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 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 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 will discuss the benefits of using Diatomaceous Earth for bed bug control.  DE is a dust that is made from crushed fossils.  This is a very popular dust when treating for bed bugs and research has shown that it can be effective against bed bugs.  If applying DE, you want to make sure that you follow all label directions very carefully as, even though it is viewed as a very "green" and low toxicity product, it is still a pesticide.  Also, there are many different forms of DE on the market (food grade, pool filter, pest control, etc…) and you want to make sure you choose a DE that was specifically manufactured for use with pests.  Research has indicated that some of the other forms of DE may be ineffective for bed bug control. 

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In this episode Jeff will discuss a new product on the market called the Bed Bug Patch.  This product claims to increase your repellency to bed bugs by placing a patch on your skin that releases Vitamin B1, or thiamine.  This vitamin has long been rumored to increase your repellency to insects by decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide that your body releases.  While research needs to be conducted on the theory of B1 as a bed bug repellent, previous studies on the topic have demonstrated that B1 is not an effective mosquito repellent and bed bugs are attracted to many of the same cues that mosquitoes respond to.  Therefore, the scientific findings that B1 is not an effective mosquito repellent makes us question the manufacturer of the Bed Bug Patch's claims that it will improve a humans repellency to bed bugs.  Based on studies showing that B1 is not an effective insect repellent, you should probably keep these studies in mind in regards to your expectations when purchasing this product until studies are completed to demonstrate otherwise.

In this episode, Jeff will discuss mattress and box spring encasements and the roles they play when dealing with bed bug infestations. Bed encasements play a critical role when dealing with bed bug infestations. The intention of encasements are to lock bed bugs inside of the encasements in an effort to make beds easier to treat and limit the amount of pesticide being applied to mattresses. In addition, encasements are designed to keep bugs out of the bedding to protect your bedding and limit bed bugs to the outside of the encasements. This can ease future inspections of the bedding because the encasement make bed bugs much easier to see. When shopping for encasements it is important to ask for research that backs the companies claim that they are effective for bed bugs. There have been encasement companies that say they are good for use with bed bugs but the encasement zipper fails to keep bed bugs inside the encasement. Encasements are a great option when dealing with bed bugs from both a proactive (protecting the bedding and making inspections easier) and reactive (assisting with treatment) perspective.

In this episode, Jeff will discuss Hot Shot No-Pest Strips and Nuvan Prostrips. These strips are very similar to each other in that they use the same active ingredient, dichlorvos or DDVP, in the same percentage and are to be used in similar settings.  The difference between the two products is that bed bugs is listed on the Nuvan Prostrips label which makes it available for use in states where the pest is required to be listed on the directions for use.  These strips primarily fit into bed bug control plans in that if you have a bag of belongings that you cannot treat with pesticides and cannot launder, if the items in that bag are listed on the label as able to be treated by this pesticide, you could place a strip in that bag treat the belongings for bed bugs.  Recent research indicates that belongings should be left for at least two weeks, and maybe more, to be effective against bed bugs and their eggs.  Please be aware that research found that bed bugs survived in certain items even when you left them exposed to Nuvan Prostrips for more than two weeks.  These products provide you with another option to treat items you cannot launder or treat for bed bugs.