Clive Boase, a pest management consultant in Suffolk and author of the London survey, says that UK bedbug numbers began decreasing in the s, thanks to changes in social housing and public health policies, which led to the demolition of old publicly-funded housing and teams of inspectors checking homes for vermin, respectively. New pesticides introduced in the s, including DDT , also helped to bring numbers down, and by the s infestations were rare.
The US saw a similar drop in infestations from the late s onwards, thanks to the advent and widespread use of DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides.
So, where is the chemical cure this time around? Or, is there any relief to be found in the myriad bed bug products and services on the market, from growth regulators to heat treatments? Because bed bugs live primarily in the bedroom, chemical companies must provide extensive toxicity data to prove it is safe for indoor use, as it might come into contact with people or pets. The investment may not be worth it. Compared to the vast expanse of farmland and orchards, the real estate of all of the apartments and houses in the world combined is small and brings in less money, says Miller.
This is especially a problem considering patent protection on a novel ingredient runs out after around 20 years, after which the tech is open to generic competitors. Even if making a new bed bug insecticide were lucrative, there are other challenges.
As such, the complete control of a larger infestation may require multiple treatments. There are several recommended treatments for dealing with bed bug infestations. In the case of an insecticide treatment, complete control of an infestation likely requires more than one application of insecticides. Don't discard furniture if you can safely eliminate the bed bugs from it.
Prepare for Treatment Preparing for treatment is very important; it will make it easier to monitor for bed bugs that haven't been eliminated.
Learn more about preparing for treatment Learn about treatment options PDF. See What's Legal, What's Not. Consider non-chemical methods of killing bed bugs. Some will be more useful than others depending on your situation. These and other methods can be helpful, but they might not get rid of the infestation entirely: Heat treatment: You can use a clothes dryer on high heat.
You can also use black plastic bags in a hot, closed car in the sun, but success depends on your climate and other factors. Do-it-yourself heat treatments might not work.
Professionals have access to more intensive and proven methods that can even treat whole houses with heat. You may also purchase a portable heat chamber, which is usually quite effective.
Cold treatment can be successful in the home environment if the freezer is set to 0 o F. You must leave the items in a sealed bag in the freezer at that temperature for four days. Always use a thermometer to check the temperature, since home freezers are not always set to 0 o. Steam cleaners wet or dry can get into cracks and fabrics to treat carpets, baseboards, bed frames, and other furniture. The steam temperature must be at least o F but should not have a forceful airflow, or it may cause bed bugs to scatter.
Use a diffuser to prevent scattering. If needed, hire a pest management professional or use pesticides carefully according to the label directions: Look for EPA-registered pesticides that have bed bugs listed on the label. There are many bedbug look-alikes, including carpet beetles , spider beetles , roach nymphs , and bat bugs , explained Matt Kelly, a Philadelphia-based pest control operator PCO.
And be sure to study guides that show the size and appearance of bedbugs throughout their life cycle. You can use a lint roller or tape to pick up any evidence—like bugs, cast skins, or eggs—and place it in a plastic bag to show a PCO. Eradicating an underlying bedbug infestation is not a DIY effort. Many bedbugs have developed resistance to insecticides, so spraying them with something you buy at a hardware store or online will kill only some and scatter the rest, making your problem significantly worse.
Bedbugs and their eggs can be killed by steam, heat, and professional-grade chemicals such as insecticides, powders, and other agents, all of which must be applied by a trained PCO over multiple visits and inspections. The PCO can also identify the underlying cause of the infestation—for example, if they are coming from a neighboring apartment—and treat bedbugs hidden deep in walls or floorboards.
A PCO will have specific instructions for cleaning, decluttering, and preparing your home for treatment. Follow them carefully.
Doing so could spread bedbugs farther around your home. Alongside any professional treatment, you should clean infested areas and kill any bedbugs you find. Using an upholstery attachment, thoroughly vacuum your mattress and box spring, focusing on seams, crevices, and folds.
0コメント