Bed Bugs First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Environmental Public Heath Services

Presentation Outline History of Bed Bugs Why are Bed Bugs so popular right now? Bed Bug Biology How and where to look for Bed Bugs Treatment Options

History • Around 1950 bedbugs were thought to be eradicated • The pesticide DDT was very effective at eliminating the bugs (as well as other insects) • The decline in bed bug populations was thought to be due to improvements in the way people lived such as personal hygiene and the pesticide DDT

Resurgence of Bed Bugs ? Reintroduction via growth of international travel and trade Bed bug resistance to insecticides Changes in pest management practices; a shift away from broad spectrum pesticides to pest specific bait products

Now fashionable to buy second-hand items

Bed Bug Biology Identification • Blood feeding, flightless, oval, flattened insects • Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye and they are similar in size and shape to an apple seed • Bed bugs cannot fly or jump • When bed bugs feed, their bodies swell and become a brighter red • In homes, bedbugs feed primarily on the blood of humans, usually at night when people are sleeping

Bed Bug Biology

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Identification • Life cycle contains eggs, nymphs and adults • Adults are reddish brown and vary from 6-10 mm in length • Nymphs look like adults, but smaller and lighter in colour • Eggs are 1 mm in diameter and are whitish in colour Closely Related Pests

Flea

Book Louse

Immature Coackroach

Mites

Life Cycle • Bedbugs go through 6 stages (5 nymphal stages and then 1 adult stage) and live an average of 10 months • They must blood feed at each stage

Bed Bug Development  3 Life Stages: egg-nymph-adult  Bed bugs will feed on pets such as dogs or cats when humans are not available  Ideal temperature range is 21-27°C

 A female bed bug will lay eggs singly up to 5-7 per day and up to 500 in her lifetime  Egg to adult development time: @18°C = 180 days @33°C = 37 days

How do Bed Bugs find You? Bed bugs can travel up to 6 meters in search of a human host They are attracted to human carbon dioxide, heat and chemical cues They are able to smell through their antennae

Blood Feeding Habits Bed bugs feed mainly at night Both male and female bed bugs blood feed, they have no other source of nutrition Inject saliva containing anticoagulants (keeps blood flowing) and anaesthetics (so you do not feel the bite) Feed for 10-20 minutes and then return to their hiding places Feed on exposed areas of skin such as arms and neck

Bed Bug Enemies Cockroaches Assassin Bugs Ants Trypanosomes (protozoa)

Bed Bug Bites Bites are usually painless, despite the small, visible bite marks

Most people do not report a reaction to bed bug bites Most bites heal within a week, unless they are aggravated by scratching There is no evidence that bed bugs transmit blood-borne infectious diseases e.g., Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV

Insect Bites are difficult to Diagnose

Black Fly bites

Fire Ant stings

No-see-um bites

Mosquito bite

Bed Bug Life Expectancy The amount of time a bed bug can live is temperature dependent Cooler temperatures allow bed bugs to live longer In addition a bed bug that has not fed will not be able to live as long as compared to a bed bug that has bloodfed So, living as long as one year is possible under the right conditions

Where do Bed Bugs come from? • Bed bugs are good hitchhikers they are transported from infested areas to non infested area when they cling onto someone's clothing or crawl into luggage, furniture or bedding • Travelers can pick up bed bugs when staying in a hotel or when visiting a home that has bed bugs • Bringing used furniture/mattress from a place that has bed bugs

Bed Bug Hiding Places • • • •

• • • • •

Floor Cracks Carpets - underneath Cracks between walls Behind Cable and Electrical Plates/Jacks Inside vents Along mattress seams and folds Inside box springs Beds 85%-90% found near/on mattress

Bed Bug evidence? Bed bugs leave behind stains (pale to brown fecal stains) on mattresses, furniture, walls and on bedding

They may also leave blood stains on the bed These are not always dark and sometimes are straw coloured to light tan

Mattresses Bed bugs on a mattress can be spotted with the naked eye and are usually found hidden in seams and under any labels

Even the best mattresses can develop a bed bug problem Bed bugs can be found in the box spring and the mattress, so both need to be inspected and if necessary treated

A close up look at Eggs, Nymphs and Adult Bed Bugs

Extreme Cases

Treatment Options An Integrated Pest Management Approach (IPM) is best at getting rid of bed bugs - IPM combines a variety of techniques and products that pose the least risk to human health and the environment

Types of treatments that may be used are; physical, extreme temperatures, chemical or biological Bed bugs are extremely hard to treat and repeat applications are usually required, it is strongly recommended that a pest control operator that is experienced in bed bug control be used

Extreme Temperatures Freezing Temperatures below 0°F (-18 C) for one to two weeks weeks are generally believed to be needed to reliably kill all bed bug life stages

Steam Steam can kill eggs in cracks and all stages of bed bugs Steam can be used along the seams of a mattress, although make sure it dries with the window open to avoid mould

Physical Removal • Every inch of a bed bug infested room needs to be inspected

• Bed bugs can travel so it is important to check all rooms in a house to determine the extent of the infestation • Bag and remove any items that are on the floor or in closets • Bag all clothes and any items that can be washed or placed into a dryer, do not place in another room and do not carry through other rooms unless bagged

Physical Removal • Wash all clothes and linens in hot water. Dry for a minimum of 20 minutes in a dryer at 120oF degrees (hottest setting on home dryers is fine) • Bag after washing and drying

• Do not return clothes to closets and drawers until you are sure the infestation is gone

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Physical Removal

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• Vacuum the entire room, including along mattress seams and along the edges of the room • Use a brushless crevice tool to avoid picking up and dropping bed bugs in the brush attachment

• Remove the vacuum bag in the room being treated and seal in a plastic bag • Dispose of the bag outside the home

Chemical & Biological Treatment Options Contact a licensed pest control operator that is experienced in treating bed bugs There are products available to homeowners, however pest control operators have a variety of products and techniques available to them and they are able to choose the best approach for each situation Always follow the label directions Never use or allow anyone else to use a pesticide indoors that is meant for outdoor use. Using the wrong pesticide or using it incorrectly can make you, your family and your pets sick

Remember… Don’t let the Bedbugs Bite!

Thank you