In this episode Jeff will discuss using Best Yet Cedarcide for bed bugs.  Over the years we’ve received many questions about the product and have a brief overview posted on BedBug Central here:  http://www.bedbugcentral.com/research-and-development/topic.cfm/a-review-of-best-yet-cedar-oil-product   Through research at Rutgers University we have found that it is one of the few all-natural, EPA exempt products that is highly effective against bed bugs and their eggs on contact.  That being said, our concerns about the product are the strong odor associated with the application.  When the product is used inside homes, the odor can become overwhelming to some (although the company claims there are no negative health effects from this odor).  Also, the product is very oily and can leave a oily-residue behind where it is applied.  This oily residue is enough of a concern that some have chosen not to apply it in their homes because of it.  Please refer to the above link for more information on this product.

In this episode, Jeff will talk about a recent study that was released online that demonstrated that bed bugs chose to feed on a subjects arm that was shaved rather than feed on an arm covered in hair.  This study suggested that bed bugs do not like to feed on bodies covered in hair.  This has long been a theory of many experts in the industry because a bed bugs has a difficult time getting access to blood when hair covers the body and walking on body hair also makes it more likely that the person may wake up.  That being said, this is a warning to those reading this study and thinking of ways to use this information to help in the battle against bed bugs.  Just because a body has hair on it does not mean bed bugs will not feed on a person.  Therefore letting your body hair grow or wearing a hairy costume to bed will not protect you from bed bugs feeding on you.  This study is intended to shed light on the behavioral ecology of bed bugs and suggest that bodies covered in hair (dogs, cats, etc…) may be less likely to be fed on by bed bugs if they have a hairless body close by.

In this episode, Jeff will answer one of the most popular e-mail questions he receives which asks if the pesticides being applied for bed bug infestations  are “safe”.  The first concern many home owners have when they find a bed bug infestation in their house is if pesticides are applied, are my kids or pets safe around those pesticides.  Many experts in the pest control industry will try to avoid using the word “safe” when referring to any pesticides applied in the home.  The bottom line with this topic is that many of the pesticides used in homes these days, if used consistently with the label directions and applied in the manner listed, have a low-risk of adverse effects on human than what many people traditionally believe.  If you have any further questions about the safety of pesticides being applied in homes, it is highly recommended that you talk to your pest control company and acquire the MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheets) sheets for the pesticides being applied and provide them to your doctor or physician for them to review and provide recommendations. 

In this episode, Jeff will discuss the concepts of carbon dioxide detectors for detecting bed bugs and some preliminary thoughts and findings he has on two devices that are currently available.  There are several devices currently available that are intended to detect concentrations of carbon dioxide and thus are being positioned as bed bug detectors.  Bed bugs, like many other organisms, release carbon dioxide when the breath and these devices can supposedly detect low level concentrations of CO2.  The concern with this concept is that many organisms can emit carbon dioxide and there are many other reason carbon dioxide can concentrate in an area and therefore we have serious concerns about having  a high-rate of false positives when using these devices.  In brief studies in our offices we demonstrated that two of these devices can in fact detect bed bugs but the devices did also detect carbon dioxide in other areas where bed bugs were not present (thus we confirmed our concern about false positives).  This being said, further testing needs to be conducted to confirm these findings and until these studies are conducted, we caution users to be cautious drawing conclusions from positive findings when using  these monitors.

In this episode Jeff will discuss how sprays that you can apply to your luggage during travel to keep bed bugs off may not be 100% effective but may be worth considering if you are concerned about encountered bed bugs during your travels.  There are many sprays that are claiming that they can be applied to luggage to keep bed bugs off of your luggage.  The first item to check is that the label on the spray states that luggage can be treated with the spray and that you follow the directions on the label when applying the spray.  Also understand that luggage sprays are not 100% guaranteed to keep bugs off of your luggage.   Therefore it is still important to launder your clothes before you unpack them inside your home and to either store or treat your luggage when you return.  That being said, many of these sprays use ingredients that are in fact repellent to bed bugs and therefore, as long as you understand they aren’t 100% effective and need to be applied periodically depending on label directions, using them during your travels may not be a bad decision. 

In this episode Jeff will discuss the pesticides that he and BedBug Central are using in their bed bug treatment protocols.  Please keep in mind that it is not his intention to sell anyone on a specific pesticide.  There are many pesticides available that may have similar effects to the examples mentioned in this video and a company not using these pesticides does not mean they have chosen poorly.  Also, most of the products mentioned in this video are intended to be used by pest control professionals.  If a non-licensed individual decided to purchase any of the examples mentioned and apply them on their own, please follow all label directions carefully and review any laws that are specific to your individual state.   For a liquid residual we are currently alternating service to service Transport GHP and Demand CS in an effort to optimize the effect of these products while trying to manage and resistance concerns.  For dusts, we use Tri-Die and Diatomaceous Earth.  Please watch the video for more information on why we chose each product and any concerns we have with each.

In this episode Jeff will discuss the concept of seat covers for bed bugs that are intended to be used in public places such as movie theaters, public transportation vehicles, etc…  Shortly after news stories starting airing about bed bugs being found in public places, different manufacturers starting releasing seat covers that you could place over a seat to protect yourself from bed bugs.  While this concept has some merit if the cover is made out of a smooth plastic, we have yet to see a cover that takes advantage of this concept.  Please keep in mind that no matter how good the seat cover is, it will not be 100% effective at preventing bed bugs from gaining access to you while sitting in a seat.  They are only intended to make it more difficult for the bed bug to access you while sitting in that seat.  Also, please keep in mind that even though bed bugs are being found in these public places, the chance that you actually encounter a bed bugs in a movie theater, etc… is still very slim.  These covers are more intended for people who are extremely concerned about bed bugs in public places and want to take every precaution possible to prevent bringing one home with them. 

In this video, Jeff will talk about a DNA test for bed bugs, what you should know and what the tests capabilities are.  A DNA test exists for bed bugs where you can swab (rub with a Q-tip or supplied swab) an area that you think may have bed bugs and if bed bugs are present and they have left any DNA behind, the swab will pick up that DNA and test positive for the presence of bed bug DNA.  This test IS NOT THE RIGHT TEST for you if you have had bed bugs in the past and you are trying to determine if they still exist or have made a comeback.  The DNA does not break down very fast and the test will most likely come back positive and bed bugs may not be present.  The DNA test can be an inexpensive way to provide you an idea whether or not you have bed bugs.  Please remember that a negative test result does not mean that you do not have bed bugs as bugs could be present and not have left DNA in the area you swabbed.  This test can also be used to test black spots and bugs that have been found to see if they are bed bugs.

In this episode, Jeff talks about different ways to help you determine if bed bugs are present in your home.  Many times people are dealing with infestations, their homes are treated and they want to know how to tell if the bugs are gone.  BedBug Central uses the “50-60 day rule” in that we want to see the people in the homes go 50-60 days without seeing any bugs or receiving any bites.The reason we use 60 days is that bugs feed every 10 days or so and eggs take about 10 days to hatch.  What we’re starting to see is that when you apply pesticides to control bed bugs, it can cause the bugs to act “odd” and sometimes not feed at their regular interval.  It has been documented that bugs may go into a “non-feeding”  period after pesticide exposure due to adverse conditions.  This 60 days allows the bug time to come out and feed, even if it has been affected by pesticide exposure.  You can also consider using interception devices or other monitors to help you determine if you still have a problem but keep in mind that there is no 100% definitive way to determine if you still have a problem.  That being said, if you know you react to bed bug bites and perform inspections on the beds in the home and use the 50-60 day rule, there is a good chance that the bugs have in fact been eliminated.

In this episode Jeff will discuss a few easy steps you can take to help protect yourself from bed bugs in the office you work in. With the increase in bed bug infestations in residential homes, there has been an increase in bed bugs being reported in offices. In an office environment, someone is dealing with an infestation at home and bringing bed bugs into the office. The bugs walk off of their personal belongings or clothes and "infest" the work space. One step is to bring less personal items into the office which will decrease the chance bed bugs hitching a ride home with you. You can also seal your personal belongings in Ziploc bags or sealed Tupperware containers while working to protect those items from being infested. Lastly, you can launder your clothes in a hot wash and/or a hot dry cycle when you return home to kill any bed bugs or their eggs that may be on them. If you follow these few simple steps you should drastically reduce the chance that you take bed bugs home with you if they are found in your office.