Bed bugs won’t budge with bug-bomb foggers

Bed bugs hide in hard-to-reach
areas and are difficult to eradicate.

When homeowners want to get rid of bed bugs or other common household insects, they often reach for commercially available “bug bombs” or “foggers.”

New research shows, however, that these products are ineffective against bed bugs.

In an article appearing in the June issue of the Journal of Economic Entomology (JEE), researchers warn that bug bombs and foggers should not be recommended for household bed bug control.

Foggers might actually make matters worse, they say, after examining the effects of three different fogger brands on five different bed bug populations.

In order to be effective, pests need to be exposed to the fogger mist, but bed bugs are known to hide in protected sites such as under sheets and mattresses, in cracks and crevices, deep inside carpets and other areas.

In addition, many bed bug populations have become resistant to insecticides and are likely to survive the application.

Ineffective use of the products can lead to further resistance in insects, the researchers say, concluding that most bed bug infestations require professional extermination help.

Source: Entomological Society of America

Air purifiers for odor and chemical control

Whenever homeowners use pesticides, insecticides or other chemical products in and around the home, chances are the indoor air is polluted with airborne chemicals, gases and toxic fumes.

Choosing more natural products will help, and an air purifier with activated carbon and HEPA provides the most complete protection from common indoor air contaminants.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for the home and office for general purpose air cleaning as well as air cleaners for specific odor and chemical control feature deep-bed activated carbon filters for chemicals, gases and odors, HEPA filters for particles, dust and pollen as well as optional UV germicidal filtration for the neutralization of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and molds.

Contact AllerAir for more information and options.

Bed bug pesticides can make you sick: Study

Human parasites: Bed bugs
Photo by Gilles San Martin

A growing number of bed bug infestations coupled with increased use of pesticides have led to a spike in sickness from chemical exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

In a study that is the first of its kind in the U.S., the CDC found that 111 people got sick from bed bug chemicals between 2003 and 2010, but nearly three quarters of these illnesses occurred between 2008 and 2010, when the bed bug epidemic took off.

That’s not the kind of number that suggests a public health burden, but the CDC cautions that the number may grow as bed bugs continue to become resistant to commonly used chemical pesticides.

Most of the sicknesses caused by pesticides occurred in the metropolitan area of New York City, and in six other states: California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.

Some 81 percent of cases were not severe, according to a Reuters article.

Most of the illnesses were due to misuse of the pesticides, the CDC says, and common symptoms included headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are reddish-brown insects with a flattened oval shape that feed on blood and can survive up to a year without eating. They are attracted by body warmth and carbon dioxide.

While bed bugs occur around the world, the recent spread of infestations has been blamed on increased international travel and other trends such as secondhand furnishings.

Bed bugs are often spread through
travel, experts say.

Bed bug bites can lead to skin rashes and allergic symptoms, but they are not known to carry disease and more often cause emotional distress rather than other symptoms.

To get rid of bed bugs, many people resort to harsh chemical substances.

However, resistance to pesticides has increased significantly, and there have been real concerns about the negative health effects associated with pesticides and using exterminators that are not certified.

Experts recommend using only certified professionals to eradicate bed bug infestations and using chemical and non-chemical treatment.

Non-chemicals treatments include:

• Vacuuming up bed bugs
• Heating up a room or cooling it down to a certain temperature to kill the insects (should be done by professionals)
• Wrapping the mattress in a bed bug-proof cover (physical isolation)

Interested in learning more about indoor air quality, chemical exposure and room air purifiers to remove chemicals, odors and other pollutants? Contact AllerAir today and follow us on Twitter.