Comments on: Potter’s Studies on Suspend, Kicker, Phantom, Bedlam, Sterifab; new information about bed bug behavior

By: lieutenantdan

lieutenantdan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:18:01 +0000

“Another study indicated that Bedlam provided 77 percent mortality of bed bug eggs and overall mortality of 92 percent.”
“Presumably, the eggs must be sprayed directly? If this is so, this news is less exciting.”

I still have to get excited about Bedlam killing 77 % of eggs directly sprayed. If you can kill that many directly sprayed eggs than the ones that were missed the residual should take care of 92% of the nymphs that hatch and that cross the chemical. I believe that this product is of great value in the War.

By: Winston O. Buggy

Winston O. Buggy — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:05:14 +0000

Among the questions being researched. Remember up until 2001 bed bugs were
not a big issue previous work is from the the 50 - 60s. Different construction,
different population dynamics, different pesticides and use patterns.

By: LastMeal

LastMeal — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:09:04 +0000

Just a pie-in-the-sky comment about bedbugs returning to harborages with fecal matter present: could this be used to trap our little friends? The fact that bedbugs return to the same harborage at all means one of a few things:
1. They remember where their home is. Do they even have a memory?
2. They go for the nearest and most suitable place to lay low all day and coincidentally they wind up in the same place.
3. They mark their harborage with feces so they can find it again after feeding.

If it’s #3, then we should be able to trick the bastards into a trap by making it smell like BB poo. This would be extremely useful in detection

By: Winston O. Buggy

Winston O. Buggy — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:52:21 +0000

Yes Demand was impressive in some studies probably because of it’s micro encapsulation. But we have learned these are many strains
and they vary. Kicker kills them quickly by interacting with the exoskeleton
and possibly allowing a higher dose to be absorbed.

By: hopelessnomo

hopelessnomo — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:04:25 +0000

In one of Dini Miller’s studies Demand killed them the fastest. Suspend took days and days. Is the addition of Kicker killing them faster? Also, Miller found no repellency.

The interesting thing, to me, is not that they return to where they have previously aggregated, but that they avoid treated surfaces where they have not.

If not repellency, behavioral avoidance? Either way it’s bad.

By: Winston O. Buggy

Winston O. Buggy — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:39:35 +0000

I think overall this is good news and helps explain many of the successful bed bug treatments which happen every day. Bayer has been pushing the Suspend Kicker combo and although expensive it’s good to see results. Interesting about Phantom but folks remember 7-15 days. For Bedlam I think this is still great the best overall product. I’ve never been a big Steri - Fab fan since I used it in a room I was staying in and it took the paint right off the wall. Also alcohol fumes can cause problems. To
those in the know that bed bugs will return to aggregate pheromones is not a big surprise. As far as DDVP I would not use this in an occupied area. For bagged items
temporary placement in voids and some other special uses perhaps but certainly not
in living quarters and not around your bed.