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Read more @ link(Newser) Scientists looking for new ways to combat bedbug infestations have found that Eastern European housewives hit on a pretty good strategy centuries ago. Researchers found that leaving kidney bean leaves near beds and burning them the next day, as was long done in Bulgaria and Serbia, is remarkably effective because of hooked hairs on the leaves that trap the bloodsuckers by impaling their feet, the BBC reports.
Experimenters from the Department of Entomology compared a new "pitfall" trap design with the current market leader, a shallower-sided plastic trap. Their new trap was actually an upturned plastic dog bowl, covered with surgical tape that had been dyed black. In a laboratory setting, they found that their trap had a 77% probability of capturing bed bugs released, whereas the shallower trap only had a 23% probability. They also compared the devices in single bedroom or studio apartments occupied by 'one elderly person'. In this realistic setting, their dog bowl trap caught nearly three times as many bed bugs over 28 days, compared to the market leader.
Chemical 'lures', known to appeal to bed bugs, made the traps more effective. The researchers had previously found that a combination of nonanal (a chemical often used in perfumes), 1-octen-3-ol (an alcohol found in human breath and sweat), spearmint oil and coriander Egyptian oil was attractive to bed bugs. They baited one trap with this and compared it to an identical trap without bait. The baited traps were more effective both in the lab, and in an occupied apartment. The insects are also known to be drawn to carbon dioxide. Attaching CO2 cylinders to traps is expensive, and there are risks of it leaking. These researchers compared the effectiveness of CO2 canisters with yeast and sugar. This combination creates a fermentation reaction, releasing CO2 at a fraction of the cost of a gas canister. There was no difference in trap effectiveness between the two, suggesting that traps can use this cheap method to release CO2 and lure more bugs.
These findings are good news for those who have unwittingly brought bed bugs back from their travels. A better trap design can allow people to detect bed bugs while they are still in small numbers. Lead author Narinderpal Singh said: "If you have only 10 or 20 bugs in your apartment, it's very hard to see with your eyes. When people realise they have bed bugs they are often already in their thousands, or hundred thousands. It's relatively easy to eradicate the bed bugs when they are in small numbers, but when they are everywhere, it's very hard to eradicate them." Not only that, but these devices could be created at home very cheaply. Singh says "the lure is already in the process of licensing by two pest control companies but the rest of the trap you can make at home. Active monitors [those which use CO2, chemical lures, or heat to tempt bed bugs] are very expensive, but sugar and yeast, maybe it would cost $2".
There are various clues that can give away an infestation. Not everyone reacts to bites, but some people might get itchy red bumps on their skin. They may leave black spots of faeces on mattresses, or blood smears if a bed bug that has recently eaten has been squashed. Bed bugs shed their shells every so often, so might be visible. Sometimes the actual bugs, which look a bit like lentils, might reveal themselves. They are oval shaped, flat, reddish brown, and about 5mm long. Singh advises those who think they might have an infestation to seek professional help: "These devices are designed only to detect. And then you have to call the professionals."
BBC News - New trap and lure design to catch bed bugs
Human population growth and international travel have helped the bug become a source of irritation in hotel rooms around the world. Insecticides are the most common way to kill them, but they have rapidly developed resistance. Now, an Australian team writing in Plos One journal thinks it has found one of the reasons why. Killing resistant strains of the bug may require concentrations 1,000 times larger than those needed to eliminate non-resistant creatures. Infestations have spread to homes and offices and the bugs are extremely hard to get rid of once they gain a foothold.
They can survive for up to a year without feeding and a single fertilised female can infest a whole building. While they were a common part of life in the 1940s and 50s, the introduction of DDT and other powerful insecticides initially restricted their populations. But there was a resurgence as the bugs quickly developed resistance to DDT and subsequent classes of chemicals deployed to kill them. Like all insects, bed bugs are covered by an exoskeleton called a cuticle.
Using scanning electron microscopy, David Lilly from the University of Sydney and colleagues compared the thickness of cuticles taken from bed bugs that were resistant to insecticides with cuticles from those that were more easily killed by insecticides. The results showed that the thicker the cuticle, the more likely the bugs were to be resistant to insecticides. "One way bed bugs beat insecticides is by developing a thicker 'skin'," said co-author Mr Lilly, a PhD candidate.
The researchers say the results could explain why bed bug infestations are so difficult to control and could assist the search for more effective strategies. "If we understand the biological mechanisms bed bugs use to beat insecticides, we may be able to spot a chink in their armour," said David Lilly. However, there may be other ways that the organisms beat widely used bug sprays. Another team of scientists in the US thinks that bugs there may be able to produce large quantities of enzymes that break down toxic chemicals, including insecticides.
Bed bugs' thick skins beat insecticide - BBC News
U.S. Army Health Clinic Vicenza, Chief of Environmental Health Capt. Lileshwaran Reddy and an entomologist from U.S. Army Garrison Italy Public Works were called to put their experience to work. The room and guests' room and luggage were inspected and treated with insecticide to kill the bugs. "We follow a protocol used by many hotels in the lodging industry and called our garrison experts," said Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation Director Chris Bradford. "The family was relocated to another room and the affected room will not be made available to another guest until we're sure all the bugs are dead and gone."
No other guest reports of bed bugs were made after notification by Ederle Inn management, social media and a distributed memo to guests from the garrison commander. "This was an isolated incident," said Reddy. "You can think of bed bugs as expert hitchhikers. They're stowaways in luggage, purses, boxes, furniture, and other belongings. PCS season increases the likelihood of bed bugs. When families store clothes and luggage for two or three years and then only pull things out again when it comes time to move back stateside, there's no telling what's in them. The best defense is knowing what to look for," said Reddy.
Ederle Inn Army Lodge
Stopping an infestation dead in its tracks from the onset is critical. A widespread infestation last summer at the Army's Human Resource Command in Fort Knox shuttered six buildings for several days for fumigation. This incident impacted the entire U.S. Army as thousands of workers were sent home. Summer weather and PCS season combine to increase the likelihood of bed bugs because high visitor traffic and lots of luggage. Bed bugs are usually transported from place to place as people travel. Most people do not realize they are transporting them as they travel from location to location, infecting areas as they travel. Since bed bug eggs hatch 4-12 days after they are laid, their presence may not be evident until days after a resident arrives in a room.
Families preparing to PCS can prevent bed bugs from tagging along. The Army Public Health Center recommends keeping luggage on racks or otherwise off the floor. Inspect luggage prior to repacking. Laundering clothing using the highest heat settings for washing and drying for at least 30 minutes goes a long way. Bed bugs and their eggs can be killed when exposed to temperatures of 115° F (46° C) for 15 minutes. If it's possible, launder luggage. Otherwise examine it carefully under bright light. If bed bugs are discovered, determine a treatment option appropriate for the size and type of luggage. Proactive measures can go a long way in preventing bed bug infestations.
Housekeeping staff in Army Lodging received additional training this past week to reinforce the importance of being alert for bed bug infestation. "We took this incident very seriously and we followed our Installation Pest Management Plan. Army Lodging strives to provide the best customer services for our Soldiers, civilians, and their families. It's a team effort to ensure the Ederle Inn provides the most comfortable and secure temporary home for transitioning personnel," said USAG Italy Garrison Commander Col. Erik Berdy.
This Army Lodge Just Had Bed Bugs
