Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

It is a known fact that bed bugs are the most difficult pest to get rid of. They have the ability to make themselves unseen, and if they are allowed to continue breeding, the problem will get worse and worse.

What is being done to eliminate bed bugs

Public health departments and disease control agencies worldwide are joining forces to advise people what they should do to get rid of bed bugs and kill infestations. For example, in April 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a joint statement on the control of bed bugs in the USA. This includes suitable treatment choices and typical misuse of pesticides, as well as integrated pest management for bed bugs. There is also substantial information about bed bug biology and generally how to cope with bed bugs.

In May 2010, the Australian Department of Medical Entomology at the Institute for Clinical Pathology & Medical Research at Westmead Hospital, in collaboration with the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association, released the third edition of A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia. In addition to detailing inspections and treatments, the document also discusses bed bugs in general, both in terms of identification and diagnosis. Preventative measures are also discussed. As this publication so sagely states: "bed bugs are an international problem and infestations can only be reduced in number worldwide if best practice management options are undertaken globally".

Similar procedures are being followed in other countries in an endeavor to help get rid of bed bugs worldwide.

How to get rid of bed bugs

While there are certain procedures that may be followed to prevent and control bed bug infestations, once bed bugs have moved in and established themselves, the only thing to do is call in the pros – who should be licensed pest controlled professionals. They will assess how bad and how widespread the infestation is. Generally they will try to get rid of the bugs with one treatment, but a pest control company or manager should always follow up to make certain the treatment was successful.

If an entire building is infested, it should not be treated in sections as the bugs will have the opportunity to move. One of the greatest challenges is apartment complexes and other multi-occupancy developments. If one unit is infested, chances are others will be as well, making getting rid of bed bugs all the more difficult. Often residents will refuse to grant access to pest control people, either because they are not willing to pay for treatments, or simply because they won't accept the possibility of bed bugs in their home due to the stigma attached.

Nevertheless there are ways that we can help control bed bugs. Good housekeeping, including regular vacuuming and removal of clutter where the bugs can hide, is a good start. Checking for cracks and crevices and sealing them, is another, although if the bugs are breeding there they should first be killed.

How to kill bed bugs

First and foremost it is important to realize that common household insecticides, most of which contain pyrethroids, will NOT kill bed bugs. They may repel the bugs and cause them to move, but they won't get rid of them completely. In fact by dispersing the bugs, they may simply compound and exacerbate the problem.

While non-chemical products like diatomaceous earth are sometimes used, these are not capable of killing established populations of bed bugs. They are, however useful in treating crevices and cracks where the bugs are living. Not even DDT – banned in many parts of the world – kills bed bugs. The most effective chemicals products contain organophosphates, but they must be applied by professional applicators.

Fumigation of entire buildings will usually kill the bugs, but will not guarantee that the building won't be infested again.

If furniture or mattresses and other items are infected, they should be discarded and destroyed. If you can see the bugs, vacuum with a removable bag and then burn the bag along with the bugs.

Other methods of killing bed bugs involve low humidity heat treatments and exposure to extremely low temperatures. While it is believed that bed bugs can acclimatize to cold temperatures for some time, new technology uses CO₂ to kill the bugs by a process of "rapid freezing".