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Bed Bugs Heat & Carbon Dioxide Red LED light
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I had put this up under the advice and was asked to post it here. I'm curious how one would accomplish this. I find the red LED light quite interesting. Where would one find this type of light?
Onto the other topic:
Ok so I’m driving myself mad and trust me it’s not that far of a drive to begin with. I think it’s time I start my own forum about all this.
I am still seeking advice on this part though. Ok so bed bugs are attracted to the heat from your body and the carbon dioxide you breath out while sleeping. So would it be possible to try to attract them out by using say a heating pad and mixing vinegar and baking soda to create carbon dioxide?
Hey I said I was going mad. I find myself in a position of possible needing to catch a few critters for proof of them being here and in my mad state had this thought. Anyone know if this or some other similar would be feasible?
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paulaw0919
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '07
Posts: 997
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Dec 16 2007 22:00:18
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Hi Tony. As for the red LED light, we got ours at Home Depot. I would think that Lowes, another Hardware store or eve nWalmart might carry them as well.
As for the vinegar and baking soda thing...all I can say is Wow! How did you think of that? Is is something you remembered in Science class as a kid? I don't know if it would work or not but sounds very interesting. I've heard of people doing crazier things to catch the bug. I say think it out and give it a whurl. Worst case scenerio is that you try is a few nights in a row (3-4 nights) and you don't catch anything.
What I would do though, is still stay in the same room, awake so you can witness it and be there for the possible catch.
The idea sounds so simple and almost too easy. I'm curious to see if it would work. -
Some useful reading:
http://bedbugger.com/2007/11/25/notsosnug-killing-bed-bugs-one-by-one/
and
http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/pco-five-times-and-still-getting-bitten?replies=43#post-13312
These two methods have actually worked for those two individuals. The heat trap is something I've heard but cannot say that I've seen anyone succeed with it.
You can use a very thin plastic card (like a NYC transit card) to probe possible harborage sites (any tiny crevice really). If you need to produce a bug, the bed is the place to start, but you need to search all the adjacent locations very carefully, think high as well as low, walls, moldings, furniture. I'll read your other post in a moment.
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The creating carbon dioxide thought just kind of came to me. So I went online to learn more about carbon diocide and found out about mixing vinegar & baking soda together. I've always been a curious person and there may actually be a better way to create carbon dioxide but this seemed the easiest so far.
If worse comes to worse I can open the encasement on the boxspring but I really do not want to do that. I got many bites or reactions to bug casings (is that even possible) when I put it on. Weird thing was I never seen a bug on me but still got bite marks.
I'll try the credit card thing wish I had kept the ones I threw out when I thought the landlord was going to do the right thing. Anyone reading this keep all evidence even after you think the landlord is going to do what he says. He may very well change his mind as in my case. I'm off to home depot tomorrow to find the light as I think I'll try to draw them out with my heat/dioxide thought but under the red light.
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bugobsessed
junior member
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 108
Posted 1 year ago
Sun Dec 16 2007 23:07:51
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Hi again Tony,
I read somewhere about using a balloon and a heating pad, or an alka seltzer and a heating pad to attract the bugs. Also, my landlord used glue traps to catch a couple to monitor whether they were still in my neighbor's apartment. The glue traps need to be placed strategically, though, like near a potential harborage, but en route to your bed.
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For the red LED light, I just use a battery powered bicycle tail light that has a few settings, one of which is a steady light. It doesn't need to be as focused as a flashlight to be able to see the enemy, but mine has a pretty strong beam.
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OK I've got my baking soda and vinegar and have decided to opt for a hairdryer set on the low heat setting to lightly blow the carbon dioxide toward the baseboard of the wall I've seen them come out from instead of a heating pad. I also forgot I have an LED night light that I can change to red and also have an LED light bulb that can also be set to red. I'm using both to light the room in red light.
I think this is the part where I go he he he somewhat like a mad scientist. Most likely I'll not see a thing but you never know. Granted it may take more than one try. On the plus side someone in the building did laundry and forgot to clean out the lint trap. It appears I am not the only one with the bugs and from what I seen in the lint they have a lot more than I do. I saved the lint and bugs in a large siploc for evidence!
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The results of the great experiment are somewhat mixed. I had no luck with using the hair dryer as a heat source. I think the noise may have interfered. But once I stopped using that and just started blowing on the bowl of water & vinegar (equal parts) when I added the baking soda one did come crawling out.
Of course while sitting on the bed pulled out away from the wall doing this one also snuck up behind me and got me on my back.
I'm not so sure it had anything to do with producing the co2 but more to do with my just breathing and being the heat source under a red light.
I did get what I wanted a bug to show the inspector once he comes. I may try this again but use a yeast mixture which should keep bubbling by itself. With the baking soda you have to keep adding more every 10 seconds or so or it stops producing co2. I think with yeast you wouldn't have to keep adding more every few seconds.
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bugobsessed
junior member
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 108
Posted 1 year ago
Mon Dec 17 2007 22:50:05
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Fascinating! As much as I hate the bugs, I love experimenting on them. Between sprays I would catch them and put them in ziplocks. Then I would try out various products (alcohol and DE mostly) on them in various concentrations and watch to see how long they took to die. I also felt like saying, he, he, he in a very sinister voice. I haven't caught any in just under two weeks-- a bittersweet absence. Much more sweet than bitter, of course.
Tony, please keep updating on your progress! I will live out my bed bug experimentation fantasies through you!
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Tony, someone else suggested one of those instant heat packs (handwarmers or hot compresses) under a can of seltzer water (soda water)--heat plus co2. Surrounded by glue traps on a flat surface. (Electric heating pad would be dangerous with the water.) The co2 from the water probably dissipates fairly rapidly. No one has reported success with this, but it might be worth trying.
Also you said "On the plus side someone in the building did laundry and forgot to clean out the lint trap. It appears I am not the only one with the bugs and from what I seen in the lint they have a lot more than I do. I saved the lint and bugs in a large ziploc for evidence!"
Pure genius, Tony! Others should do some snooping in their lint traps if they live in buildings with laundry rooms.
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I still think using a mouse in a cage is the best trap. Nothing like a real warm body! And any animal rights folks who don't like that, consider the welfare of the poor bedbug!
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the only problems with traps is they wouldnt be efficient enough to control the infestation, just to entertain us.....because in all reality you pose a greater prize to the BBs than any trap would.
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