficacy • Efficacy? • Repellency? • Resistance?

Liquid Residuals Evaluated

Preliminary Results – Field Study Control: reduced populations by 4555% (encasements + removal)

Preliminary Results – Field Study Follow-up inspections indicated that liquid residual application reduced the number of bed bugs by 30-40%

Univ. Kentucky Potter, Romero, & Haynes 2007

Current pesticides are effective as direct contact sprays but the effectiveness of dry residues is questionable! Pest Control Technology July 2007

Liquid-Residual Alternatives • Dual-actives –Temprid –Transport GHP –Tandem • Single-actives –Micro-caps? –WP’s? –Phantom?

Univ. of Kentucky – PCT June 2014 •

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•

Bed Bugs starting to show decreased susceptibility to combination products (3 T’s) Not surprising as bed bugs have been shown to developed resistances within years Speaks to the importance of rotating products and non-chemical tools

All-Natural Sprays •

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Eco-Raider and Bed Bug Patrol demonstrated high mortality after 10 days after direct contact Others tested never reached above 50% mortality Temprid killed much quicker Staining can be an issue (Eco-Raider) Singh et al., PCT, March 2013

Dusts • Low-impact – Cimexa – DE – Many others • Active-ingredient – Tempo-dust – Drione – Many others

Benoit et al. (2009) DE is effective against 1st instar and stressed bugs Effectiveness of DE is largely contingent on formulation/brand (Mother Earth D)

Univ. of Kentucky • Completed a study where only DE was used in field infestations • Results were less than impressive • Jury still out and much debate is taking place amongst researchers • Concerning enough for us to change from DE to Cimexa

Vacuums can be used to quickly eliminate large numbers of bugs

What type of vacuum? • Commonly recommend bags • HEPA filters can be difficult to clean • Bugs can live in vacuums • Strong suction ability • Easy to use and light

Steam is a Very Effective Tool

Destroys all stages including Eggs!

Penetrates Well into Pleats and Folds

Using Steam Correctly

Remember that contact kills are typically used as spot treatments… not entire apartment treatments!!! Steaming takes typically 5-10 minutes per apartment on an Initial service

Encasement of Mattresses & Box Springs

Pro-Active Use • Prevent Infestation • Early Detection

Reactive Use: Protect Replacement Bedding

Berry Pannkuk

Encasements are no longer effective if they become ripped, torn or worn

Installing felt on the bed frame resolves this issue

Interception Devices

Changlu Wang

Pit Fall Trap – Intercepts bugs away from sleeping and/or resting areas as they seek a blood meal

Intercepts Bugs Coming and Going!

The Generally Accepted Way to Use Monitors

10 or Less Bugs Present •

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Visual Inspection can be unreliable –Research suggests 50-70% effective at detecting low levels Can we implement monitors to aid in detection Early detection is key!

Rutgers Research In a high-rise senior living building, approximately 50% of residents were unaware they had bed bugs Wang et al, 2010

Study supports the statement to property managers: “however many infestations you know of, you probably have 2-3 times that”

How Much Damage Can One Person Do?

Monitors in Bad Problems •

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Monitors are typically thought of a detection tools –Can be used to help eliminate problems Can reduce bites, bugs and services

Field Results: Interception Devices Total # of Apartments

# of Bugs Visually Observed

Total # Bugs Trapped

# Bugs Outer Well

# Bugs Inner Well

116 units

746

1619

1328

291

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Benefit of Monitors in Bad Problems •

• • •

Capturing 100’s of bugs between services Reducing number of bites Reducing stress on tenants Catching bugs coming from hard to address clutter

Problem Solving •

•

High level infestations can be tough to completely eliminate Mass deployment of monitors assists in detecting clusters of bed bugs

heater

bed Bedroom

sofa

Living room

closet

closet

chair

Hallway

sink

closet

Bathroom Kitchen

2 4

1 2

heater

6

1

6

12

5 Living room

bed

3

sofa

Bedroom

5

1

2

1

2

0

0

3

chair

closet

1

4

0

0 0

closet

Hallway

sink 0

0

closet

1

3 Bathroom

Kitchen 3

0

0

The Generally Accepted Way to Use Monitors

Rutgers Research In a high-rise senior living building, approximately 50% of residents were unaware they had bed bugs Wang et al, 2010

Study supports the statement to property managers: “however many infestations you know of, you probably have 2-3 times that”

On to the job….

First! A written protocol is a must!

Traditional Preparations

Traditional Preparations • • • • • • • •

Strip beds Empty dressers Empty closets Launder all clothes Stand bed up Empty all furniture Pull furniture away from wall ETC……….

WHY?!?!?

70-20-10 Rule • 52 Units in study at one apartment complex –69% Low: less than 20 bugs (36) –23% Moderate: 21-100 bugs (12) –8% High: over 100 bugs (4) • @70% low level infestations –most infestations are low levels

Progressive Preparations • Clean your room – so that we can move in it • Leave the bed as is – Don’t distribute bugs around • If we need you to launder items or empty items out, we will let you know for the next service – If an item is bagged, an information sheet to launder it is placed on top – If we find evidence in a closet, empty and launder THAT closet

Beds •

• •

93% of bugs are typically found associated with sleeping areas Beds typically area of 1st infestation Most bugs will probably be found in bed

Beds •

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Briefly inspect all surfaces of the mattress/box spring Remove any bugs with vacuum Prefer not to steam Encase using proper encasement Use felt to pad sharp edges on bed frames Use zip-tie to indicate evidence of tamper

Couches • •

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Commonly sleeping areas Can be very complex with tufts and folds of fabrics Watch for sleeper sofas Always evaluate the condition and age of couch, if the cost to treat the couch exceeds the approximate price to replace, disposal may be the best choice

Couches • •

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Steam, steam, steam Apply liquid residual where people do not consistently contact Crack and crevice in areas where possible and bugs are present If bugs appear to be present under the dust cover, remove and treat If not, cut cover and apply dust

Baseboard/Floor Gap •

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•

Bed bugs are commonly found near (within 2 feet) of beds and couches Beneath baseboards provides safe harborage close to food source Can be very difficult to treat due to complex nature of the area

Baseboard/Floor Gaps •

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•

If carpet is present behind any beds or couches, pull from tack strip Apply dust under baseboard if gap is present Apply liquid residual on tack strip Place carpet and re-apply to tack strip

Furniture in sleeping areas •

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Treat each piece to the best of your ability All cracks and crevices should be treated Furniture should be flipped if possible Drawers should be removed

Sockets and Switchplates •

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Any sockets or switchplates within 2 feet of a sleeping area should be removed and dust applied around the circuit box Be careful with dust bulb wands around electricity!

Walls and ceilings •

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Watch for bugs in the wallwall and wall-ceiling junctions If spotting is present, steam and vacuums Liquid residual

Other areas/items • • •

Watch for wall hangings Closets Cracks and crevices in: –Dry wall –Baseboards –Window sills

100% elimination of bed bugs in a single visit is unlikely! • Eggs or bugs that were missed or were inaccessible • Bugs that were between blood meals will become active in the days following treatment • If pesticide tolerance or resistance is present in the population residual treatments may not be effective

A Follow-up Program is Critical if 100% Elimination is your Goal!

Structural Heat

Steve Kells & Temp-Air (2009) Mortality in Time (Minutes) Temperature Adults 113 oF

Eggs

90 min vs. (15 min) 480 min vs. (60 min)

118 oF

2 min

90 min

122 oF

< 1 min

< 1 min

Want temperatures over 120

oF

Why Structural Heat???

Use of Heat With Bed Bugs •

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Can do things with heat we can’t do with traditional treatments Eliminate infestations in one service Crash populations Considered a “greener ” option (reduce amount of chemical)

But How Long Do You Really Need to Hold the Heat? Need “at least 118 oF” for “at least 90 minutes” but... • Heat sinks - slabs, block walls, room contents • Cool spots - base of wall, ext insulated walls

• Areas of Heat Loss - crawl spaces, attics, poorly sealed structures

Answer: The longer the Better!

Interior Wall Voids (Ambient temp ~ 135

oF)

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Interior Wall Void -

o 120.1 F

Exterior walls (Ambient temp ~ 135 oF)

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Wall 79.7 oF Void

Surface 126.2 oF of Wall

Heat is not likely to overcome excessive clutter like this!

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How effective is heat?

Low - Moderate Level Infestations Elimination of 95% or better in one service (may be closer to 98%)

High Level Infestations/Clutter Elimination in one service can be difficult but can drastically crash populations (from 10,000 bugs to 10 bugs in one treatment)

Protocol – Average Infestation •

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• •

Monitors in the 4 corners of living rooms and bedrooms “Clock” starts when all 4 reach 120 degrees Minimum of 3 hours in critical rooms Minimum of 1 hour in all adjacent rooms

Protocol – Average Infestation •

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Check of personal items that will be damaged Inspect furniture quickly to determine items of concern Liquid residual around the perimeter of the rooms before heat is started Dust after heat treatment

Warranty and High Levels • •

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Do you have a warranty? Do you require automatic inspections after treatment? Do you handle high levels differently?

Summary •

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Bed bugs are back and here to stay! –No silver bullet on the horizon Finding bad infestations is a MUST in multi-family housing Protocol…protocol…protocol 70-20-10 Rule What type of treatment best fits you!

Questions?