Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tools/ideas for fighting bed bugs
New Bed Bug Monitor and Control Products
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Hi Forum Members,
I wanted to post a quick note to point out several new products that have hit the market that we are reviewing right now. We are not selling any of these products, but are evaluating them as possible monitoring aids or treatments.
The first is from Cimex Science. You can read about this new bed bug monitor that is portable and available now from Cimex Science on our blog at http://www.sternenvironmental.com/blog/2008/11/04/the-cimex-detection-case-bed-bug-monitoring-and-trap/. This product may be too expensive for the typical homeowner to purchase, but may be in the long run available for rent and may be of particular use for hotels and motels. It is similar to the Nightwatch product more info here http://www.sternenvironmental.com/products/index.php which is still not on the market yet. This monitor uses CO2 and a body odor like scent to attract bed bugs into a trap. The product is encased in a briefcase like unit and can detect bed bugs in a 100 square foot room. We are considering that this may be a good product for home owner rental to verify the presence of bed bugs versus other pests or to monitor a home for a period of time after treatment for an infestation.
The other product we are evaluating is the Active Guard Mattress Liner. More info can be found here: http://www.sternenvironmental.com/blog/2008/11/03/innovative-bed-bugs-product-keeps-your-bed-safe/. This product is a lightweight pyrethrum saturated liner that lays on top of your mattress under your mattress pad. It kills bed bugs on contact and the material from the manufacturer states it will kill pests for up to two years. It is not suitable to be used in beds for children under five years of age. This may be a more price considerate alternative to bed bug proof mattress encasements.
We would very much appreciate your feedback on these two new products and invite you to our blog or website to read more and then post comments here. We are looking to identify if the bed bug market considers these new products to have value and if you would consider even using them yourself.
Best Regards,
Douglas Stern -
Hi Douglas,
Thanks for alerting us to your new posts about the two bed bug monitors!
We have previously reported on these products: the Nightwatch back in July, and the CDC 3000 about 10 days ago. We were lucky to get information from entomologists like "Winston" and Sean Rollo who shared information on these very early on.
We had not heard of the Active guard, so thanks for pointing that out. I welcome the perceptions of professionals and bedbuggers alike on that product, which is from what I understand a fitted sheet (not an encasement) "impregnated with permethrin".
I also encourage you to participate more in discussions on our forums!
Sometimes it feels like you only come round to advertise your services, but don't generally answer questions posed of you, or enter into the discussion, except sometimes by proxy.
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Oh, did I scare everyone away? I hope not.
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bedbugsbad
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Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 48
Posted 1 year ago
Fri Nov 7 2008 21:23:59
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I read this post the other day and did not really think twice about it. But this evening I was over at pctonline.com (yes I now subscribe to the magazine) I saw another newsfeed about the pyrethum (sp?) impregnated cover and it really got me thinking. Could this be much bigger than I originally thought? Could it be bigger than the new traps, especially for single family home owners? Initial treatment done by PCO, pads put on all the beds, any nymphs or bugs missed come to feed on "the bait (you in the bed) crawl on the pad and them die. What do you guys think? Am I missing something?
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This sounds pretty interesting to me. But do they only work if the bug crawls under your sheet? This could be awesome for people who are afraid they could be exposed to bed bug infestations often, like a social worker, etc.
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death2allbbs
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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Nov 7 2008 22:02:54
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barelyliving - 7 minutes ago »
This sounds pretty interesting to me. But do they only work if the bug crawls under your sheet?That's what I was wondering too. Because according to what Douglas Stern said:
"This product is a lightweight pyrethrum saturated liner that lays on top of your mattress under your mattress pad. It kills bed bugs on contact and the material from the manufacturer states it will kill pests for up to two years..."
I was wondering how many bedbugs are going be crawling under your sheets and mattress pad. I mean, it would seem like you would have to lie down on the pyrethrum saturated liner for the bedbugs to crawl on it...and is that safe?
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I would love to hear more from entomologists and PCOs (Douglas Stern and everyone else) about their perceptions of this product.
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bitten123
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Posts: 326
Posted 1 year ago
Sat Nov 8 2008 13:59:38
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Hi Doug,
Thanks for posting this! Please stay on the forum, we love our experts and are ever so appreciative!!!! -
Hi,
I have to say I am watching the first a lot more closely than the second.
A snake oil soaked matress topper with a fresh odour of "me too sir", I will have to order a case load.
I think the first is a good example of science adapting to meet current and future demand. The concept of monitors is something I know we will see more about over the next 12 months. The high end attractant monitors and hopefully something at the lower end of the proce bracket to allow regular self or professional inspection.
I hate to say we will have to wade through an awful lot more adapted me too products before more diamonds shine through the rough.
David
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Hi David!
Are you saying you have a preference for one or the other monitor (CDC 3000 vs. Nightwatch)?
Just curious...
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Mr Stern,
I am curious about the source of the bed bugs that were used in the evaluation of the Active Guard Liner? Were the bed bugs that were utilized in the study posted on your website field captured or laboratory raised?
In light of published studies by Romero Alvero, Dini Miller & others regarding insecticide resistance, how do we know that this product will perform in the field?
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Hi NoBugs,
Like a good scientist I can't decide until I have evaluated both options but I have a strong gut feeling as to which I will be doing business with. I am sorry if you are hanging on with CO2 and pheramone baited breath but as soon as I make a decision I will let you all know.
David
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David, As a former bed bug sufferer who has a risk of re-infestation I have been very interested in possible preventative products, like the Active Guard listed above. But you seem very doubtful of this. You also discouraged Vaseline to isolate beds from infestation. I understand that you encourage checking the bed area regularly to pick up an infestation quickly, but many of us do not have the money to pay to resolve infestations, even if just once yearly, or so. In fact, in my part of the country, I have not even found a pest control operator who can successfully treat an infestation (I had to spend $9000 for Vikane after 6 visits from the pest control guy and an acquaintance is having similar results with a different PCO.) You cannot imagine the desperation this causes me daily basis.
Is there ANYTHING that those of us non-PCO's can do by way of prevention that could help our families to not be completely financially wiped out by this plague? I personally thought that the Active Guard sounded like a good idea, but you are way more expert than I am.
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I wish some of you successful experts would at least help train some of these dimwits that some of us have no choice but to rely on.
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bedbugsbad
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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Nov 10 2008 11:17:29
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bbcoukHome/DougSummersMS:
Here is the link to the published reaseach (in PCT magazine) on the Activeguard liner:
Does this have any credibility or is it simply published lipservice for a potential advertiser?
Thanks
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BBcoukHome - 1 day ago »
...I can't decide until I have evaluated both options but I have a strong gut feeling as to which I will be doing business with. I am sorry if you are hanging on with CO2 and pheramone baited breath but as soon as I make a decision I will let you all know.I look forward to it! Thanks, David.
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Hi Barelyliving,
A soaked mattress protector is not going to help you prevent bed bugs getting back into your home. They are an exposure pest, the only way to stop them setting up home with you is not to come into contact with them int he first place. In practice this can only be done by being cautious and understanding how you became infected in the first place.
I appreciate that I work in a very different way to the US but this is partly due to the fact that I have different tools available in the UK some of which are not licensed for use in the US yet. When I started doing this type of work many years ago there was nothing available online about bed bugs, I had no other choice but to work almost exclusively on bed bugs till I had seen 2,000 to 3,000 cases and started to work out the links between what I did and the results we saw. It was hard graft and when you have under 60 minutes to treat a 4 bedroom house and get tot he next job you know you have to get good and fast at the same time.
I started with a simple set of instructions, about 200 words and it grew from there. I now use a 43 page instruction manual that covers all areas of treatment, educational information and FAQ's. This document is checked, re checked and adapted monthly to include all the latest information we have on the subject. Yet this book alone does not solve bed bug infestations, the combination of how we treat (50%) , what we ask people to do (40%) and what we use chemically (10%) makes up the method.
The how we do it part takes 1 on 1 training with me for 3 to 4 cases a day for 6 to 8 weeks resulting in over 100 cases dealt with before I even classify a member of staff as ready to work alone. Yes others see themselves as experts after this level of work but within my team it means you are ready to work alone and nothing more, I would certainly only classify someone as an expert until after 2,000 plus cases and a very good clear up rate.
As such I am working on my training manual for 2009 and have even engaged a consultant to help compile and write it, part of the problem is that I have been doing this for far too long, I automatically do things that others need to be told to check and do which is why I have called in fresh eyes. Once this has been field tested and works we may be able to roll out and and get others to get better results. At this stage however I have to look after my own team and make sure we are stable enough to ride through the current economic climate.
The simple fact however is that you are looking for a cost effective solution, here is one:
Check your home on a regular basis, monitor for faecal traces, if you see some stop and count them. If there are only a few deep clean the area, if there are more than a few you will need a PCO to treat. If you catch the signs quickly cleaning can resolve a problem before it gets out of hand, the trick is catching it at that stage rather than waiting for it to get out of control or miss treating it and spreading it throughout your home.
The cost of checking on a monthly basis, nothing if you do it.
It really is that simple. I don't do anything more complex at home myself, I check, clean, recheck if needed but by catching it early I can stay on top of it and I don't think any of you can claim to have a higher reinfestation risk than me.
David
PS Hoping to meet with the monitor companies in December and will try and set some time aside to meet with a few NY based PCO's and action groups if time allows.
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David,
Thanks for taking the time to respond to me. I just wish we could have PCO's we can count on for all of us. -
Hi Barelyliving,
Thanks, guess I can please some of the people some of the time but the just plain ignorant non of the time.
The simple fact is that I would love to roll out a plan that worked for all but experence and exploying a few PCo's has taught me its not always going to work with old hand PCO's. Bed Bugs are a very different skill set to many other pests. Its a bit like saying because you can ride a bike you can fly a plane.
I hope that with time this will change but just as it took time to get good Bed Bug information online it will take time to select the good PCO's and get them trained up.
David
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bitten123
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Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 326
Posted 1 year ago
Tue Nov 11 2008 9:33:22
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David, I am so glad there are experts like you in the field. I shudder to think what would happen if there weren't true experts to give advice, accurate advice, to others who treat in the field.
I'm sure there will be those who will treat bed bugs like any other scourge and the problem will worsen, but thankfully there are those who do know how to treat properly and your track record will force the others to change their methods (hopefully).
thanks for caring the flag for the destruction of bed bugs...
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