Bed Bug TV » bedbugs

Bed Bug Seat Covers

admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:31:08 +0000

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.

Taking the Bite out of the Holidays

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 05:38:38 +0000

In this episode, Jeff will discuss a Holiday Bed Bug Charity he has been working on. For more information regarding "Taking the Bite out of the Holidays", please visit http://www.bedbugcentral.com/holidays/

Diatomaceous Earth

admin — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:57:58 +0000

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.

Penn State Fact Sheet

The Bed Bug Patch

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:00:45 +0000

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.

Bed Bugs in Schools

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:21:37 +0000

In this episode Jeff will talk about bed bugs being found in schools and the issues surrounding this topic. Unfortunately, bed bugs are being found in more and more schools and with bed bugs making the comeback that they are, this will probably be an occasional occurance moving forward. What happens is that a student has a problem with bed bugs at home and mistakenly transports a bug to the school on their backpack, personal belongings or clothes. The first thing to be aware of is that at this point it seems that bed bugs being found in schools is not a common occurance. In addition, there are really two different types of bed bug issues at schools: was one bug introduced and it does not turn into a reproducing infestation or is the problem more than one bug that is feeding and reproducing in the school. Obviously, if one bug was introduced and it was found and removed it is much less of a concern than if a reproducing infestation is found. Jeff will also discuss some steps parents can take to prevent bugs from being brought into their homes.

How to Inspect a Couch for Bed Bugs

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:58:56 +0000

In this episode Jeff will explain the areas on a couch you should inspect if you want to inspect your couch for bed bugs. As information spreads about bed bug infestations on the rise, more and more people want to inspect their homes for bed bugs. This episode will walk you through a couch inspection and the critical areas you should look if you want to inspect your couch for bed bugs. You should consider inspecting your couch as a couch is one of the first and most common areas for bed bugs to infest. Many people sleep on their couch and spend an excessive amount of time sitting on the couch and therefore, bed bugs prefer to be located on or in them. Please be aware that a visual inspection can be unreliable when trying to detect low level infestations of bed bugs. Therefore, if you perform an inspection and don't find any bed bugs, it does not necessarily mean you don't have bed bugs in your home. A knowledgeable professional should always be contacted if you think you may have bed bugs.

How to Inspect a Bed for Bed Bugs

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:53:42 +0000

In this episode Jeff will explain the areas on a bed you should inspect if you want to inspect your bed for bed bugs. As information spreads about bed bug infestations on the rise, more and more people want to inspect their bed for bed bugs. This episode will walk you through a bed inspection and the critical areas you should look if you want to inspect your bed for bed bugs. Please be aware that a visual inspection can be unreliable when trying to detect low level infestations of bed bugs. Therefore, if you perform an inspection and don’t find any bed bugs, it does not necessarily mean you don’t have bed bugs in your home. A knowledgeable professional should always be contacted if you think you may have bed bugs.

Nightwatch Bed Bug Monitor

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:20:56 +0000

In this episode Jeff will talk about the Nightwatch bed bug monitor, how to set the monitor to trap for bugs, ideal situations to set the trap in and what to expect when setting the trap. The Nightwatch bed bug monitor is an active monitor that release attractants that are intended to attract hungry bed bugs. Always remember that not all bed bugs in a given infestation are going to be attracted to a monitor and therefore a zero-trap-catch does not necessarily mean that bed bugs are not present. This monitor is intended to be used to help evaluate if bed bugs are present in a given environment. Studies have been conducted that did show that this monitor can be effective for detecting low level bed bug infestations. Some ideal situations for this monitor are in situations where it does not compete with other hosts (ex. humans, although it has been shown to be effective for detecting bugs in the presence of humans) such as: offices, schools, vacant apartments or homes, pre-move-in inspections, etc…

Bed Bug Dry Ice Trap

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:11:49 +0000

In this episode Jeff will discuss the recent news on a simple and easy to make bed bug monitor created by Rutgers University to monitor for bed bugs. The Bed Bug Dry Ice Trap is an easy to create monitor for bed bugs that utilizes dry ice as the attractant that hungry bed bugs are attracted to. It is true that bed bugs are attracted to the monitor and this monitor can be the most effective that we currently have available to us, but there are some things you should be aware of if you do try to create this monitor on your own (do-it-yourself). Please also be aware that even though this monitor was shown to outcompete the commercially available monitors (CDC 3000 and Nightwatch), those devices were also very effective in detecting low level bed bug infestations. First, this monitor is not intended to be used by pest control companies as there are hazards associated with dry ice that may create liabilities for pest control companies setting this monitor in clients homes. Pest control companies should consider using the commercially manufactured devices (CDC 3000 and Nightwatch) that were found to also be effective for detecting bed bugs Also, please remember that a zero-trap-catch does not necessarily mean that you do not have bed bugs. These monitors are intended to attract hungry bed bugs to them and therefore not all bed bugs are attracted to these types of monitors. In order to create this monitor you will need: a dog bowl (that can be used similarly to a Climbup device), dry ice, a thermos to place dry ice in, talcum powder, tape or sandpaper and possibly a towel. Please watch this episode for some pointers on how to construct this device properly.

Related Topics:

Bed Bug Dry Ice Trap Article

Praxair’s Dry Ice Safe Handling Site

Bed Bug Central

Bed Bug TV Episode 20: Climbup Devices

Phantom Insecticide for Bed Bug Control

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:04:02 +0000

In this episode Jeff will explain why Phantom insecticide may be one good option for bed bug control and why if you are evaluating a pest control company and their protocol, you may want to see this pesticide being used. Phantom insecticide is a pesticide that, in some areas, may be used as part of a bed bug control plan. As stated previously, a multi-disciplinary approach to bed bug control is highly recommended (steamers, Cryonite, vacuums, etc) but when pesticides are needed, Phantom may be a good option to choose. Laboratory studies have shown that Phantom may be a good option to address pesticide resistant bed bugs as this pesticide falls into a different class of chemicals compared with the commonly seen synthetic pyrethrins. In addition, this pesticide has shown some residual effects with bed bugs. One concern is that Phantom has been shown to take 7-14 days or more to kill bed bugs and this may be a concern if people are being bit by bed bugs and the pesticide that has been applied takes 14 days to address those issues. Either way, many progressive bed bug control companies are incorporating Phantom into their bed bug treatment plans and when selecting a pest control company to treat your bed bug infestation, this may be a product you want to see incorporated into their protocol.