Stern stresses the need for a residual placed down after Cryonite in order to deal with bed bugs not knocked down by the process; one person in the forums has claimed to have had multiple Cryonite treatments and a persistent infestation.

Some additional non-pesticide options not mentioned are Vikane gas and the careful and diligent use of a steamer (preferably a dry steamer, to avoid mold and fungus growth). Steam is a lot of work, and most effective in experienced hands, but can seriously reduce your bed bug population. Coupled with dusts and pesticides, it is a viable option.

Thanks to the anonymous Bedbugger who pointed us to this video.

Click here to watch the film.

• The iceman cometh.
• The Wall Street Journal on “new” bed bug-fighting tactics
• bed bugs on NPR again: “Bed bugs spiralling out of control all over” according to Richard Cooper
• Cooper Pest evaluates ozone treatments for bed bugs, finds current methods ineffective

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At Rose Pest Solutions in Troy [Michigan], where Sheperdigian reigns as vice president for technical services, the number of bedbug jobs has risen from one or two in 2001 to about 160 last year, with continued rapid growth expected in 2008.

The article goes beyond the standard “bed bugs are in our area now” articles which are popping up weekly, delving into the origins of the problem, as well as various ways to get rid of bed bugs.

Interestingly, Rubin cites Sheperdigian as challenging the theory that bed bugs came back due to increased travel:

One theory says that bedbugs have reemerged because Americans are traveling more to countries where they never quite went away. The problem is, Sheperdigian says, his research shows we were traveling more in the ’80s and ’90s.

“This isn’t a matter of reintroduction,” he says. “There’s something deeper happening that we don’t understand.”

Rubin also cites Sheperdigian’s opinion on Cryonite:

. . . Sheperdigian’s opinion of one of the trendy new methods of bedbug-whacking, an icy carbon dioxide spray that’s supposed to freeze them in their creepy little tracks. He says it mostly blows them around.

As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on Cryonite, but I have not personally seen any effectiveness studies yet.

For good measure, the article also notes that, as far as treatment is concerned,

Rose Pest Solutions uses a combination of vacuums, steam and insecticides. Others favor bedbug-sniffing dogs or the equivalent of gigantic hair dryers.

None are foolproof.

• The iceman cometh.
• Ellen’s theory as to how bed bugs came back
• The Wall Street Journal on “new” bed bug-fighting tactics
• Given that they spread like wildfire, why did bed bugs take 30 years to come back?

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We’re all familiar with all of these options, and in some cases, with other providers of heat, Vikane gas, and bed bug dog services.  Nothing really “new” to us there.

However, I don’t think we were aware that

. . . researchers at the University of Minnesota are studying bedbugs’ behavior in an attempt to develop a trap that simulates a typical victim — a sleeping human.

Bring it on, University of Minnesota!

We do know that newbites (what we call Bedbuggers with newly detected bed bug problems) often jump on the latest treatments or the latest,  flavor-of-the-month PCO that the last guy just mentioned “discovering.” And sometimes those are good choices. But it helps to be skeptical: we’ve learned grand claims of success should be taken with a grain of salt:

Companies pitching the latest eradication methods — such as heat or icy sprays — say they are more effective as well as more palatable for people worried about using pesticides. Yet entomologists caution there still are drawbacks: The cold spray might not reach every bug; dogs can miss hiding places high up in a room; and heating might cause bugs to flee to a cooler place in the home. Except for heating, the latest methods usually require the homeowner to go through the onerous process of clearing out rooms, drawers and closets, and washing or dry cleaning all clothing and linens.

“We don’t have any easy method of elimination,” says Michael Potter, a professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky who has observed an increase in bedbugs through his research and work with pest-control companies. “We are looking for the silver bullet.”

And so far, there isn’t one.

More expensive options can be very successful.  But the amount of money you pay does not necessarily correlate to the most effective treatment.
Vikane gas can be very effective if applied to a single-family home, but we’ve heard of one case where it had to be repeated (and, of course, we don’t know what went wrong in that case). Having one’s belongings professionally gassed and moving can also be effective, but be cautious: if everything isn’t gassed and a bed bug gets moved, or the new home has bed bugs, or one is still being exposed to bed bugs, then you’ve spent a lot of money only to re-treat later.

Of thermal and freezing, two other professional options that are on the more costly end of the spectrum, WSJ said:

Another solution is killing the bugs and their eggs by heating a room to between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours. ThermaPure uses infrared heaters to uniformly heat the room, says President and Chief Executive David Hedman. Treatment costs between $500 and $1,000 per room. (Easily melted items like candles and lipstick must first be removed.)

At the opposite end of the temperature spectrum, Cryonite, made by CTS Technologies, a unit of Venteco PLC in London, aims to eradicate the bugs by dousing them with a snowy spray of carbon dioxide. A drawback: Some bugs can survive if they aren’t directly hit by the spray. Treatments cost between $600 to $700 per room, or as much as 50% more than a conventional chemical treatment, says Douglas Stern, managing partner of Stern Environmental, one of the companies using the method.

Different options are better for one person vs. another, one living situation vs. another, but the bottom line is: if the provider is claiming their method works well, ask to see research studies, and ask for a guarantee.

• WPRI 12 News on bed bugs, pesticide resistance, and alternative bed bug treatments
• Cooper Pest evaluates ozone treatments for bed bugs, finds current methods ineffective
• bed bugs on NPR again: “Bed bugs spiralling out of control all over” according to Richard Cooper
• More on flea market nightstand: new ozone treatment for bed bugs

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A non-toxic pesticide marketer claims it has a new product (Cryonite) which can freeze out bed bugs. Lifestyle Extra Fincance News says:

Venteco PLC, the non-toxic pest control investment compant, said it has deployed bed bug eradication technology to its first hotel, potentially opening a major new market.

With cryonite technology, which freezes pests using a patented carbon dioxide snow, Venteco said it stands to corner a receptive market since the incidence of bed bugs - which conventional insecticides find difficult to tackle - is reputedly on the rise. To hotel operators, cryonite is an attractive alternative to traditional pesticides since they are able to re-let the room immediately after use and avoid lost revenue.

Hotel schmotel: bring on the residential version!

Trials of the cryonite technology were carried out by Insect Investigations Ltd, an independent pest control research firm. They achieved a 100 pct kill rate of bed bug adults, nymphs and eggs.

If this is true, and reasonably priced, and safe, bring it on.

From the Swedish Cryonite website: Cryonite in the news, and about the Cryonite System.

Well, Bedbuggers, this technology has been developed since 1996, and the NYTimes talked about it in 2003. But given the bed bug pandemic, it looks set to be developed for this purpose. Let’s hope they market it here in the US, and soon. There’s a Cryonite machine handbook here. (Warning: clicking the link will download a PDF.) Thanks to Ken for the manual link.

• WPRI 12 News on bed bugs, pesticide resistance, and alternative bed bug treatments
• The Wall Street Journal on “new” bed bug-fighting tactics
• Bed bugs in Detroit and Troy, Michigan
• Bed bugs in Time Out New York’s Apartment issue

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