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.

• 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
• Thermal treatment for bed bugs: bake the little B@#$%^&s!

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Well, this suggestion is a bit far out. But it might be a good break for people in that situation.

You might even say it’s a cool idea.

Quebec - Ice Hotel

Originally uploaded by panoramicviewer

Every year a hotel is built 30 miles from Quebec City, entirely of ice. (They even give you a cocktail in a glass made of ice.) And while there is bedding, it’s on ice and surrounded by ice, which probably sounds appealing to people dreading the hotel mattress check. Have a look in the sleeping bag, all the same!

In all seriousness, I do think traveling after bed bugs is important–the world is a beautiful place, and I hate to see people miss out on what they used to do before bed bugs because of fears they’ll resurface. And yes, I have checked 8-9 hotels so far and seen nothing, and felt no bites, so I do think it is still possible to travel despite the bed bug epidemic.

The ice hotel is open from January 4th to April 1st 2008, and accommodations include furnishings (made of ice), an arctic sleeping bag, and polartec blanket; hot tubs and saunas are available for defrosting. They’re offering a 50% off midweek special if you book now. Check it out!

• bed bugs on the campaign trail
• FAQ: How can I avoid bedbugs while traveling?
• Bed bugs in hotels: how to report (and check up on) bed bug infestations
• World exclusive: Bedbuggers experiment with being bitten, on purpose! (Part 2)

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First, learn a little bit about the enemy. Read the Bed Bugs 101 FAQs on this site, and use the links to bed bug photos to learn what bed bugs look like at different life stages.

Click to download this PDF of this comprehensive article by entomologists Steven Kells and Jeff Hahn of the University of Minnesota, which describes the steps you should take if you’ve been exposed to bed bugs. Remember you have the most chance of avoiding bringing bed bugs home if you take the necessary steps before getting in your car or going to your home or anyone else’s home. It is possible to spread bed bugs to your car as well as to other locations. Following the steps in the PDF carefully as soon as you realize the exposure to bed bugs means you probably won’t bring any with you.

If you already are home before you realize the problem, do follow the same steps listed in the PDF regarding inspecting luggage (do it over the bathtub so you can see the bugs and kill them easily) and cleaning luggage, clothing, and other items. If you are home before you realize the problem, and you brought possibly infested items in (including the clothing you’re wearing as well as any luggage), then you should quickly do some major cleaning where the luggage has been brought in and where you sleep (vacuuming, steaming, etc). If you brought home a bed bug or two and have not found them, it is sometimes possible to get rid of them before they take root. Even if you don’t find any bed bugs, and you’ve done all the cleaning and followed all the other steps in the PDF, you might consider taking some time to declutter, so that if you do have any bed bugs, the signs will be more visible. You should be on the alert for several months.

Once home, if you do find bed bugs or signs of bed bugs in your luggage, clothing or in any rooms, call a PCO right away (we have a FAQ on choosing a good one who knows bed bugs). Save any samples to show them.

Finally, if you got your bed bugs in a hotel, hostel, or other accommodations, please do leave a review on Tripadvisor.com, to warn others of your experience.

A note about using freezing temperatures to kill bed bugs: Kells and Hahn and Michael Potter have slightly different ideas about the temperatures and length of time needed to kill bed bugs. According to Michael Potter’s article from the January 2007 PCTOnline, Steven Kells is apparently researching the method of “leaving things out in cold weather,” with the inevitable fluctuations in temperature. For now, until we have definitive data, I’d err on the side of caution and go for colder temperatures and longer time frames wherever possible.

• FAQ: How can I avoid bedbugs while traveling?
• More bed bug research: Stephen Kells at the University of Minnesota
• FAQ: Leaving stuff out to freeze, walk-in freezers, etc: how cold and how long?
• Report Bed Bugs to 311

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Dr. Michael Potter covers that, in the article from January’s PCTOnline:

In colder climates, freezing might be a way to de-infest furniture and other belongings. Bed bugs and their eggs can be killed by very low temperatures, but it is difficult to achieve them without using a deep freezer. Temperatures below 0°F for one to two weeks are generally believed to be needed to reliably kill all life stages. Fluctuating winter temperatures which often extend above this level are probably less effective and are currently being studied by Dr. Steven Kells at the University of Minnesota. Overall and throughout much of the country, heating tends to be a faster, more reliable option than chilling.

Your own home freezer is not going to be cold enough, and even if it was, it would have to remain closed for the duration.

Relying on Mother Nature has failed for some. We’ve had some reports that “leaving things out in the snow for a month” did not work, and this is probably why. Add the fact that what you packed may insulate the bed bugs to a degree (just as a comforter can insulate them in a dryer) and you may be very disappointed.

If you have access to a below O Fahrenheit freezer (check the temperatures), book it for two weeks. It will probably work as per Dr. Potter’s words. Be sure and let us know.

Warning: I would not freeze electronic items. You can ruin the item, and you might even electrocute yourself later.

If you can offer below zero degree F freezing space, feel free to leave a link to your site in the comments below.

Updated 10/2007:

(The following was a forum response by nobugsonme, in this thread, to a poster whose PCO suggested sticking things in the freezer for a day to kill bed bugs.)

How cold does your freezer get? Do you intend to open it during the time you are freezing this stuff? How thick is the stuff?

No one can tell you what will work for sure with your freezer. How long freezing bed bugs takes depends on these kinds of factors.

Here’s something else to consider: entomologist Lou Sorkin froze bed bugs. He has a seriously cold freezer. This is what he said:

“I had them in a freezer at -29dF for 4 hours and some 1st instars lived. But [in] 5 days they also died.”

(Taken from the Yahoo Bedbugger Group, click here and join to read message 3739).

Your home freezer is bound to be much warmer than Lou’s professional one.

Also, Lou said in another message that I can’t locate right now, that when he removed some bed bugs from the freezer after shorter period (which I think was within a day, maybe shorter), they appeared dead, and then defrosted and were still alive.

Lou’s data suggests 5 days works if your freezer reaches -29 degrees F. But we have suggested freezing for weeks to be safer, if it does not get that cold.

And freezing does not mean placing it in a freezer you use all the time. If the door is opening and shutting, the temperature will rise each time the door is opened.

Some people have bought $200 box freezers to freeze important stuff. Pricey, but so is tossing shoes and important things out. Putting the stuff in and leaving it undisturbed for two weeks seems promising.

• Bed bugs in Patagonia, can’t use dryer, with backpack: what to do?
• FAQ: I stayed somewhere that had bed bugs. What do I do to keep from taking them home?
• extreme temperatures: steaming, laundry, vacuuming, & “leaving stuff out”
• Lavender oil won’t do it: do any “natural remedies” work for bed bugs?

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