http://bedbugger.com/forum/ Bed bug support forums en Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:26:06 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/are-bbs-another-hygiene-hypothesis-curse#post-60212 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:25:34 +0000 bedwarrior 60212@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I am a strong believer in the hygiene hypothesis as a necessary complement, though not complete replacement, for the germ theory of disease. That is, I believe that many human diseases today are a product of specific deficiencies in infections common in developing countries but now unheard of in the West, and that the lack of exposure to parasites that have evolved as symbiants with humans for millions of years, help predispose Western industrial countries (as well as the elites in developing countries) to auto-immune diseases and allergies in particular.</p> <p>It seems to me from anecdotal evidence that the recent epidemic of BB infestations seems to not be the case in the developing world as much as it is in the West, and BB infestations seem quite common in otherwise meticulously clean households and hotels. Does anyone know of research suggesting that common bacteria and microscopic parasites common in the developing world harms one or more of the life stages of BB's, with their absence in the West perhaps helping explain the current explosion of activity? It would be great if we could wipe out BB's with some sort of parasite harmless to humans. (Bring on the micro-spiders? lol) </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/pesticides-from-spider-venom#post-62048 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:32:49 +0000 spideyjg 62048@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Maybe someday.....</p> <p><a href="http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?act=view_file&#38;file_id=EC137p33.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?act=view_file&#38;file_id=EC137p33.pdf</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2008/03/27/2200550.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2008/03/27/2200550.htm</a></p> <p>To me this is such a huge DUH! as a potential source of a new class of pesticides it isn't even funny.</p> <p>Any venom is an extraordinarily complex compound so it may take many years to figure it out. The source material is a pure bug killer though. </p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bugs-in-cabins#post-61353 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:57:42 +0000 rkh22 61353@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Greetings all</p> <p>I recently have been planning a trip to go skiing in West Virginia. I'm looking into cabin rentals. At this one particular place, let's just say ACE adventure center, customer reviews warn about bed bug infestation. I am wondering if I should steer clear of the place. The visitors that wrote the reviews stayed throughout the months of August and September last year. The trip I am planning however will be in December, so I am thinking that at an average weather of 35 F bed bugs will not survive or thrive in the low temperatures. Does this seem like a good assumption? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/women-seem-to-have-a-greater-reaction-to-bed-bug-bites-than-men#post-61270 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:14:46 +0000 Danno 61270@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>We are a laundry service that launders bed bug infested laundry here in Toronto.</p> <p>Over the past two years we have noticed that when we speak with our clients about their particular situation an overwhelming number of women (when living with their male partner) report that they experience welting, redness and mild discomfort due to being bitten by bed bugs. Whereas their male counterparts overwhelmingly report little or none of the above mentioned symptoms.</p> <p>I have spoken to a medical professional about this and the only thing that he can think of is that perhaps, males may have a higher natural level of Histamine.</p> <p>Our operation services numerous clients every week and since we have focused in on this strange phenomenon we have compiled some very interesting numbers on this.</p> <p>In our experience, when couples (male and female) report a bed bug infestation in their home, 68% of the males do not report any noticeable indication of being bitten whereas their female partner does. Where both the male and female of the couple report being bitten, the number of females that report being bitten is just over 80%. with their male counterpart reporting about 20%. Out of this group, the 80% of females that reported bites, 60% of them also reported what they would describe as moderate to severe reactions (noticeably visible welts of reddish colour involving mild to moderate discomfort) whereas the male counterpart reported only mild discolouration with little or no discomfort/itchiness.</p> <p>There is something very interesting going on here and, not being scientists or doctors we're not sure what to make of it. Yet, it is a very real phenominon as we see it almost every day in our operation.</p> <p>As we know, one of the most troubling aspects of having a bed bug infestation is the result of being bitten - it contributes to the psychological effects of the infestation and causes actual physical discomfort to the 'victim'.</p> <p>If someone could study why the vast majority of men seem to have a lesser reaction to bed bug bites and identify what it is that reduces (in this group) the reaction to those bites, perhaps a product could be developed that would help everyone - especially those women that seem to suffer a magnified reaction to the bites.</p> <p>Comments from medical practitioners would be greatly appreciated. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/preventative-bed-bug-treatment#post-61193 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:48:06 +0000 ActionK9 61193@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I'm curious if anyone has addressed "behind the walls" type of solutions for preventative treatments. Can Alpine dust be added to insulation and blown in between walls? I have heard of TAP insulation that is pre-treated with Boric Acid. As long as the dust is not exposed to airflow... would its residual life be extended? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/have-you-or-any-one-in-your-family-developed-a-high-fever-after-bed-bugs#post-54101 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:43:39 +0000 bedbugresearcher 54101@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I'm collecting some qualitative data to help support some of my quanitative data. I was curious if any one had, post or during an outbreak, delveloped a high fever (104 F+). Also if you had any of these symptoms along with it: rash on torso that spreads, delirium, cough, abdominal pain, backache, joint pain, vomiting, nausea, sensitivity to light, muscle pain, headache, chills, stupor and/or low blood pressure.</p> <p>Thanks,<br /> Amanda </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/flea-droppings-table-top-science#post-55037 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:39:37 +0000 spideyjg 55037@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>The next post will be full of pic links and may get caught in the spam filter.</p> <p>Testing definite flea droppings to demo ID.</p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/masked-hunters#post-57910 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:46:29 +0000 bed-bugscouk 57910@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Excuse this post from the start those who know me will rack it up to one of my odd observational stories but I felt it was worth sharing.</p> <p>The other day I was working on an apartment on the 14th floor of a building and they managed to catch a masked hunter. It was in fact the first one I had ever seen in the UK.</p> <p>I dutifully put it in a sample jar and remembering that they are natural predators of bed bugs I decided to have an experiment. I added to the jar 8 bed bugs to see how much of an appetite they had.</p> <p>After 10 minutes I looked again only to find 1 masked hunter curled up in the corner being mugged by all the bed bugs. I will post a few pictures when I get time but the bed bugs were defiantly winning this fight. </p> <p>I guess this proves that biological control is not as easy as first thought.</p> <p>David Cain<br /> Bed Bugs Limited </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/survival-in-shoes-or-scrampbled-eggs#post-38548 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:16:21 +0000 cilecto 38548@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>As I pounded the pavement this morning, I wondered, what does pressure of foot in shoe, plus shock of walking do for any BBs and/or eggs that may be along for the ride? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/exhaustion-after-being-bitten-food-for-thought#post-27030 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:58:58 +0000 bedbugfinders 27030@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I am a CPO and Bed Bug Researcher in Florida, I have been researching and raising colonies of BBs for quite a long time after my first encounter with them seven years ago.<br /> I have a Bed Bug Dog and as part of the upkeep of the training I feed vials of BBs for the dog to search. The reason that I let these bugs feed on me is because my Dog is trained to find Bed Bugs that feed on humans. Some companies keep live BBs and feed them on a rabbit or rat or any other animal but there is little research that is done to find out if this changes the smell of the insect or their feces. The research that I have done myself points to the fact that it does not, because my dog will alert to insects that have been fed on animals or humans. However, when I offer a service to the public I want to be sure that my dog is searching for BBS that are feeding on humans, and that there is little variable or room for error. This brings me to my research observation. After feeding a vial of Bed Bugs containing about 30 insects the normal reactions start in about 3 hours and become very itchy and red over the next day and continue for about a week. Starting on the First day after feeding, I am almost overwhelmed with a feeling of exhaustion that last for and average of 3 to 4 days. I have performed many tests on the exhaustion theory and end up with the same results each time. I have even refrained from feeding the BBs for a 3 week period and as soon as I feed again, here comes the exhaustion. It is so very noticeable that I find myself yawning all day, Have no energy, and find myself taking naps in the middle of the day. After the 3 to 4 days the effect wears off and I am back to normal. My age has little to do with it for I am 35 years old and always on the go. In all my Bed Bug treatments and Detections, the usual response that I get from the homeowner or renter that are dealing with Bed Bugs, aside from the obvious itchy bites, is that they are Tired! I know that this could be from many psycho somatic factors such as not sleeping because something is eating them as well as all of the other symptoms that go along with not sleeping. But as for me, my bites are controlled. There is not loss of sleep associated with the bites because the insects are not in my bed, there is no feeling of helplessness or lack of knowledge do to relying on a Pest Control Company to get rid of them. My bites are completely controlled, and the same results are present “Exhaustion”. I have ruled out anemia on my part for the amount of blood given to the insects is not great in amount. I am very interested in your reader’s opinions as to this phenomenon. My personal opinion that along with the anti-coagulant and anesthetic there is a chemical or reaction of the two chemicals that when injected as the bite occurs it is designed to make the host want to sleep more. It only stands to reason, that if the host is exhausted and wants to sleep more, than there is more time for the insects to feed. I would also be interested in knowing if some of these animals that are subject to Bed Bug bites sleep more after being bitten. I have not ruled out that this is only my reaction to the bites, but the majority of Bed Bug Victims that I have personally surveyed; tell me a story of complete exhaustion after multiple bites. Literally Food For Thought!</p> <p>Sincerely,<br /> bedbugfinders </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/a-new-carbon-dioxide-trap-idea#post-56733 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:06:02 +0000 They 56733@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I've been taking the usual methods to self treat a small bed bug infestation, but as most of you know, the waiting periods are unbearable. I find myself trying to concoct new schemes to outsmart the bastards. I've heard of the heat pad/ vinegar&#38; baking soda method, but I'm not sure that A) the heat travels far enough for BBs to detect it and B) the CO2 from the vinegar &#38; baking soda lasts long enough.</p> <p>SO, I found another method to produce larger levels of CO2, for longer periods of time:<br /> <a href="http://www.hallman.org/plant/CO2.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.hallman.org/plant/CO2.html</a></p> <p>I figured creating such a "reactor" and sitting it on my mattress, with a whole or two in the cap, might attract bedbugs. I can then draw them through DE without being live bait. Any thoughts? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-do-it-yourself-approach#post-56041 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:42:54 +0000 StephenBrown 56041@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello,</p> <p>I am a reporter for the Brooklyn Eagle looking to hear from people who have taken matters into their own hands in the fight against bed bugs. What methods did you use? How did it turn out? Were the results satisfactory, or a complete disaster? Why not use an exterminator? </p> <p>If any of you have a moment to share, I would appreciate it.</p> <p>Thanks,</p> <p>Stephen Brown<br /> The Brooklyn Eagle </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/nice-to-have-friends#post-56070 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:55:49 +0000 spideyjg 56070@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Caught and released this little guy in the kitchen about 3 times.</p> <p>Nice size to deal with roach nymphs..</p> <p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/spideyjg/BBs/spider001.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/spideyjg/BBs/spider001.jpg</a></p> <p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/spideyjg/BBs/spider008.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/spideyjg/BBs/spider008.jpg</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/interesting-science-paper#post-55476 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:22:13 +0000 bed-bugscouk 55476@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi, </p> <p>Spotted this one today and its an interesting side of the molecular behavior of bed bugs:</p> <p><a href="http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=498" rel="nofollow">http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=498</a></p> <p>Enjoy.</p> <p>David Cain<br /> Bed Bugs Limited </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/packtite-recipes#post-55253 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:51:33 +0000 sweetblood 55253@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>saw the youtube video, had to try it myself.</p> <p>threw the bedbugs in a glass and placed in the packtite with other things. packtite cooked them to a crisp after two hours. now, i know that these arent bedbugs hiding in the folds of clothing but, hey</p> <p>they died and they died like champions. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bite-trials#post-55129 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:15:59 +0000 BD 55129@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>We have a POW in a corked bottle. It seems like a great opportunity to see who among us in the house reacts to bites for future reference. I'm just really nervous about potential escape. How do the pros feed their colonies? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/antibacterial-wipes#post-55032 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:40:13 +0000 ritanna3 55032@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Has anyone else heard of wiping down wooden furniture with antibacterial wipes to prevent bedbugs from going in there? This maintenance lady at my apt. was telling me that this would keep them from going back in my furniture after treatment, but I really don't know if she has any idea what she is talking about. She grew up in the Ukraine and said that they had bedbugs when she was young and her dad would spray their mattresses with keronsene to get rid of them! Not sure I would resort to that ha! But I am restless and was considering this antibacterial idea and wanted to see if anyone else has tried it.... </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bug-central-tv-live-tomorrow-728-2-pm#post-54345 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:55:07 +0000 JWhiteBBCTV 54345@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>For those that are interested, here is the press release on PCT Online, <a href="http://www.pctonline.com/news/news.asp?ID=7162" rel="nofollow">http://www.pctonline.com/news/news.asp?ID=7162</a> </p> <p>We'll be live tomorrow at 2 PM on <a href="http://www.ustream.com" rel="nofollow">www.ustream.com</a> I will put the link up tomorrow on Bed Bug Central and also post it in the forums here. It will be on the effectiveness of Temp-Air's thermal remediation unit on bed bugs and heat in general. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/thought-experiment-why-doesnt-every-nyc-apartment-have-bedbugs#post-54358 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:48:20 +0000 cmk4868 54358@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Still coming to grips with all this infestation info, and it occurs to me that with what we know about BB's, we should be insanely grateful that they are not MORE common than they are. Or are they really quite common and we just don't know? </p> <p>Consider:</p> <p>1) one can carry near-invisible eggs on one's clothing to other people's homes, </p> <p>2) bb's (live and eggs) can be picked up from work or the subway, and </p> <p>3) since bb's spread so quickly into adjacent space and </p> <p>4) are so hard to eliminate, andgiven</p> <p>5) that many landlords are negligent / parsimonious / tardy in responding to infestations, </p> <p>it would seem speaking logically that many more people in New York or any other big city(especially those living in large apartment buildings) would have more bedbugs than have reported them.</p> <p>Entomologists and other bug buffs: why aren't these infestations well nigh universal? Some of my possible answers:<br /> 1) problem is very common but unrecognized as many victims don't "show" bites or think they are caused by some other condition / pests.<br /> 2) infestation by egg is harder to achieve, more likely to be transmitted only by "live" bugs so one would have to have either a pregnant female or an "Adam / Eve" pair of buggies to get a high percentage chance of residential infestation.</p> <p>Thoughts and comments? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/how-to-the-bugs-act-after-walking-on-the-poison#post-48287 Thu, 07 May 2009 01:25:06 +0000 Grindstone99 48287@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Are they lathargic, wiggly, what? I found a live one today in my bathroom which is connected by a door to my bedroom closet. He didn't move for 15 minutes. I nudged him a bit and he just didn't want to move. I'm hoping he was just about to die from the poison... </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/question-about-the-life-stages-of-the-bed-bug#post-54173 Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:51:31 +0000 tiredinithaca 54173@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>So this is a question of entymological interest, but also with practical implications...</p> <p>I've read often that an adult bed bug can live without feeding for 18 months, but what about a brand new hatchling? </p> <p>So here's the practical scenario: I heat treat some items in a Packtite, but for whatever reason an egg buried deep in the items does not die. I put the materials in a Ziploc bag. 10-14 days later, this egg hatches. The critter has no access to a blood meal. How long would it survive? What about other stages of bed bug development? Are they more or less fragile than the full grown adult when it comes to starvation?</p> <p>And as an aside, one last question: I thought that some insects produce eggs that are very long lived, if the conditions are not right for hatching. How long can bed bug eggs remain eggs? Do they all automatically hatch in 10-14 days? </p> <p>Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/blood-meals#post-53740 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:19:09 +0000 Triomphatrice des punaises 53740@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I have read that if a person gets bit the infestation prob. has grown greater than a mild infestation, because the bb could be a pregnant female with the concommitant progression that will ensue.</p> <p>Do males have blood meals? Nymphs of both genders - do they have blood meals? I ask b/c I have a little theory that the bite of a pregnant female might be larger than other types. I know that research shows that nymphs and full-grown adult bites do not differ, but I have had some very inflamed bites and some not so inflamed. </p> <p>Is it possible that if a bb can feed sufficiently on a single bite it will be larger than one that been disturbed and must multiply bite?</p> <p>Also, I would think a solution to the problem would be to make human blood somehow harmful/unpalatable to the bb. Say, for example, a high concentration of some vitamin or other substance. Has there been any research on that? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/2-least-toxic-treatment-methods-compared#post-53122 Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:47:15 +0000 EudoraWelty 53122@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Just ran across this rather short account comparing the use of steam/dust/passive monitors vs. steam/phantom/passive monitors in an infested low-income high-rise apartment complex</p> <p><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19496428">Article</a></p> <p>(hope I posted that correctly)</p> <p>Thought it might be of interest to those considering non-chemical treatment. The interceptors were considered very useful. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bug-researcher-looking-for-samples#post-51900 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:46:06 +0000 bedbugresearcher 51900@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I'm a researcher at the University of Montana studying bed bug bacteria. Right now I'm looking for samples from any where in North America. If you are interested in providing samples or are interested in my research, either respond to this post or send me an email at <a href="mailto:amandarainbowlockwood@hotmail.com.">amandarainbowlockwood@hotmail.com.</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-pasttime-looking-for-bb-bites-on-fellow-bus-riders#post-51934 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:32:14 +0000 Just itching to get rid of them 51934@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Now that it's summer and many people on NYC buses are bare armed and legged, it dawned on me to do my own little " study ." : Do any people in my area of the bus have what could be bb bites? I actually saw a few people who had what might be bb bites. I haven't so far counted the folks, or developed a scoring system, but I'm thinking about it. Last year, of course, I knew nothing about bbs. Unfortunately, this summer I know too much about them. And now that I do, I am interested in finding an empirical method to see how bad things really are in NYC. I hear they're pretty bad. If they are, we should be able to see the telltale bb bites on many people. Anybody else interested in counting bb bites in their city? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/accident-while-feeding-bed-bugs-one-fell-into-my-keyboard#post-48187 Tue, 05 May 2009 12:23:10 +0000 BBcoukHome 48187@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>OK I got a little pressed for time this morning and while doing a feeding test decided that two at once was not an issue.</p> <p>I carefully selected two specimens from the jar, one adult male and one 3rd instar male and placed them on the back of my hand. </p> <p>The 3rd instar was quick to start feeding and remained in place for about 15 minutes until it became fully engorged.</p> <p>The adult however was having non of it, several times it walked over the younger sample feeding and got up such a speed I lost sight of it over the back of my hand and watched it fall into my keyboard. Unfortunately my trustee BB knife (an essential tool for all serious hunters (only an elite few have a bed-bugs.co.uk laser engraved ones)) pushed it further under the keys.</p> <p>5 seconds later I had the battery compartment open and the AA cells out, the casing then came apart over the next 2 minutes and luckily it had not made it into the lower half yet, top half rushed off into a top secret experiment I was planning but had not had infected material to test yet. 10 minutes later I was able to remove a few keys to find a dead bed bug. The office status return to normal from defcon 3 and declared safe again.</p> <p>Luckily I am a non bite responder so do not suffer too much from this duty but the others were rather nervous to say the least.</p> <p>New containment area on order and I have been banned from feeding them at the desk along with feeding myself as there were lots of crumbs between the keys.</p> <p>Now before the eagle eyed amongst you start enquiring about the nature of the 10 minute decon it requires a special machine to get it to work which cost us £25,000 so its not really a viable treatment option in a domestic or commercial setting. </p> <p>Tomorrows mission is to select a sample of 15 male bed bugs for a release and capture study that someone wants to do, as long as my bed is not the test area I am happy to help.</p> <p>David </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/back-again#post-49700 Fri, 29 May 2009 21:27:37 +0000 surrounded 49700@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>argh.<br /> I've been bug-free and off of this forum since November. I'm back, i think another bug has come over from the next apartment. I am considering moving.<br /> but I wanted to share the great results that I got from a homemade DE spray. I used it as a last ditch attempt, before I called in the chemicals again, and it worked. killed them off in November, for 6 months. (I can only assume that I have a bug entering from outside now)<br /> I got the recipe from a post on here a while back, its basically ethyl alchohol, dish soap, and DE. made into a mixture, and applied with a spray bottle. the DE doesnt get into the air, but sticks to whatever you spray it on. I sprayed the bed frame, slats under the bed (its a wood platform frame), inside and behind the dresser, and corners of the floor. After its dry, the dust will come off if you touch it, but if you leave it alone it stays forever. after about 8 days, no bugs.</p> <p>now i think they are in my couch. I have two bites, and about a week ago had a bite that I didnt pay attention to as it had been so long. Also, last week, I was watching a movie sitting on the couch, and about an hour in I saw a bug crawling across my arm. I wasnt fast enough to catch it, but what else could it have been? weird, ive never ever seen a bug during this whole experience.</p> <p>I am going to do the same cleaning, laundry, and laying down the spray, and think about looking for a new apartment. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/20-mule-borax-vs-bedbugs#post-48357 Fri, 08 May 2009 22:27:56 +0000 denverbugfighter 48357@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello everyone, I hope this helps....</p> <p> I once was infected with fleas in another state and I learned about 20 mule borax, which was a successful treatment to eliminate them. There's a lot of people asking if it works just as well with bedbugs, but no one ever seems to give a response on the Internet. So, I took it upon myself to conduct an experiment to test it's effectiveness. I captured a live bedbug and placed the blood-sucking, heartless creature in a jar. Here are the results to date (05082009) - </p> <p>The first assumption -<br /> 20 Mule Borax creates a barrier that bedbugs will not walk over.<br /> How I tested this is by putting the borax down on one side of the jar, in a thin line, but it was one quarter inch high. I did it like this so if the bug was really afraid of the borax, it had plenty of room to stay away from it. The result? It appeared that the line of borax was nothing more than something for the bedbug to crawl over. It walked right on top of it, even staying on the top for a long period of time. Disproved. </p> <p>The second assumption -<br /> 20 Mule Borax kills a bedbug within a few days because it will cut them, hence dehydrate them to death.<br /> How I tested this is simply by waiting. Since the first test was definitely over (bug wasn't afraid of it) I poured about an inch deep of 20 mule borax into the jar, completely covering the bedbug initially. I left it alone for 4 days. The results? Nothing! The bug continued to walk all over, and live on the borax with no slow in its pace. Disproved.</p> <p>The third assumption -<br /> 20 Mule Borax laid on the carpet before vacuuming will chop it into pieces once it enters the swirling vacuum chamber.<br /> How I tested this is by pouring the jar with the borax and bedbug directly into my vacuum chamber and running it for exactly 60 seconds. I think this "myth" might not be true if you have an old style, strait to the bag vacuum. However, I'm only saying that based on what I can see as a difference between the two, I did no experiments to back that. The results? Instant death? No. However, the bug appears to be very injured and can barely move around. I thought it was dead right away. I actually put it in my hand and saw some life, trying to suck blood out of me. I threw it back in the jar alone, no borax at this point. Its legs appear to be half shriveled, as you would see in a dead insect. The only difference is, the legs are still moving when I blow on it or shake the jar a little bit. So, what do I make of this test? Within 15 minutes of conducting this experiment, the bedbug was completely back to life and running around the jar, mad as hell. I think it was simply dazed from spinning around and around in my vacuum at unknown (to me) revolutions per second. </p> <p> My analysis - </p> <p> 20 Mule borax is a great product for so many uses in life. I've had great experiences with it and will continue to use it for them. However, this product has zero effectiveness against bedbugs. </p> <p>PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, I'm not a scientist by any means. I'm a person, just like you, fighting to find an answer to this bedbug problem that is running ramped across the world. My apartment is infested with these creatures and I'm doing everything I can to control them. I'm going to post another topic about everything I have done, but this one is long enough. If you have questions for me, PLEASE ask. Within two days I'll have more posted. I just wanted to conduct this experiment because I was trying to search it, and found nothing relevant to this topic. It's a loss for me, but a saving of time and money for you. </p> <p>Contact me at:</p> <p>denverbugfighter at(@) gmail.com</p> <p>PS, I will put steam into the jar tomorrow and kill this insect I'm just waiting 24 more hours, hoping for better results. Why? Because borax is suck a cheap treatment. If I do not respond to this article 24 hours from now, nothing else happened. Which, I'm pretty sure it won't. Thanks for reading and I hope this helped. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/where-did-you-get-them-survey#post-15442 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:26:33 +0000 nyjammin 15442@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I know there is no definite way to know how one gets bbs, but there is always a hunch. Maybe people can answer these questions so others can benefit. You can copy and paste the questions for easier access. Thanks.</p> <p>Do you know how you got bbs and if not, where do you think you got them?</p> <p>How long do you think you had the bbs before you realized you had an infestation?</p> <p>How did you realize that what you have/had are bbs?</p> <p>Did you know anything about bbs before your infestation?</p> <p>What kind of residence do you live in (apartment, house, SRO, etc)?</p> <p>Do you own or rent?</p> <p>Who lives with you?</p> <p>What state do you live in? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/im-going-to-be-sequencing-the-bed-bug-genome-seriously#post-46494 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:11:43 +0000 wiggywild 46494@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I just got hired on to an entomology lab as a lab assistant at the Universiry of Kntucky. I was inspired by my own struggle with what I initially believed to be bed bugs, but now suspect to be bird mites. I probably would have never even considered the job without this wretched affliction.</p> <p>The professor's research is in developing new pesticides, among other things, so I thought I could maybe help wage the war against biting pests.</p> <p>I got in to the lab and started performing molecular experiments (PCR, about 200 reactions in the past few days.) Finally, I asked my post doctoral scholar to elaborate on the experiment.</p> <p>We have taken samples from 180 different bed bugs from all across the world and we are actually testing to see the genetic basis for their tolerance to certain pesticides. I believe she said pyritherase or something but her English is not good. It is a pyritherin.</p> <p>Apparently this pesticide targets something called a voltage gated sodium channel. Essentially it is responsible for perpetuating signals in the nervous system, and the pesticide either stops the signal or makes it hyperactive, kinda like a seizure, thus causing the bug's death.</p> <p>My current research is to discover what kind of mutation has caused the pesticide to stop interacting with the channel so that a new pyretheroid could be developed which would overcome this mutation. </p> <p>As a side note this may be one reason to not spray yourself, as if you don't use a wide enough spectrum to kill every single bug, you may allow those resistant to a single pesticide to live and thus spread their terrible genes.</p> <p>We are also researching a hormone produced by many types of bugs that could potentially be used as a pesticide.</p> <p>Perhaps the most exciting news is that there is lots of active funding into bed bug research. So much so that you's truly is going to help in sequencing the entire genome. For all those of you who have rightly complained about the lack of interest in bed bug research, it is coming and I will keep everyone updated with the results.</p> <p>Interestingly, the bed bugs are fed rabbits blood through some sort of artificial system with no need of a living host.</p> <p>I am seriously seriously bouncing the idea around that, with real access to bed bugs (although I've not seen and do not want to see these pests) I'd really like to look into training dogs and making some bank. </p> <p>How much intense training do you think you would have to provide. Any links to info on this subject that are not associated with actual commercial training facilities would be appreciated.</p> <p>Lastly, I'd like to say that I truly believe that this affliction is a direct sign and blessing from God. I want go to graduate school in medical research but I'm not sure that my grades are sufficient to get into this area. Furtherrmore, the research funding is extremely extremely competitive, and your narrow field of work may or may not be validated by clinical relevance.</p> <p>What could be more validating than ridding the Earth of this terrible plague. As I start to feel the crawling sensation under my skin, I really don't think there's much at this point!</p> <p>I challenge you all to one day ask what God was trying to teach you through this ordeal. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/strange-bb-behavior#post-35494 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:26:24 +0000 Marixpress 35494@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>If you have seen them acting strangely or out of character, post your stories here :)</p> <p>I wanted to bring up something(s) I noticed. I caught a mini colony and placed them into a ziploc (about 15 of all stages). I noticed that the larger bugs were aggressive with smaller bugs. I saw 2 or 3 "attack" one until the point of death. Our PCO said they do not attack each other. What I saw was completely opposite. I wonder if it was 3 males trying to mate with one female or if they were simply fighting for superiority. Hmmm....</p> <p>Another thing happened last night. The BBs I've seen have all walked at a regular pace and sometimes just stood still. Last night my sister spotted one Adult scurrying (as fast as a cockroach might run) full speed ahead on my nephew's shirt. She squished it and no blood came out. My guess is the BB was starving and about to engage in a feeding frenzy. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/interesting-read-from-1934#post-29047 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:22:28 +0000 spideyjg 29047@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p><a href="http://lrs.afpmb.org/3QQ269346T9XS8472SEUS6SY/arc/al_06_tit_fetch/8/1021" rel="nofollow">http://lrs.afpmb.org/3QQ269346T9XS8472SEUS6SY/arc/al_06_tit_fetch/8/1021</a></p> <p>Was reading this paper from 1934 in England and struck by the similarity of the questions we are still asking today. I know much of this has probably been further studied and or clarified or refuted.</p> <p>Interesting bits about survival of hatchlings in a study from 1914 on page 28, of the PDF. </p> <p>Many results of "can they spead disease." All negative. </p> <p>SuperHeating the room to 125-145 for 6 hours suggested in a paper from 1923 in the appendix, PDF page 43. Along with some other temp experiment results. *read further* Succesful room thermal treatments via steam as early as 1916.</p> <p>1929 a spider in Greece, Thanatos Flavidus Simon supposedly was a big BB eater. 30-40 a day. Article from Time in 1929 about that spider. </p> <p><a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,737831,00.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,737831,00.html</a></p> <p>Very interesting. If these spiders were such good BB killers back then to warrant mention in Time as wiping BBs out of a suburb why aren't we studying breeding them for bug to bug combat?</p> <p>We have only heard of 2 effective BB predators, house centipedes and masked hunters, bandied about but not this one. </p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/i-dont-believe-that-bedbugs-dont-carry-disease#post-30616 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:06:10 +0000 tisIsaidthefly 30616@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I remember when they told us right after nine eleven that the air was safe to breathe. Of course, as it turns out, it was not safe to breathe and guess what else? If a person can catch Hep C simply by sharing a straw to snort Coke with, what are the odds that a little bedbug (which can be engorged with as much as a full drop of blood) can also transmit disease? Who or what was that critter sucking blood from just before it got to you? A rat, mouse or the neighbor's cat? I have a feeling we're not being told the truth. Those of you who have ever squished a bed bug and seen the copious amounts of blood skeeting out know what I'm talking about. I don't see how it is even possible that these horrible ticks don't transmit disease. I'm sure they do. In particular, Aids and Hep C and certain std's should have no problem getting around with the help of a bed bug. Last but not least, let's stop calling them such a gentle name - there's nothing gentle about them. They're ticks, blood sucking ticks and I am sure they can carry disease, just like deer ticks carry Lyme disease etc., so can they. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/how-are-those-monitors-working-out#post-44450 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:45:05 +0000 pleasenotme 44450@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Any success stories? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/cdc-monitor-arrived-today-anyone-else-get-theirs#post-44175 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:20:20 +0000 bitten123 44175@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>My long awaited CDC monitor arrived today. It unfortunately did not come with any attractant pouches or c02, so I have written the bed bug shop to let them know. The Bed Bug shop has been very nice, but this was sent directly from mnaufacturer so I quess the attractant pouch and c02 were mistakenly left out of package or maybe coming in a seperate package.<br /> I am anxious to use it, but a bit confused about how. The directions are not that great. If anyone is using this or theirs comes with what it is supposed to and you get yours running, can you please post updates here? I'm anxious to know how these work. I was a bit surprised it only covers about a 6 foot area, I was hoping that it could do a small bedroom area.<br /> So if anyone else got theirs, or anyone has specific suggestions on how/where I should use this, please let me know.<br /> My plan when I get the attractant is to place it under the empty guest bedroom bed at night for a few hours for two nights to see if it is clear. If it is clear, then I'll sleep in that room and try it in the master bedroom, thus using it in a room with no humans sleeping in that room. Does that sound okay? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bite-theory#post-42663 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:11:50 +0000 spideyjg 42663@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Sometimes I have too much intellectual free time. </p> <p>Anyhow BBs bite and inject a combination of a numbing agent and anticoagulant right?</p> <p>These compounds are what, in some people, triggers the reaction resulting in the itchy bites.</p> <p>Is it completely crackpot to believe there can be a relation to the number of bites and the individuals blood clotting efficacy?</p> <p>The bug injects the stylus into the victim and begins sucking out blood, the wound clots shut after 1/4 a meal, the bug pulls up, moves a bit and sticks again, for 4 times before if fills up. 4 bites, one bug.</p> <p>Conversely someone on medication that increases bleeding a bug bites once, fills up, and off it goes. One bug, one bite.</p> <p>Now go 10 bugs one person, 10 bites and the other 40. Same number of bugs but one victim thinks their infestation is way worse. </p> <p>So this is one way where even folks that do react to bites the bites do not reflect the infestation level.</p> <p>Too much intellectual free time or plausible theory?</p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-help-where-are-they#post-42294 Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:29:30 +0000 nightmare 42294@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi,<br /> After my room was sprayed for bb a second time (last Tuesday), I still have bites. I saw no clear signs of reduction in the number of bites I receive every nights, which is about two. To make sure that they were not in my bed, and therefore not responding to the treatment, I proceded to a temporary isolation. Even if I did it very carefully, I still have bites! And blood spots on my clean sheets and encasements! How can it be possible, and where can they be hiding? I have a new mattress in a National Allergy Classic encasement and a new box spring in a National Allergy Vinyl encasement and a pillow also encased. Zippers are duct taped. Sheets are clean and stayed for an extra 40 minutes in the dryer once they where dried. I put my thin conforter in the dryer for 70 minutes. The legs of my bed are in bowls of mineral oil and have double sided tape around them. No signs of bugs in the bowls or on the tapes. the metal bedframe has been spayed and I washed it with bleach. I am completly puzzled, where can they be hiding ? I checked the vinyl encasement and saw a few very small holes, I put duct tape on it, but I only got my new mattress about one week and a half ago, and I can not believe that they already infested it, even with the encasement. Does anybody has any clue ? I really do not know what to do next but to get a third treatment, which will not help if the bb are hiding in the bed. Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/vikane-and-the-environment#post-42190 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:13:37 +0000 buggyinsocal 42190@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I was listening to NPR earlier today, and my ears perked up at the mention of the fact that sulfuryl fluoride turns out to be a very potent greenhouse gas.</p> <p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news151764839.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.physorg.com/news151764839.html</a></p> <p>The NPR piece I heard did not mention bed bugs, only termites. Since I live in southern California, a part of the country with a significant dry wood termite problem, there's a lot of use of sulfuryl flouride for that here.</p> <p>I wanted to point peoples' attention to the article mostly because Vikane is a highly effective weapon in the fight against termites, and if public opinion/policy on its use shifts, there's going to be a real impact on our ability to fight bed bugs with this tool.</p> <p>I've been unable to find the NPR story, but if I do find it, I'll post it ere in a separate thread. (I don't remember what time I heard the story, so it'll take me a while to reconstruct which program it was on. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/looking-for-an-old-post-about-instars-temperatures-and-length-of-life#post-41928 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:59:41 +0000 buggyinsocal 41928@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I seem to remember there being a post with a list of the length of time that various stages of bed bugs could live without feeding. It had a table with the difference of the number of days at which the bugs could live at various temperatures.</p> <p>But I can't find it.</p> <p>Does anyone happen to know where it is? If so, I'd be grateful if you could post a link since my google-fu is failing me. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bites-and-feces-help-berkeley-student#post-41456 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:13:47 +0000 jsuchy 41456@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi, I'm a UC Berkeley student who has been doing a fair bit of reading on bedbugs. I've looked over a lot of the literature but have not found any mention of bedbugs deficating on their hosts, though I've yet to find anything to rule out the possibility..</p> <p>I'm wondering is if anyone has ever noticed bedbug fecal matter on themselves (on your skin, clothing worn while sleeping, near the bites, etc.) after being attacked or I suppose at any point in time during the infestation.</p> <p>I appreciate your help. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bugs-after-silica-earth-etc#post-41320 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:35:03 +0000 Ajay888 41320@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi,<br /> I have been trying to find a photo of a bed bug AFTER it dies from exposure to diatamceous earth, silica or whatever powder like material may be put down. Does anyone know if a photo like that exists? I found something on my bed spread that looks dried up and want to know if it is a bed bug after exposure to the powder around my baseboards. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/how-do-i-find-an-entymologist-to-identify-my-bugs#post-26274 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:04:07 +0000 pleasenotme 26274@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I live in Indiana. I have some samples on a sticky trap.<br /> Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/dryer-experiment#post-39788 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:59:39 +0000 eatingmealive 39788@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>So I was experimenting with my dryer to find out how hot it gets. We have oven thermometer that I use when baking, I dried it with our sheets a few nights ago, it was reading around 125-135 degrees. I wasn't sure if I broke it in there, but baked cookies tonight and it appears to be just fine. As a side note, the low heat setting was 119 - 125 degrees. We have a pretty cheap dryer. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/lights-on#post-39537 Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:40:53 +0000 FranticInPA 39537@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello - I am new to this site, I recently found a bed bug in my bed while nursing my 6 month old baby and so I am frantically trying to think of things to get rid of them. I had an exterminator out today and he said he didn't think I had any because he checked the bed and around the bed,walls,furniture and didn't see anything. He told me that typically they are not hard to find or something at least indicating I have them - So I pulled out the rag I killed it with and got lucky and it's body was still in there (smooshed but semi in tact) and he verified that was a bed bug.. so now I am doing all this reading about them and how they come out at night etc - I encased all the mattresses in the house so far - and until I can get something to spray around If I sleep with the lights ON will that keep them at bay? He tells me it is not worth the $1200 he would charge to exterminate and for me to start with the mattress covers and I told him I may buy some of the all natural stuff and put that down - like the do it yourself kits and he said that is my best bet for now because he couldn't find any. ..Any advice is welcome .. I'm going nuts over here... and I think I got it from furniture I purchased 2nd hand - should I get rid of it? Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/any-witnesses-to-how-they-get-on-your-bed#post-36582 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:21:54 +0000 pleasenotme 36582@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Can anyone tell me stories about actually seeing how they get on your bed, and off it? Do They drop on it as their preferred means of access or do they prefer to crawl up it? Do they exit the bed by crawling down the legs or do they just drop off the edge? </p> <p>I'm interested because my isolating my bed has helped somewhat. But some nights I still get bit. I also never had any luck when I had sticky traps under the bed legs. You would think that if they used the legs for access I would have caught one bug. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-own-suspend-038-sterifab-experiment#post-36487 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:51:09 +0000 Marixpress 36487@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>As some of you know, I have been the not-so-proud parent of several bed begs in captivity. I have 1 adult female and approximately 7 baby nymphs. My idea is to take 2 nymphs and place them in separate baggies. One nymph will be exposed to Sterifab and the other Suspend. The idea here is to test each chemical's residuary effectiveness. I would like to spray each on a non-porous surface (probably a small piece of metal or glass) and wait a certain period of time before placing them in the baggies. </p> <p><strong>How long do you think I should wait.</strong> Initially I was thinking one week but now considering my PCO sprayed w/ suspend every 4 weeks (one ounce to every gallon), I think I'll wait 4 weeks before exposing them to the tainted objects. I have a sinking suspicion that 4 weeks is too long to wait before reapplying Suspend but I won't know for sure until performing this experiment. </p> <p>Ack, I need them to stay alive until then. I might have to feed them. <strong>Do you think they would feed off a droplet of blood or does the blood have to be under warm skin?</strong> <em>shiver</em></p> <p>Final question for now, <strong>how often is it safe to apply Suspend in the home</strong>? I would like to self-treat every 2 weeks. I am going to ask the same question to a recommended PCO once my shipment comes in but first, I'd like to have your opinions too to compare answers. </p> <p>any advice, tips, criticism appreciated</p> <p>-edit- I have loads of research ahead of me. Don't worry, I won't apply anything before being absolutely certain of its proper use. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/study-in-2003-from-the-cdc#post-35818 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:12:07 +0000 spideyjg 35818@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Emerging Infectious Diseases is a journal published by the CDC to keep an eye on research on potential public health threats.</p> <p>Back in 03 a study was done and focused on the increase in BB infestations in Toronto. The results were published in April of '05.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no04/04-1126.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no04/04-1126.htm</a></p> <p>IMO the results could be used as a baseline in a followup study, using the exact same methodology, to see how much worse it has gotten since '03. Due to the increases reported anecdotaly, a new measurement needs to be taken.</p> <p>Thoughts? </p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-war-on-bed-bugs#post- Thu, 01 Jan 1970 04:59:59 +0000 Anonymous @http://bedbugger.com/forum/ http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/another-helpful-predator-per-brittanica#post-29244 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:56:35 +0000 spideyjg 29244@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>"The book scorpion (Chelifer cancroides), 4 mm long, occurs in houses and libraries. It feeds on book lice, carpet-beetle larvae, clothes moths, and bedbugs."</p> <p>Encyclopædia Britannica. Deluxe Edition. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2008</p> <p>Kinda creepy looking but hell if they eat book lice, carpet beetles, and BBs, I can live with the looks.</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoscorpion" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoscorpion</a></p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-war-on-bed-bugs#post- Thu, 01 Jan 1970 04:59:59 +0000 Anonymous @http://bedbugger.com/forum/ http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-war-on-bed-bugs#post- Thu, 01 Jan 1970 04:59:59 +0000 Anonymous @http://bedbugger.com/forum/ http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/question-on-life-cycle-1#post-31270 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:19:27 +0000 ohpleaseno 31270@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I am confused about one thing. I've read that if you're going to seal things up and wait for the bugs to die, you have to wait 18 months because they can go dormant. I also read topics about when you can bring your clothes back out, etc., and people were saying things like 1 month, 2 months, 55 days after you've stopped seeing any signs and getting bitten. Why are these different? Couldn't they go dormant in my walls during treatment and come out a year later? Or do they only go dormant if they don't have a food source? I know I must be missing something...</p> <p>(P.S. I'm afraid this one might be double posted because I just noticed the "Pick a section" thing under the tag box... I'm sorry, I guess I've been posting everything in "About the forums"!) </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/car-vikane-safety#post-31121 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:47:39 +0000 LastMeal 31121@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hey guys,<br /> It's been a while since I've posted here, I've been trying to get back to normal life. One thing is still bugging me (pun intended) though:</p> <p>During the course of my battle, I had my car Vikaned. Does anyone have any info on the safety of exposing an automobile to this fumigant? I'd imagine there are all sorts of vents and filters, etc. that could trap the gas. I'm terrified that I'll get into an accident and my airbags will deploy in a cloud of Vikane. Or that I'll take me car into the shop and some chamber will get opened and get a mechanic sick.</p> <p>I've been googling around, but haven't been able to find anything. There must be some study or pesticide approval certification for automobiles that I'm missing. Does anyone have any data on this. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/any-smokers-out-there#post-30704 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:50:38 +0000 onemadrssn 30704@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>My guess is no.</p> <p>I had my PCO come in last night for a 3rd treatment of my room (in a frat house, wooden loft, not good).</p> <p>I was telling him of all the guys who had lived in this room prior to me. The one prior to me first got signs of the bugs, about a month or two before he moved out. The guy before that did not have any signs of bed bug problems. He also smokes close to a pack-a-day.</p> <p>The PCO told me that tabacco is a natural insecticide; it contains thousands of chemicals (nicotine, tar, etc are some of the more widely discussed ones) and some of them repel bugs. He said that he has never observed it, but that it could be true that people who smoke in their rooms will repel the bugs. And maybe some of those tobacco chemicals running through their blood will discourage the bugs from going after them.</p> <p>i'm not saying we should all go and get a carton of cigarettes and begin smoking for the rest of our lives. this is just something interesting that I have not heard or read on here before. I do not smoke much, but my gf does; I plan on asking her smoke a few before bed tonight. Wish us luck. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/electricity#post-28842 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:54:48 +0000 death2allbbs 28842@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I was wondering if anyone has ever thought about something like a low powered electrical net or blanket(lke a thermal blanket) which ran on batteries(for safety reasons) which would zap bedbugs like a Mosquito Zapper. Any thoughts? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-new-bb-starvation-diet#post-31034 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:04:51 +0000 CimexintheCity 31034@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Since my wife and I have very little reaction to BB bites, it’s almost impossible to detect any level of BB infestation in our place. To accurately gauge when to sound the all-clear, unpack the 3 dozen XXL Ziploc bags, and get on with our life, I am using the death by starvation gauge. Here’s my situation: My wife and I live in a townhouse with solid firewalls that prevent BBs from coming and going. We apparently brought BBs with us from our previous condo when we moved mid-May (the complex had a problem but an inspection did not find any in our unit). I think it was a relatively small problem, limited to our bedroom and discovered Aug. 3. My wife and I both work outside the home and are not there during the day. We had a PCO come in immediately and treat our townhouse. We bought a new bed/frame and isolated it with the legs sitting in bowls of mineral oil. The mattresses are encased and we sleep in lily-white sheets.</p> <p>First off, I think the PCO must have done an excellent job. We have seen very few BBs (six tops), and the ones I found were lethargic and skinny, or dead. I have supplemented the PCO with some DE floorboard dusting and contact killer on bedroom furniture. </p> <p>To my knowledge, we have not been bitten by BBs since we found them Aug. 3 (and we were gone the week prior on vacation in any event). My plan is to starve any remaining BBs. There is some fantastic information in a table provided by “S” in a previous post, showing the number of days it takes before an unfed BB dies. Turns out that higher temperatures dramatically decrease the lifespans of BBs. Adult females live the longest, 425 days at a 50-degree temperature, but only 87 days in 81-degree weather. Our bedroom is on the top floor of our Northern Virginia home and its windows face the sun, making it bake during the day (we leave the A/C off). At the lowest, the room reaches 70 degrees on some cool nights. Extrapolating from the table, at a 74-degree average, I’m guessing that our longest-living female BB probably has 150 days to live, at the most. Counting five months from August, we should be BB-free at the end of December—just in time for our families’ holiday visit. I know others have said these lifespan statistics were only applicable for storage units and other meal-free locations, but I honestly think they can be used in situations like mine.</p> <p>I guess we’re lucky these puny post-apocalyptical pests showed up in the summer, since the heat has surely cut their lives short. Although I will probably be eternally vigilant (DE dusting, mattress checks, frequent vacuuming and then sealing the bag), I will breath a little bigger sigh of relief come December. By the by, I see a lot of news stories and posts from Canada—I wonder if the climate lends itself to longer-living BBs, and, thus, worse problems with permanent eradication? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/infrared-sauna#post-30842 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:34:21 +0000 livinginahorrorfilm 30842@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Right, so I used to go to a spa and get infrared wraps. Infrared has countless benifits on your joints, muscles, detox, skin (elastisity, stretchmarks, cellulite ect.) It also increases your blood flow, especially close to the surface, not to mention burns some calories ect. To many health benifits to mention so if interested do some research. Anyways, it is expensive in spas, but you can actually buy infrared saunas for your house $2000 to $5000. Being a renter and living in an apartment, this was not an option for me, but on my list of things I want once I am a homeowner. Anyways, while researching my health problem I came accross this info again, but low and behold, they have a portable one that I never knew about. AND for only $300. Immediately I thought - damn these bed bugs, I want to buy it soooo badly, but do not want to bring anything new into my home until I am sure they are gone! Then I started thinking WAIT - they could not live inside AND I could put non-laundry items inside too!</p> <p>Would this not be just like that Packlite box that somehow gets hot? Am I first one to think of this, or has it already been shut down as a possible help/cure? It gets upto 149F inside and is big enough for a person! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-live-bb-nursery-im-a-proud-god-father#post-15062 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:43:36 +0000 NotSoSnug 15062@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Quite apart from my Dead BB collection on Flickr, I live captured 4 adults prior to treatment between Nov 6-11. All but one of the adults apparently expired within weeks, and now are all apparently dead.</p> <p>But I just now discovered almost 5 weeks after capturing the adults that I am now the proud God-Father of two live 1st instar nymphs. There were 6 hatchlings but the others seem to have expired in the interim. But two are still lively and feisty and eager for their fist feeding.</p> <p>I am tempted to feed them but I might clumsily set them free so I ought not to take any chances. I only saw two egg chambers in the jar and one looks sealed still, but my eyesight isn't what it used to be. I heard that they can crawl through the windings in a jar but this is a plastic honey jar and so far they remain trapped.</p> <p>I note that when I opened the jar and blew into it, those two started to move agitatedly, grabbing the other nymphs corpses and shaking them violently for some reason. Perhaps they are trying to bring them out of dormancy? Or does it suggest they are trying to revive possible mates? They may be small but they are survivors! And yes they are very small! But oh so cute! Shudder... </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/murphys-oil-soap-non-spray-and-normal-packing-tape-fail#post-30635 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:40:40 +0000 wirehead 30635@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>After our first PCO treatment, we went 7 lovely days with no bites, but now are being bitten again. Am waiting for a second appointment from the PCO, but since they aren't in the office on weekends (and the girl who schedules appointments seems to leave at around 2pm on Fridays), I figured I'd do a thorough cleaning of the bedroom, put some DE down and caulk along the baseboards.</p> <p>This included washing the floors and bureaus with Murphy's. I'm not using the premixed spray, but the concentrated stuff for floors, diluted in hot water as per the package instructions.</p> <p>Well, I was sponging the bureau and found an adult BB. Didn't actually realize that's what it was until he was on my sponge (the bureau is unfinished and light-colored, so the BB just looked like another dark spot caused by the water on it). "Huh," I said, and put the sponge down to grab some sticky tape.</p> <p>Watched him crawl off the sponge, casual as can be, and along the floor (still wet from the Murphy's). Sigh. So, I sticky-taped him, but lightly so as not to squish him. I picked up the tape to look at him more closely, and watched him <em>flip himself over</em> and start walking across the tape. His feet were sticking, but he was able to pull them off -- he looked like someone walking through a muddy field. So, clearly the Murphy's wasn't fatal to him, and the sticky tape wasn't sticky enough -- though I guess the soap may have provided him with a protective coating or something. It's just Scotch clear packing tape, a roll that I'd just bought that day.</p> <p>Anyhow, I let him crawl off onto a piece of paper, then sticky-taped him again, this time a little harder. (Note: None of the BB I've found, this one included, have been particularly fast. NOT remotely like cockroaches. Nor do they seem very bright. They will try to move to get out of light or when they feel exposed, but don't seem to have any concept of running away from humans. This one was only kind of meandering, even when I nudged him. He certainly didn't freak out like an ant, spider, etc. would when touched.)</p> <p>I examined him closely but he didn't seem to be showing any ill effects from the Murphy's. Little legs were waving and all. Has anyone actually seen the effectiveness of the non-spray Murphy's as a contact killer? I used <em>very</em> hot water, but it's possible I diluted the soap too much (I eyeballed the amount, didn't measure) or needed to really be soaking the surfaces in it instead of just wiping them down.</p> <p>Then I figured I should test the other weapon in my arsenal, so I picked up the spray bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol and gave him a pretty close-range mist. His death was immediate and looked painful -- YAY.</p> <p>In the end, I found that one adult in the bureau, and 4 babies/juveniles in the encasement seams on the underside of the boxspring. I assume they're living in the metal bedframe. I didn't have time to disassemble and clean it, plus I was out of isopropyl alcohol at that point, so I settled for just putting DE down into all the legs.</p> <p>That's all for now. C'mon, PCO, call me back!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/warped-experiment-from-1916#post-30652 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:49:24 +0000 spideyjg 30652@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Discovered this in the 1934 BB report...</p> <p>Could have been called the parasite death match. ;)</p> <p>Hall, H.C (1916): Milit. Surg., 39, 474 (from Rev. Appl. Ent.). Typhus fever.</p> <p>“The body louse, P. humanus, when placed in a bottle with head lice,<br /> P, capitas, Bed-bugs and raw meat, will first kill and devour the head<br /> lice, then the Bed-bugs, then the raw meat, then become cannibals.” </p> <p>Somehow the idea of watching something kill and eat a BB makes smile. </p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/pheromones-research#post-14769 Sun, 09 Dec 2007 22:52:08 +0000 Anonymous 14769@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>So, aggregation pheromones research is beginning to be published, which we all have high hopes for.</p> <p><a href="http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2007.00617.x">Evidence for male- and juvenile-specific contact pheromones of the common bed bug Cimex lectularius</a></p> <p>Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, Vol. 125, No. 2. (November 2007), pp. 215-219<br /> (Eric Siljander, Dan Penman, Harold Harlan, Gerhard Gries):</p> <p>From the abstract:</p> <p>"In dual-choice laboratory experiments, juveniles, but not males or females, preferred juvenile-exposed paper discs to control discs. Unlike juveniles, males and females preferred male-exposed paper discs to control discs. Neither juveniles, males, nor females preferred female-exposed discs to control discs."</p> <p>I'm not sure what the status of the fabled <a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/15/good-news-bed-bug-aggregate-pheromones/">pheromone traps</a> is--we've been expecting news about those for some time, but with perfectly controlled breathing. ;) </p> <p>A casual search indicates that there is a new patent for a bed bug monitor device which you can read about <a href="http://www.freshpatents.com/Bed-bug-monitor-dt20070301ptan20070044372.php">here</a>.</p> <p>All of this can only be good, yes? Who knows when any of this will translate into something useful, but one can hope. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/purdue-university-and-nightwatch-bed-bug-trap-038-monitor#post-29661 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:47:07 +0000 Douglas Stern 29661@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>BioSensory Inc. the maker of the new NightWatch bed bug trap and bed bug monitor has just sent us the PowerPoint presentation from the Purdue University Entomology Department's paper that was discussed at the annual Entomological Society Association meeting in December 2007. We have posted the PowerPoint file and the NightWatch brochure on our blog at: <a href="http://www.sternenvironmental.com/blog/2008/08/29/nightwatch-is-it-the-new-silver-bullet-for-bed-bug-control/." rel="nofollow">http://www.sternenvironmental.com/blog/2008/08/29/nightwatch-is-it-the-new-silver-bullet-for-bed-bug-control/.</a></p> <p>We invite you to review the information and find out how NightWatch mimics a sleeping human to invite and then trap bed bugs. This may be the perfect tool to first make sure you need treatment and two to make sure you don't get re-infested.</p> <p>Douglas Stern </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/does-alcohol-kill-eggs#post-29338 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:39:39 +0000 gedhrven 29338@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I can personally confirm that it kills live bugs in under 10 seconds, but I'm more worried about eggs, since they're nigh impossible to detect. Will isopropyl alcohol do it? Any word on how long an exposure they need, or if 70% concentration will suffice? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/is-it-possible-1#post-28723 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:39:55 +0000 death2allbbs 28723@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Sometime Wednesday evening, I sprayed a bb on my wall with 91% alcohol and I had to spray it several times because it kept moving(no quick knockdown). Well, I had thought that I had eventually killed it because it had became still on the wall and I left it up there and had planned to get it from the wall with a piece of tape. Well, around 5:05am this morning(Thursday), I had noticed that it was still alive and moving on the wall in the same position. Therefore, is it possible that these things could become resistant to 91% alcohol? Also, has anyone else had any similar experiences? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/any-entrepreneurs-out-there#post-22602 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:13:45 +0000 paulaw0919 22602@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I was looking up on home depots website for pesticides for we have to get something for the exterior of our home. I wanted to get an idea of what was out there before heading out with the kids. Anyway, when I plugged in pesticides it brought up a lot of mosquito fighting items. I looked at this one and found it pretty interesting. It produces heat and CO2. It also states to have a type of quiet vacuum to suck the pests into the trap. Too bad it has a light that would probably deter bed bugs. Would be nice to have some sort of tracking device to detect an early infestation. I'm sure Minnesota also has something like this in the works but I just found it interesting. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&#38;langId=-1&#38;catalogId=10053&#38;productId=100608611" rel="nofollow">http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&#38;langId=-1&#38;catalogId=10053&#38;productId=100608611</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/i-think-that-the-bugs-are-already-on-to-it#post-28633 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:20:26 +0000 death2allbbs 28633@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Okay, I saw this on internet and thought I'd add a little bit of lightheartedness. :-)</p> <p><a href="http://video.aol.com/video-detail/ukees-invisibility-cloak/3861215047" rel="nofollow">http://video.aol.com/video-detail/ukees-invisibility-cloak/3861215047</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306161934.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306161934.htm</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/emtomolgy-questions#post-27184 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:45:48 +0000 spideyjg 27184@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I know the adults can go dormant for up to 18 months,seen in many sources, and survive without feeding but what about life expectancy under starvation for other stages?</p> <p>Also will all eggs hatch after a period of time so anything bagged for lets say 2 months is gonna be full of hatchlings if anything but no eggs to worry about?</p> <p>Jim </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/maybe-this-helps#post-27765 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:11:28 +0000 kj 27765@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Had an infestation nearly two years ago.... took several months to stop...being allergic to pesticide it was difficult...<br /> in the past few weeks noticed some bites that had me concerned....<br /> ...during the first time i kept thinking that there must be something that the bugs would hate...something in blood or on skin... but found nothing on the internet....<br /> coincidentally i started using a skin lotion that i had used many years ago... Corn Huskers Lotion... easy to find and cheap... $3.99 a bottle... my skin was so dry it came to mind... i noticed almost immediately that the bites on my hand got less itchy...and fewer...and wondered if it was the lotion.... so i put it all over me before bed... (my rosacea was improving, too).... every night... and within a couple of weeks no more bites no marks no itching couldn't find any bugs...</p> <p>I can't say for sure this works, maybe it's just coincidental, but if it does everyone should know....perhaps there is something in it that provides a skin barrier or even something toxic to the bugs.... please post if you try it ... </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/potter-et-al-recent-article-on-phantom-in-an-apartment-setting-study#post-26223 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:35:09 +0000 Anonymous 26223@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p><a href="http://www.pctonline.com/articles/article.asp?MagID=1&#38;ID=3223&#38;IssueID=243" rel="nofollow">http://www.pctonline.com/articles/article.asp?MagID=1&#38;ID=3223&#38;IssueID=243</a></p> <blockquote><p>TREATMENT OUTCOME. Successive inspections and treatments produced a slow but steady decline in bed bug numbers (see Figure 1). In 12 of the 15 apartments, live bed bugs could no longer be found 20 weeks (about five months) after initiation of treatment. Three apartments continued to have bed bugs (25, 39 and 59 adults and nymphs) beyond this period, although treatment in these units was hampered by excess clutter, lack of preparation and overall poor tenant cooperation. Compared to the total initial number of bed bugs found in the 15 apartments (2,719), a 78 percent overall reduction was observed after four weeks, 87 percent fewer bugs were found after eight weeks and 96 percent fewer after 12 weeks. However at the four, eight and 12-week evaluations, 14, 11 and 10 apartments, respectively, continued to have some live bed bugs. The seven apartments that received a follow-up inspection two weeks after initial treatment exhibited only a 49 percent overall decline at that time in bed bug numbers — further reinforcing the delayed action of the compound under field conditions. As is often the case with bed bugs, apartments with low-level infestations tended to be more efficiently managed than infestations that were severe.</p></blockquote> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/disease-transmission#post-15448 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:13:13 +0000 WelcometoFlatbush 15448@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>So,<br /> Now that i have gone months without any bites after moving from my bug infested apartment, i've been wondering about disease transmission. i know that the common knowledge is that they do not transmit disease, though they can "harbor" it. But how definitive is that knowledge/research? I have read some other speculation that maybe they can spread a whole rack of diseases.</p> <p>I lived in a building with drug addicts, some of whom may have had hepatitis or HIV, and I am concerned that bugs may have bitten me after biting the addicts. Is this a reasonable concern? What other bedbug version of rocky mountain fever or chagas is just waiting to be discovered? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/darpasmallpox-conspiracy-theory#post-25813 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:39:52 +0000 quantumshanti 25813@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>For discussion- the convergence of two interesting conspiracy theories with the current epidemic of resistant cimex lectularius-<br /> The first is the suppression of Charles Campbell's definitive studies showing that small pox is spread only by bed bugs and not by contact, as well as his discussion of the dangers and limitations of the smallpox vaccination for example <a href="http://www.vaclib.org/news/bedbugs.htm;" rel="nofollow">http://www.vaclib.org/news/bedbugs.htm;</a> the second is the research by the US Military on bed bugs since DARPA's inception (yes, the inventors of the internet- they kept a colony of bed bugs captured at Fort Dix, NJ basic training for over 25 years, military researchers present their findings at conferences, etc.) This first got media coverage in the late 1960s when military researchers wanted to use bed bugs in Vietnam for enemy detection purposes(see BEDBUG MAY HELP TO HUNT VIETCONG; Insect's Amplified Cry Might Detect Hidden Enemy By WILLIAM BEECHER Special to The New York Times June 6, 1966, Page 11). Then we have the Bush's policies regarding attempted mandatory smallpox vaccine beginning in 2001. The dangers this vaccine poses when there hasn't been a reported case in about forty years and the vaccine itself has the potential to reintroduce the disease into communities has not stopped a continued program of vaccination of health workers and military. <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/298/5602/2312" rel="nofollow">http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/298/5602/2312</a><br /> Could there really be a continued military use of bed bugs? Was giving blankets to the Indians the first use of bed bugs in warfare? Worse, could they be infiltrated with DARPA built bed bugs with cameras that spy on us? <a href="http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=202200707" rel="nofollow">http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=202200707</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/freezing-bugs#post-23742 Tue, 27 May 2008 02:52:55 +0000 Obother 23742@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I'm new to this, but curious. I put some of my clothing that is not W/D safe in a space bag inside the freezer. I also added some bed bugs in a sealed container. I'm waiting to see how long it takes for them to die. As it is, the boogers have been living in a plastic bag inside a vitamin jar for several days. I thought they were dead, but they are still hanging on. Perhaps the freezer will work, and I will have a sense of whether freezing clothes actually works. If it doesn't, I plan to invest in a steamer because I can't imagine the dry cleaning cycle going on for months. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/survey-of-pcos#post-24696 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:07:46 +0000 bedbugvictimperthaustralia 24696@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>The PCO that did my apartment yesterday did a poor job, considering he just sprayed, when I have learned here that there are MANY things a PCO can and should do to deal with bed bugs if they take the problem seriously.</p> <p>I've started to wonder how that can be. Either they don't have the proper training, or they only offer a basic service and charge extra for additional things, or they offered a full service and cut things until the landlord was satisfied with the price.</p> <p>So I wrote a letter and have faxed it to 10 PCO companies that list themselves in the yellow pages for my city. If enough of them reply, I'll personally pay to fax the other 200 or so that list fax numbers (it will cost about $50 to fax them and set up a return fax number for them), and create an online catalog of their responses so people can pick and choose which one provides the service they're after.</p> <p>Maybe then people in other cities will do the same, and we could get something really cool happening. </p> <p>The reason I thought of this is, well, because of the above, but also I thought I should educate myself a little in things from the PCO side if I plan to take this to my local government representative and lobby for an education campaign or for bed bug specific legislation like I saw on the front page for Ohio today.</p> <p>Here's a copy of the letter I sent:</p> <p>Dear Pest Controller</p> <p>I have selected you along with others from the yellow pages to ask a few questions, as I am taking my landlord to court for their poor handling of a bed bug infestation in my apartment. My complaint is not about the pest controller themselves – I have the highest level of respect for your industry and understand how intense competition can lead to cut-price services. Also, I consider myself well educated about the bed bug issue and don’t need advice in that regard.</p> <p>What I am trying to determine is what level of service you recommend as a default to new clients, what you are willing to cut to reduce your price and most importantly what warnings you may give when doing so. So if your business treats bed bugs and you have a few moments to answer these questions and fax them back to me I would really appreciate it. Please be aware that I may reproduce your response in court/print/tv/radio/online/in parliament and elsewhere. I may also follow up with you at a later stage if I need clarification.</p> <p>1. For a single apartment (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, 2 balconies; all with thin carpeting except the kitchen which is linoleum), where a dozen bed bugs have been sighted in at least one bedroom and the occupant is reacting strongly with multiple bites, what level of treatment do you first recommend? Include:</p> <p>Pre-treatment </p> <p>Do you provide a printed list of instructions for the client to follow in preparation?<br /> Do you inspect inside the apartment to locate bed bug colonies?<br /> Do you use animals or bed bug locating dogs?<br /> Do you ask to see adjacent apartments?<br /> Do you seal any cracks?</p> <p>Treatment</p> <p>How quickly could you schedule a treatment?<br /> Do you fumigate or use any bombs or gasses (vikane, etc)?<br /> Do you steam?<br /> Do you spray?<br /> Do you use dusts?</p> <p>Post-treatment</p> <p>Do you clean up dead bugs afterwards?<br /> Do you leave anything for post-treatment?<br /> Do you leave a business or contact card for the occupant?<br /> How many treatments are included in your first quote?</p> <p>2. Please indicate if a client can opt in or out of any of those services. Do you warn either way that any of these treatments above are or are not necessary?</p> <p>3. Please feel free to make any other comments if you feel something hasn’t been covered above. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-future-of-bed-bug-destruction#post-24280 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:08:01 +0000 Cody 24280@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I was reading some of the other threads where people said we need venture capitalists funding research into bed bugs. But I don't think we need "this is their life cycle" research, we know enough of that.</p> <p>What we need is something similar to what pharmaceutical companies do when a new virus is discovered - they test all their existing drugs against it to see if there's any reaction, and if so they carry out more tests to see how they can exploit patents they own.</p> <p>So what would be cool is to fund collection of millions of these buggers, and start exposing them to every drug, plant extract, chemical cleaner, and other substance known to man. </p> <p>We'll start with what what some of our fellow bed bug haters are affected by: pollen, shellfish, peanuts, and other bed bugs. Then we'll get more exotic: bathing them in juices from vines that only grow deep in the jungle; spraying them with a mixture of milk and ground up unicorn horns; and sprinkling them with starfish poo.</p> <p>They have never had to deal with starfish poo before. Who knows. Maybe it's effective?</p> <p>That's phase one. Phase two is finding other things that might kill bed bugs ... a bed bug version of the rabbit disease myxomatosis, a new kids on the block album played day and night, a man in a dinosaur costume, or the colour pink. Yes, the cure may be worse than the disease, but I don't like to lose.</p> <p>I'll gladly donate my bugs to science of this kind.</p> <p>I'm almost tempted to grab a few dozen of them, stick them under shot glasses, buy half a dozen cans of insect spray and repellant, test them out, and put the results on the net. But one it's too expensive, two people would think I'm crazy, and three - I already have plans to go collect some starfish poo. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/the-war-on-bed-bugs#post-24325 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:06:27 +0000 anselm 24325@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I have come across a major break through. I have come across the product, food grade diamateous earth, no doubt people have heard of it, if not look it up. Most people do not know that consuming food grade diamateous earth in a cup of water has major health benefits because of it's 15 trace minerals including silica. Diamateous earth helps relieve the itching and helps to repair skin. You can also bath with it as an exfoliant and I found that the bed bugs do not like that and are starting to keep away. I would recommend anybody who has a bedbug problem to consume and bath with FOOD GRADE diamateous earth or spread it lightly aroud your living apaces. The only thing is that bathing with it will cause you to have a kinda earthy smell so a spritz of some fragrant essential oils will help. Good Luck </p>