BEDBUGS

Description:

The adult bedbugs are flat oval-shaped, wingless, reddish-brown, 3/16” long and 1/8” wide.  The tiny hairs covering the body are almost invisible to the human eye; therefore, the body appears shiny.  Bedbugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts.  Their bites may cause welts and skin irritation.

Usually they hide during the day in the tufts and folds of mattresses, coils of springs, cracks of bedsteads, in upholstered furniture, in floor cracks, behind base boards, pictures, and wallpaper.  Look in any place that provides darkness and isolation.  Infested homes have a sweetish, indescribable odor.

They can be brought into the home with infected luggage, clothing, bedding, and furniture.  They travel from apartment to apartment via the walls and pipes.

Life Cycle:

Each female lays two eggs per day until she has laid about 200.  The eggs are elongated and usually attached to surfaces near where the host sleeps.  Eggs hatch in 6 to 17 days, and the nymphs develop at varying rates.  They must have a blood meal at each of the five stages of development.  At room temperature and with available food supply, the development period will last from 14 to 30 days.  Bedbugs mate soon after becoming mature, a period of 4 to 9 weeks.

Both nymph and adult bedbugs can survive prolonged periods without food or under adverse temperature conditions.

The nymphs and adults are nighttime feeders, feeding on human blood, but will feed on pets.  They will feed during the day in theaters, offices and rest rooms.  After feeding the body enlarges significantly. 

Control:

Non-chemical:

Ø      Sun mattress, springs, bedding, slats, and frame.

Ø      Steam clean mattresses and used bedroom furnishings.

Ø      Launder or dry clean sheets and blankets.

Ø      Thoroughly vacuum bedding, floor cracks, baseboards, window frames, etc.  Discard vacuum bag.  Vacuuming will help but not eliminate bedbugs.

Ø      Dust silica aerogel or diatomaceous earth in cracks and crevices of floors and baseboards.

Ø      Paint and/or caulk baseboards, cracks, and crevices.

Ø      After vacuuming, apply temporary barriers to bed legs.  (a) Legs of infested bed can be placed in containers (cat food or tuna fish cans) filled with soapy water. (b) The legs can be set in clean glass jars or polished metal cans.  Their claws cannot cling to the smooth surface.  (c) Coat the bed legs with a few inches of petroleum jelly.  Ensure that no portion of the bed is touching a wall. 

Ø      Second hand furniture and appliances should be steam cleaned before bringing into house.

Ø      Bedbugs are sensitive to temperature.  Death points:  Heat:  111 to 113ºF.  Many will be killed at 97 to 99ºF.  Raising the thermostat and using supplemental heaters for an hour or so will probably eliminate an infestation.  Cold:  33 to 48ºF.  Adults and nymphs will die within hours; eggs will die within 30 to 60 days.

Chemical:

Ø      Do not spray bed linens.  Wash thoroughly.

Ø      Apply a light spray of pyrethrin, permethrin, resmethrin or deltametrin to mattress (tufts and seams), bedsteads, slats, springs, baseboards, wall cracks, door and window casings.  Thoroughly clean mattress and springs prior to spraying outdoors.  Spray early in the day so the sprays dry.  Allow at least 4 hours drying time before use.

Ø      After mattresses have dried, cover with freshly cleaned bed linens.

References:  2004 Georgia Pest Management Handbook, University of Georgia

            Complete Guide to Pest Control, George W. Ware, Thomson Publications, Fresno, CA.

            Common-Sense Pest Control, Wm. Olkowski, Sheila Daar, Helga Olkowski,The Taunton Press

          Truman’s Scientific Guide to Pest Control Operations, 4^th Edition, Prudue University