Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on blood, representing the Cimex lectularius species. As their name suggests, they can be found in and around the bed. They prefer this area so as not to travel too much in search of food. Bed bugs are especially active at night. These pests are attracted to the host’s body and feed on its blood. However, bed bugs do not attack humans exclusively, but also warm-blooded animals such as dogs, cats, birds, or rodents. In case of a bed bug infestation, specific measures must be taken, and treatments must be applied.

Bed bugs – Description

Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal insects. They usually feed on the host’s blood without being noticed. This can cause several side effects such as skin allergies or rashes. However, bed bugs do not transmit diseases to bitten people. Medical problems that may occur are itching or inflammation due to their bite. They can be treated with antihistamines that reduce allergic and inflammatory reactions or with antibiotic ointments that prevent infections.

Bed bugs – Signs of infestation

Usually, a bedbug infestation occurs when they are brought inside from other areas, in luggage, clothes, or other objects that have been in an infested space.

The most common signs of infestation are the presence of feces in the form of dark brown or red spots found on mattresses or near beds, and pinches or bites on the skin.

However, it should be noted that the presence of the pests is not related to the degree of cleanliness of the place that is infested with them. Bed bugs can be found in both clean and less clean spaces.

Types of bed bug treatments

It is important to know that bed bugs can survive for a long time without feeding. To control bed bug activity,  chemical treatments or heat treatments can be applied. Traps can also be used for monitoring.

Insecticide treatments

The fight against bed bugs is more difficult compared to other pests. Such being the case, it is recommended to perform several treatments, so the results are satisfactory. It is recommended to use contact insecticides that are applied by spraying. The treatments can be applied with manual or motorized sprayers, depending on the size of the treated space. It is important to spray all areas where they could hide (bedroom furniture, fabrics, mattresses, carpets, bedside tables, parquets, etc.). The solution is recommended to be applied in the first 24 hours because after this period, it will lose some of its effects.

Recommended insecticides for bed bug control:

They are biocidal substances used to control bed bugs, most of which act on the insect’s nervous system. Contact insecticides are preferred against bed bugs. The solution is applied by spraying, using manual or motorized equipment, depending on the size of the treated space.

Recommended sprayers for the application of insecticides:

Sprayers are low-pressure pumps, which are used for the application of pesticides that require precise dosing. Their capacity varies depending on the type of appliance, its design, the application method (manual / motorized sprayers),  and the size of the treated space. Special care must be had when adjusting the device, as well as when maintenance is applied to it.

Immediately after the spraying treatment has been performed, it is recommended to use an insecticide aerosol.

Aerosol insecticides

Aerosol insecticides should be used right after the application of sprayed insecticides. The released gas will irritate the bedbugs and force them to come out of hiding and to come into contact with the initially applied solution. This treatment will eliminate adult specimens. Before using the insecticide, it is recommended to close the doors, windows, and rearrange the furniture so that the substances can infiltrate through all the cracks. Furniture or sofas must not make contact with any walls. Depending on the product that is being used, it must be allowed to act for a few hours, during which time the room must remain closed, according to the specifications on the label.

Recommended aerosol insecticides for bed bug control:

Aerosol-type insecticides act by releasing the active substance in a gaseous form, thus covering the entire space to be treated and ensuring the reach of the active substance particles into hard-to-reach places. They come pre-dosed and ready to use. The released gas irritates the pests, causing them to come into contact with the previously applied insecticide, as such, in cases of pest situations that prove difficult to control, aerosol insecticides are used together with sprayed insecticides. For the best results, the room that is being treated must remain closed for at least 2 hours.

After this period, it is recommended to thoroughly ventilate the room, for at least 2 hours. Also, the treated area must be vacuumed very well, to remove dead insects and their eggs. After vacuuming, the vacuum cleaner bag must be cleaned very well or discarded. Likewise, all fabrics and materials treated through this process must be washed at a temperature above 60 ° C.

This kind of treatment (spray insecticide + aerosol insecticide) must be repeated at least two or three times at an interval of 7-10 days, depending on the intensity and evolution of the infestation.

Glue traps

These traps are used only for monitoring purposes, before and after chemical treatments. Before performing the treatment they will confirm the presence of bedbugs in a certain space and will help determine the degree of infestation. After applying the treatment, they will help monitor the treated space and confirm the results of the performed treatments.

In hotels, motels, and other accommodation facilities, traps are used to detect a possible infestation, even at early stages. Traps do not help control and do not prevent bed bug infestations.

Bed Bug Monitors

The Bed Bug Monitor is a device used for monitoring bed bugs and does not control or prevent their activity. Traps simulate the activity of the human body, emitting heat and carbon dioxide, drawing bed bugs out of hiding and capturing them onto the glue board. For optimal efficiency, it is recommended to place them in unoccupied rooms, as close as possible to the infested area. Depending on the size of the room, several devices can be placed if necessary.

Recommended traps for bed bug monitoring:

Monitoring traps are not used to control pests, instead, they have the role of detecting the presence and the degree of infestation in a certain space, to determine the best treatment. They can be placed even after the application of chemical treatments to monitor the treated space and verify the results of the performed treatments.

Treatments with dust insecticides

Dust insecticides can be used in hard-to-reach areas, where liquid insecticides cannot be applied (eg, holes or electrical installations, cracks, etc.). The products do not dissolve in water. It is important to identify and treat the areas with the greatest potential to host bed bug nests. As soon as the infested area has been detected, a dust line is drawn, and the pest will make contact with a lethal dose as it passes through the dust. It is recommended to repeat the treatment after 10-14 days, along with the other recommended treatments for bed bug control.

Recommended dust insecticides for bed bug control:

Dust insecticides are ready-made insecticides, which can be applied onto dry surfaces, according to the specifications on the label. They do not dissolve in water, making them ideal for spaces where liquid solutions cannot be applied, such as onto electrical installations, or in holes and cracks. Because they act by contact or ingestion, pests must cross the treated space.

In hard-to-reach spaces, insecticide dust products can be applied with the help of special devices.

Recommended dusters for the application of dust insecticides:

Dusters are devices specially designed for the application of granular or powder (dust) products. They are used to treat hard-to-reach places, for example: inside walls (cracks), behind panels, spaces around electrical outlets, and other very narrow spaces.

Larvicides

They are products used to control eggs and bed bug larvae, disrupting their life cycle. During growth, the larvae form external protective tissues, and larvicides act by blocking their development, thus leading to their death. Depending on the mode of action, some larvicides can also act as growth regulators. They contain specific active substances that prevent the development of eggs and larvae. The solution will be applied in hard-to-reach areas and sleeping areas.

Recommended larvicides for bed bug control:

Larvicides are a type of insecticide specially designed to kill insects in the larval stage. They can act in several ways: by contact, by ingestion, as growth regulators, etc. By using larvicides, the development of larvae into adult insects is prevented.

Thermal treatments for bed bugs

They are ecological methods of control that have proven to be very effective against bed bugs. Heat treatments can be very useful because insects in all stages of development are eliminated. It is well known that insects, their eggs, and insect larvae cannot withstand temperatures above 60ºC for more than 2 hours.

Recommended products for a thermal treatment for bed bug control:

Heat treatments are performed with the use of thermal bags/chambers, in which the objects to be treated are placed. This is an ecological method against bed bugs that consists in heating the room to 50-70 ° C and maintaining a constant temperature for at least 60 minutes. Heat treatments are effective against adult specimens, eggs, and larvae.

This type of treatment has certain advantages, such as:

– the treated areas can be used immediately;
– it is an ecological treatment;
– the risks of exposure to chemical residues are eliminated.

Safety equipment

Safety equipment has the role of protecting the person that is performing the disinsection treatments. To avoid inhalation of vapors created during spraying or direct contact with the applied substances, it is recommended to wear a complete protective suit. This includes hooded protective coveralls, gas masks with filters, chemical protection gloves, rubber boots, or waterproof footwear, as appropriate.

Recommended safety equipment:

Safety equipment has the role of protecting the person performing the treatments from dangerous substances. This category includes protective gloves, coveralls, masks, etc. The equipment is chosen based on the type of treatment, as well as the substances used or the pest that is being controlled.

Hooded chemical-resistant suit

Protective gloves

Gas masks, glasses

Bed bugs are pests difficult to control, as such, for effective results, it is recommended to perform regular treatments from the first signs of infestation. Thus, a series of measures can be taken against them, such as: the use of traps for monitoring, the application of specific insecticides, the use of heat treatments, etc., as well as measures that can be taken to prevent infestations. By following the indicated recommendations and with the help of periodic treatments, the desired results can be achieved.