Prevention and Management of Bed Bug Infestation

1. Suja Warrier, MSPH, CP-FS, REHS
Environmental Health Specialist
Fairfax County Health Dept.-CPP
Fairfax County
Health Department

3. History and origins of bed bugs infestations
Biology & behavior that make bed bugs
particularly challenging.
Transportation of Bed Bugs and infestation of
residences
Steps to avoid bringing bed bugs into your
home, what can you do if they arrive

4. Originally cave dwellers in the Middle East.
Bed bugs were a parasite of bats
Humans have moved bed bugs all over the
world
Before and around World War II, bed bugs
were quite common. With the use of DDT,
bed bugs were eradicated in North America.
Today, bed bugs are on the rise.

5. Bed Bug Behavior and Biology
-Increase in worldwide travel
Increase in second hand merchandise.
An underground economy
No magic bullet Insecticides

7. Cimex Leticularis

8. Bed Bug Biology and
Behavior
Bed bugs hate sunlight and are mainly nocturnal.
They will only come out during the day if their
numbers are too large.
Bed bugs feed only on blood. They can survive many
months without a blood meal. Average life span is 6-
12 months.
Development is rapid during temperatures of 72-
80 F
They lay up to 250-500 eggs/lifetime in cold, dark
hidden places.

10. Life cycle
Nymph to adult – must
feed
Poppy to apple-seed size
6-12 eggs laid @ 2-3 days
Eggs laid in cold, dark
places.

11. Bed Bug Eggs
Eggs are extremely difficult to
locate and deal with and can lead
to treatment failures.

12. Transportation of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are hitch
hikers, they can
hide in hand bags,
suitcases, pant legs
etc.
If the item the bed
bug has attached
itself to moves so
does the bed bug.
Most are found in
the area of the
home where the
humans sleep.
Have been known
to travel 100 feet
but stay within 6-8
feet.

13. Bed Bugs-Don’t Panic
➢ Bed bugs can be avoided and
controlled!
➢ Every skin irritation or bite
does is not bed bugs!
➢ You can see them.
➢ They do not cause or spread
diseases.
➢ Simple heat and/or steam
can kill them.
➢ Communication and action
are the keys to control

14. Misconceptions:
• You only get bed bugs because you are “dirty”
– False: But can be affected by clutter
• “Bed bugs only affect the poor”
– False: They often infest poor housing

15. Misconceptions
➢ Certain people” are more willing
to get & live with bed bugs” False!
➢High infestations in transient or
overpopulated residences
➢Constant flow of people in and
out
➢Undocumented folks reluctant to
report problems
➢Up to 40% of apartments with bed
bugs contain 6 or more people
(Rollo, 2011)
DiniMiller,VT

16. Where are they hiding ?

17. Common hiding spots
Hidden places
Cracks & crevices – 1/16”
Folds & edges
Mattresses & Box springs
Near the bed
Baseboards & walls
Closets – clothes!
Radiator covers…
Radiating out from the bed

18. Where do bed bugs live..
➢ Apartments, townhouses, hotels, motels, dormitories, and
condominiums are structures that have units that share walls. If
an apartment becomes infested it is possible that the apartment
on both sides of it and the one above and below it are going to
become infested too.
➢ Bed bugs can travel into the walls and live in the wall voids and
move into neighboring areas.

19. Where do bed bugs live

20. Signs and Symptoms of Bed Bug
infestation
Bed bug bites and welts.
Blood spots on bed.
Bed bug excreta, droppings and molted skin.
Actual live or dead bugs.
Eggs of bed bugs
Musty odor

21. Possible First signs…
Bed bug bites on a woman’s leg
and arms. Photo from
www.bedbugger.com.

22. Rows of Bites

23. Why are bites in rows

24. Bites and Reaction
54% - NO initial reaction!
46% - more than a week
to react
30% - people with bugs
show NO bites
(Cooper, 2011)
Photos:ChangluWang,Rutgers

25. Signs of Bed Bug infestation
Photos:LouisN.Sorkin,B.C.E.,
EntsultAssociates,Inc.

26. Check mattress seams
Photos:LouisN.Sorkin,B.C.E.,
EntsultAssociates,Inc.

27. Furniture seen at Dumpsters

28. Reconditioned Mattress

29. Psychological Reactions
➢ Tiny, blood-sucking parasites ..In their bed
…In their children’s bed!
➢ Sleep disturbance
➢ Anxiety symptoms
➢ Depression
➢ PTSD

30. Social Reactions
Shame
• “Blacklisting”
• Loss of belongings
Social distancing
• Reluctance to go
out
• Lack of visitors
• Increases
depression
Lack of services
• Reluctance of care
providers
• Extreme situations

31. Steps to avoid bringing bed bugs
home:
Take only what is absolutely needed into the home.
Wear protective clothes if applicable.
Avoid sitting /leaning on furniture, tables, walls.
Once outside do a visual check especially along pant seams.
Place all clothing into washer, dryer once home.
Do not sit on your furniture at your home unless you have changed.

32. SLEEP
Sleep acronym reminds us how to look for bed bugs in our luggage and belongings.
S- survey surfaces for signs of infestation.
L-Lift and look for possible bed bug signs. Five foot radius of bed.
E- Elevate luggage on rack away from bed and wall.
E- Examine baggage carefully while repacking.
P-Place clothing in dryer for 15 minutes on highest setting after
•Orkin

33. Call a professional pest control company and work with the pest
control operator in getting your home ready for pest control.
Do not move new items into an infested room or take items out.
If items are to be thrown away, the bag should be tied securely and
placed in a container and not placed next to the home.
Managing an infestation

34. Why call a professional:
Specialized equipment and knowledge.
If heat they can raise the temperatures in target areas to 113° F and then maintain it for at least 90
minutes. (118F for 90 minutes-100% mortality) ( Using Heat to Kill Bed Bugs: Dr. Dini Miller, PhD )
All stages of bed bugs are killed when this is done properly.
While very effective, heat treatment does not prevent bed bugs from being brought
back into a home and re-infesting it.

35. Pesticides used for Bed Bug Control
There are 300 registered products that fall into seven chemical
classes of pesticides that are currently registered and widely
used for bed bug control:
(https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/pesticides-control-bed-bugs)
•pyrethrins,
•pyrethroids
•desiccants,
•biochemicals,
•pyrroles,
•neonicotinoids, and
•insect growth regulators.

36. Insecticide formulations used to treat bed bug infestations consist mainly of the
following:
-Insecticidal dusts
Contact Insecticides
Insect Growth regulators

37. Minimize use of aerosols or foggers
• Spray cans
• “Total Release Foggers”
• Doesn’t kill bed bugs
• Many bugs resistant to the
fogger chemicals
• Does not penetrate well
• Creates toxic fog
• Leaves poison residues
• You soak it up!

38. A study in Arizona
(Gouge 2015; 289 respondents 3 month of 2014)

39. Bed Bug Control- What can I do
Early Detection is key!
Exclusion
Clutter elimination – bins
Inspection
Preparation
Wash bedding
Seal mattress – encasements
NO pesticide on mattresses!
Traps – Climb-up
Make the bed an island!
Monitor
Prevention

40. Where the zipper closes and the zipper teeth are vulnerable
to bed bug escape

41. Climb up interceptors
Installed… After 2 weeks!…
Photo:ChangluWang,Rutgers

42. Bed Bug Treatments
• Inspection
cracks & crevice
Vacuum
Heat or cold
Pesticides by PCO only
Dusts
Crack & crevice
treatment
Don’t treat mattresses!
Re-inspection &
retreatment
Encasements & interceptors

43. Other methods
Scout, NYC

44. Do it yourself-EPA
https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/do-it-
yourself-bed-bug-control
Before starting, you should lay out all of
the steps on a calendar. The following
steps will help you begin:
1.Identify the problem
2.Develop a strategy
3.Keep the infestation from expanding
4.Prepare for treatment
5.Kill the bed bugs
6.Evaluate and prevent

45. Pesticide Help
Information:
• National Pesticide
Information Center
– http://npic.orst.edu/
– 1.800.858.7378
http://npic.orst.edu/webapps.ht
ml
Emergency:
• Poison Control Centers:
– 1.800.222.1222
– 24/7, nationwide, answered
locally

46. Portable Heating Devices

47. Avoid sitting on
couches, beds, stuffed
chairs
If possible, bring your
own folding stool
Wear light colored
clothing, shoes and
socks that can be
thrown in the dryer
Ankles, pants & shoes
may be sprayed with
DEET
Take along an extra set
of clothes and ziplock
bag in case you suspect
infestation of clothes
Only take necessary
items into the
home/hotel. If you have
a handbag, set/hang it
on your stool.

49. Resources
PA IPM Program
www.extension.psu.edu/ipm
US Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/bedbugs
IPM in Multifamily Housing
www.StopPests.org
http://www.stoppests.org/success-stories/research-database/
National Center for Healthy Housing
www.nchh.org/Training/National-Healthy-Homes-Training-Center.aspx
Dini M. Miller, PhD, Virginia Tech
www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pesticides/bedbugs.shtml
Changlu Wang, PhD, Rutgers University
njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asppid=FS1098
Northeastern IPM Center
www.neipmc.org/
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/vector/vector-faq1.shtml
University of Kentucky Entomology www.ca.uky.edu
Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
Steri-Fab www.scmdistributors.com/sterifab