I know we've been quiet here for a while, and some of you may be expecting a juicy return, but I have a peripherally related topic, instead: bed bugs. Several articles in the popular press [1,2,3] have made a big deal about them, backed by the internet amplification [4], so I presume this is a topic of broad interest. If you travel much, or if you live in a major city in the United States, you've probably had bed bug bites, or known someone who has. Here I simply wish to share my two simple tips for not bringing them home. (If you have them in your house, look elsewhere for help, and good luck!)
I've read somewhere early on, maybe 2005, that heat (around 120F) can relatively easily kill them at all life cycle stages. The main problem is exposing your stuff. I have a related pair solutions that seem to have worked, preventing their spread after I've been savaged by them. (My field assistant in Chile suffered from bed-bug-induced PTSD, no joke.) First, in several instances, I placed all of my belongings in black trash bags, and simply left them out in the sun on hot pavement or roof top. Second, I highly recommend using your car as an oven. The last time I was doing field work, I baked all of my stuff in the rental car, parked in full sunlight, and then, after I landed at O'Hare, I left all the luggage inside my car here, which is easily over 120F on most April-October days. I get a towel and shove what I'm wearing into a dryer. So far so good--no bed bugs at home. I don't mean to revel in this fact; it's clear that it is also a matter of luck. (The last time came back, it turned out I also had scabies. Ew.)
The source of the present infestation is unclear, but it seems like a rather straightforward phylogeographic question, taken on by at least a pair of labs [6]. Also, this bed bug sensor seems fairly accessible to biologists, in case you think you may have them, but aren't sure (requires a bottle, dry ice, and a plastic pit fall trap to hold the bottle). I haven't tried tanglefoot yet, but it could be a band-aid solution on the legs of a clean bed.
Hope you never need any of this advice!
5 comments:
And don't miss Isabella Rossellini's lovely video about their mating behavior:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MakIB_IJnu0&
http://cesspoolofhumanity.blogspot.com/2010/08/malathion-will-kill-your-bed-bugs.html
Malathion will kill all of your bed bugs. It is banned from indoor use inside the US, but you can still buy it for outdoor use. It is recommended by the World Health Organization.
But it could be worse: http://www.houselogic.com/articles/what-could-be-worse-bedbugs/
It was really scary. When I lifted up my mattress and I saw these tiny black creates walking inside the bed. Immediately I bought spray and killed them, but they keep coming back!
Got sleepless night from these bed bugs. ohh..I hate them!
After 1 year, I finally got rid of those bed bugs. I go crazy about bed bugs.
This is what I've learned:
1. Wash all your cloth in HOT water ( above 68 Celsius)
2. After washing, put your cloth in the dryer for at least 20 min (HOT)
3. Put all your cloth in a plastic back with zipper (no air can go inside)
4. Vacuum your mattress and bed frame
5. Steam vacuum your mattress is better
6. Spray your mattress 12 hours before your sleep with beg bug spray
7. Put double tape around those four legs of your bed
8. Move your bed away from the wall (so bed bug can not reach your bed through the wall)
- Do this at least for 1 week until your mattress is free of bed bugs
The last option is throw away your mattress, but make sure you seal it first with a plastic bag.
Otherwise other people will bring these bed bugs to another home.
Your mattress is maybe free of bed bug, but you are not finished yet. Bed bugs are still hiding in the tiny holes or carpet. Especially those tiny eggs. They are almost invisible.
9. Vacuum your house
10 Vacuum your house
11. Seal the vacuum bag and throw it away immediately
12. Put a lot of double tape around your house
13. Organize your furniture
14 Put all furniture outside under the sun (must be hot temperature)
15. If you are in the summer, then spray bed
There are more steps, but I can’t write anymore here…
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