Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tools/ideas for fighting bed bugs
No pest strips?
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Tessy
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Posted 11 months ago
Mon Jun 4 2012 22:10:54
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I've heard of these in other posts...where can I get them and which are fe bedbugs?
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your host
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Posted 11 months ago
Tue Jun 5 2012 23:32:44
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Hot Shot No Pest Strips and Nuvan Strips are two brand names for DDVP (dichlorvos) strips. They emit a deadly toxic gas. They can be used to kill bed bugs in an enclosed space where no humans or other living creatures are present, but are quite controversial here because they can be dangerous if not used properly. You can read about them in other threads by clicking the DDVP tag above.
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oldtimer
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Posted 11 months ago
Wed Jun 6 2012 8:33:06
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Dear tessy,
(Disclosure: As an industry consultant I have a professional relationship with the manufacturer of pest strips.)
Resin pest strips are impregnated with an insecticide known as ddvp. The ddvp vapors slowly emerge from the strip over time and strips last up to 120 days.
Such strips were initially marketed by Shell Chemical in the 1960s and have been on the retail market ever since. In the past, ddvp was used in pet flea collars as well.
While ddvp may be viewed as a potent insecticide and toxicant, pesticide hazard is measured using exposure and dose. As there is little ddvp available within the entire strip, such small amonuts are emitted each day and there is no residual with ddvp the use of the term "deadly toxic gas" is somewhat of a mischaracterization of this product and the hazard thereof especially when considering that this has been a retail product since the 1960s. The strips emit a vapor that is toxic to insects.
The professional pest strips are named Nuvan ProStrips and are labeled for use against bed bugs as ddvp is efficacious against all stages of bed bugs including eggs.
Hope this helps ! paul b.
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your host
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Posted 11 months ago
Wed Jun 6 2012 9:12:56
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P Bello - 38 minutes ago »
Dear tessy,
(Disclosure: As an industry consultant I have a professional relationship with the manufacturer of pest strips.)Hi Paul,
My understanding is you have a professional relationship with the manufacturer of Nuvan strips. Is this correct?
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Posted 11 months ago
Wed Jun 6 2012 18:29:32
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I recently attended an ESA Symposium where a presentation raised questions as to the efficacy of these products in regard to eggs. As far as the safety aspects the label is specific that "treatment" be outside continually occupied areas. But a serious issue we have come across with many bed bug products and treatments is the failure of many to read let alone follow the label.
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your host
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Posted 11 months ago
Wed Jun 6 2012 22:43:46
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Winston O. Buggy - 4 hours ago »
I recently attended an ESA Symposium where a presentation raised questions as to the efficacy of these products in regard to eggs. As far as the safety aspects the label is specific that "treatment" be outside continually occupied areas. But a serious issue we have come across with many bed bug products and treatments is the failure of many to read let alone follow the label.Yes, and these are some of the reasons that DDVP strips are quite controversial around here. Most of the experts here are not enthusiastic.
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oldtimer
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Posted 11 months ago
Thu Jun 7 2012 1:44:45
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Clarification: My client manufactures all the pest strips in question.
Used properly, this is another efficacious tool.
Any pesticide may be misused which may result in increased hazard. (As an example, search the story of the woman who died in Carolina as a result of over exposure to pesticides she and her husband over applied in their home in an effort to eliminate bed bugs. Unfortuneately, they're disregard of proper use & application directions resulted in her demise. However, such incidents are not the fault of the product.)
Controversy? Not in my view, ddvp kills 100% of all eggs & bed bugs suitably exposed to it.
Any pesticide product should be used properly, period.
Hope this helps ! paul b.
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your host
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Posted 11 months ago
Thu Jun 7 2012 2:48:26
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P Bello - 32 minutes ago »
Clarification: My client manufactures all the pest strips in question.
....
Controversy? Not in my view, ddvp kills 100% of all eggs & bed bugs suitably exposed to it.
Any pesticide product should be used properly, period..Hi Paul,
Thanks for clarifying on your relationship to the products.I have heard various experts here express concern about the use of the product by people with no experience.
Yes, the product can be used safely. But as Winston noted, many don't follow label instructions. Many people not experienced with this product may misuse it, even with the best intentions.
Sometimes, desperate people "overdo" treatments. In the case of a deadly gas, the potential for real harm is big.
As far as 100% effectiveness, one problem is that while we always advise people to use products per label instructions, the label instructions may not always be sufficient to ensure success.
Consider that this PMP magazine article from May 2010 outlines a study (which I am sure you're familiar with) showing that that many items were not cleared of live bed bugs within the 48-72 hours the Nuvan Prostrips product label (PDF) recommends for killing all bed bugs (and also note it recommends seven days for killing eggs). Many items took one or two weeks for all bed bugs to die, and some were not cleared of live bed bugs even after two weeks of continual exposure, including shoes, books, and computer keyboards. This suggests the product needs to be used longer than two weeks-- a lot longer than 48-72 hours.
The study also found seven days was not sufficient for killing all eggs as the label suggested, but that two weeks or longer is needed.
It is problematic to me that the label instructions for killing bed bugs may give users insufficient information and lead to a false sense of security.
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oldtimer
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Posted 11 months ago
Thu Jun 7 2012 8:31:50
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Dear nobugs,
Wow, here I am sounding like one of those guys who is "defending" one of those "natural type BB products".
In lab trials it took about 5.5 days to kill all eggs at ambient temperature. This is why the label states 7 days.
Those BBs that were not killed in those trials were those that were not exposed to ddvp vapors. As an example, if we set up say a fish tank containing eggs & bed bugs and placed a pest strip in there we would have 100% mortality. However, if we hid some of those bed bugs within something that the vapor could not enter within the tank then those would not be affected because those bed bugs were not contacted or exposed tothe active ingredient. Simply stated, we're not going to kill bed bugs in the bed room by spraying pesticides in the kitchen.
As stated in your post, the inference is that there is resistance to ddvp and that BBs can survive it. This is NOT so.
This active ingredient is an OP and as one expert states; in those countries where pcos are using OPs they do not have issues with controlling BBs.
I do not sell products but I do include efficacious products on my list of recommended products, my treatment protocols and steward the product in my role within the industry.
As this active has a long standing availability and use as a retail product, your characterization of it as a "deadly toxic gas" is an overstatement of the potential hazard and ignores that dose + exposure = hazard.
Simply stated this is an effective product when used properly.
Hope this helps ! paul b.
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your host
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Posted 11 months ago
Thu Jun 7 2012 14:25:14
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Hi Paul,
It was not my intention to get into an argument with you.
I have agreed the products have value, but I have expressed what I believe are legitimate concerns with two aspects of the product: misuse and the label instructions.
P Bello - 5 hours ago »
As stated in your post, the inference is that there is resistance to ddvp and that BBs can survive it. This is NOT so.
First, the label instructions. In terms of the time it takes the product to kill bed bugs and eggs, I did not say anything about pesticide resistance. I referred to the study described in PMP which demonstrates that the time needed to kill bed bugs in the field can be a lot longer than what the labels suggest.
I am simply pointing out that's a potential problem since many consumers will not have access to someone who can explain that they really may need to use the product much longer than the label notes. Can you see where I am coming from with that?
As this active has a long standing availability and use as a retail product, your characterization of it as a "deadly toxic gas" is an overstatement of the potential hazard and ignores that dose + exposure = hazard.
Please read my comment about this being a "deadly gas" again, in context. Actually, my concern was expressed solely in regard to people misusing the product. Only last week someone was talking about hanging up a whole bunch of strips in an apartment room.
From where I sit, we hear of people's plans to misuse pesticides often. For everyone who comes here and gets strongly discouraged from such ideas, others are out there.
In my own building, quite common of old NYC housing stock, when my neighbor smokes, I smoke, if you know what I mean. So the idea of someone overusing DDVP in an "unused room" that may affect others is a very real one to me.
I have not suggested people don't use the products. They can have value.
I do think the labeling concern is a real one. You can avoid the hazards if you read labels properly. But if you follow the label instructions, they may be insufficient (especially in certain types of items) according to the study cited above. That's a shame.
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oldtimer
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Posted 11 months ago
Thu Jun 7 2012 20:21:02
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Agreed. Label concerns can be an issue. There are product use FAQs on the product website and there is a toll free number if users have questions as well.
It is difficult to "idiot proof" the world and some of the incidents I am aware of regarding the purposeful misuse of pesticide products that have occurred over the years would amaze you.
One of our best approaches is to continue in our industry stewardship efforts to help reduce accidents that may occur as a result of misuse of pesticides. However, if a person is going to bath her body and head with pesticides in an effort to rid herself of bed bugs then there's not much we can do to save her from herself or her husband that applied lawn & garden insecticides within their home.
Perhaps a page dedicated to the proper use of pesticide products would be helpful as well.
Hope this helps ! paul b.
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old timer
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Posted 11 months ago
Fri Jun 8 2012 9:37:54
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Perhaps these are products which should be classified as "Restricted Use". This would enable knowledgeable use by professionals who would take the necessary steps to improve the efficacy and safety concerns. I too like Paul have seen cases of misuse by both bed bug sufferers and more disturbingly by some pseudo prep companies who throw them in bags filled with clothes.
As a side note this product has been used successfully for years to help control other pest issues, perhaps bed bugs once again are a pest like no other and should not be a target organism for this product given the unique nature of the treatment conditions in a multitude of instances. -
oldtimer
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Posted 11 months ago
Fri Jun 8 2012 10:01:59
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Dear winston,
We all need to steward product use as well as provide viable solutions for Bb sufferers.
Based upon my experience and observation it appears to me that we may be overstating the hazard. I say this under the assumption that nearly all folks are going to use their chosen products, no matter which product it is, within a reasonable effort to comply with label directions.
Also consider the following;
> This product is labeled for professional use.
> The amount of AI within these strips in total is limited.
> The amount that is emitted from the strip on a daily basis is very small given that it is emitted over the course of 120 days.
> There is no residual to this product.
> The product has been market available for over 40 years.Human nature & behavior may result in the occasional story of gross misuse of a product however, these incidents are an insignificant proportion of the overall total and it is not prudent to dictate to the masses based upon the errors of the very few.
Have a great day ! paul b.
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bbmakingmeocd
newbite
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Posted 7 months ago
Wed Oct 3 2012 1:53:02
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What about putting no-pest strips into a sealed ziplock XL or XXL bag that has shoes or other things you can't wash/dry and leaving it sealed for 3-4 weeks? Is that safe? What if I store the bags, sealed, in the trunk of my car, which I don't drive often, rather than my apartment?
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