Research Insights
into the Bed Bug
Pandemic
Dr. Susan C. Jones
Associate Professor
Dept. of Entomology
Bed Bugs
Hemiptera: Cimicidae
(Cimex lectularius)
•
•
•
•
•
Temporary external parasites
Feed only on blood
Typically feed at night
Prefer to feed on humans
Alternate hosts:
rodents, bats, birds,
pets (cats, dogs, etc.)
Ancient Origins
30,000 yrs ago Cave dwellers: bugs may have switched from feeding on bats to feeding on humans.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/capnsurly
Photo by Arlene Ripley
http://bugguide.net/
Pharaonic Egypt
3550 years ago
• Well-preserved bed bug
specimens recovered from the
Workmen’s Village at Amarna
• Bed bugs mentioned in 3rd
century BC Egyptian papyrus
Bed Bugs Make Their
Way To the Americas
• Bed bugs are not native to the
Americas
• Introduced by the early
colonists
• Sailing ships had severe bed
bug infestations
• Early 18th century--severe bed
bug problems in the English
colonies and Canada
th
‐‐Early 20
Century—
Bed Bugs Were Everywhere
• Rated among the top 3 household pests • In some cities, 1/3 of all residences were infested
• “Public enemy number one” in lower income areas
• Commonly infested sites included: movie theatres, trains, buses, streetcars, moving vans, cloak rooms in schools and offices …
th
‐‐Early 20
Century—
Bed Bugs Were Everywhere
• Bed bug control was mostly ineffective
• Metal bed springs and bed frames were “candled” to burn the bugs
• Bed legs were positioned inside cans of kerosene, axle grease
• Kerosene, benzene were sprayed on bed frame, mattress, etc.
• Pyrethrum powder dusted on items • Fumigation with hydrogen cyanide, sulfur dioxide, ethylene oxide (very hazardous, but effective)
Fumigating with hydrogen
cyanide in 1943. The PCO
is opening a can of Zyklon
discoids.
M. Potter. 2008. The History of Bed Bug Management. Pest Control Technology.
1940s − 1950s
“Live Better Through Chemistry”
DDT and other synthetic insecticides
with long-lasting residual were very
effective in controlling bed bugs.
Late 1940s – early 1950s Bed bugs developed resistance to DDT l o
r
t
n
o
c
g
u
b
d
e
b
e
v
but… Effecti
e
iv
t
a
n
r
e
lt
a
y
b
d
e
id
v
was pro
g
n
ti
s
la
g‐
n
o
l
h
it
w
s
e
id
ic
insect
residual: lindane (an n
(a
n
io
h
t
la
a
m
),
e
in
r
lo
h
organoc
organophosphate)
1954
Worldwide Resurgence
of Bed Bugs Since
Late 1990s
SPAIN
CANADA
ENGLAND
AUSTRALIA
courtesy of:
Dr. Stephen L. Doggett
ICPMR, Westmead Hospital,
Westmead NSW, AUSTRALIA
Australian Bed Bug
Treatments
courtesy of:
Dr. Stephen L. Doggett
ICPMR, Westmead Hospital,
Westmead NSW,
AUSTRALIA
Bed Bug Treatments by Australian
Pest Managers—2006 Survey
Homes
Hospitality
Backpackers
Wider
Community:
Cinemas,
Hospitals,
Disadvantaged
Bed Bug Interceptions by the Australian Quarantine &
Inspection Service, 1986-2004
Country of Origin
Method of Import
Goods
Papua New Guinea (4)
Fiji (3)
East Timor (2)
India (2)
Indonesia
Tonga
Turkey
Italy
Yugoslavia
New Zealand
Sea baggage
Air baggage
Straw items
Woven cane baskets
Mosquito net
Dried grass
Packing paper
Suitcase lining
Personal effects
Kenya
India
Air cargo
Carvings
Fresh roses
Musical instrument
Doggett et al. (2004) Env. Health 4: 30-38.
Bed bug encounters have sharply
increased in the past 1 to 5 years
compared to >10 years ago in all
regions of the world, except for
Africa/Middle East and South America.
August 2010
CDC & EPA Joint Statement
Bed bugs are a pest of significant public health importance!
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/Publications/Bed_Bugs_CDC‐EPA_Statement.htm
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/bedbugs/
Bed bugs are very good
stowaways!
Bed bugs can be moved from one place to another by hiding in:
• luggage
• furniture
• bedding
• backpacks, purses, briefcases
• clothing
• …
Bed bugs can be found in:
– Homes
– Hotels
– Assisted living
facilities
– Office buildings
– Retail stores
– Movie theaters
– Libraries
– Schools
– Public transportation
– Hospitals
“…the five hot spots for bed bug activity,
according to Orkin treatment data:”
Cincinnati
Columbus
Chicago
Denver
Detroit
“Nationally, Orkin saw bed bug
treatments double from 2008 to 2009, a
trend it expects will continue this year.”
OH
SW Ohio
Bed Bug Complaints*
Cincinnati Health Dept.3
Hamilton Co. Public Health Dept.1,2
1200
350
305
300
1000
250
800
200
167
150
84
100
50
0
2
37
2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008
&
2004
1,101
724
600
400
200
0
~10
2006
2007
reporting system instituted
2008
bed bug inspection program suspended
* Probably represents a small fraction of overall bed bug infestations in area.
1Verified to be bed bugs. 2 Data courtesy of Greg Kesterman. 3Data courtesy of Camille Jones.
Bed Bug Complaints1,2
for Greater Columbus, OH
800
715
700
600
1Number of 455
500
complaints {data courtesy of Franklin Co. Public Health and Columbus Code Enforcement}.
2An underestimate of overall bed bug infestations in area.
400
300
178
200
100
0
4
2005
(4 zip
codes)
11
33
2006
2007
2008
2009
(7 zip
codes)
(19 zip
codes)
(27 zip
codes)
(31 zip (32 zip
codes) codes)
2010
©Graphicmaps.com
Some Reasons For the
Resurgence of Bed Bugs
• International travel and commerce
• Housing with high tenant turnover
• Pesticide use has changed
– Pesticide bans
– Failure to re-register insecticides
– Baits to control ants & cockroaches
• Insecticide resistance
Pyrethroid Resistance
• Extremely high levels of resistance to
two pyrethroid insecticides
(deltamethrin and λ-cyhalothrin) were
detected in bed bug populations
collected from human dwellings in
Kentucky and Ohio.
• Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides
is widespread in U.S. bed bug
populations.
Romero, Alvaro; Potter, Michael F.; Potter, Daniel A.; Haynes,
Kenneth F. (2007) Insecticide Resistance in the Bed Bug: A
Factor in the Pest's Sudden Resurgence? Journal of Medical
Entomology 44 (2): 175-178.
Pyrethroid Resistance Mechanisms
• Target site insensitivity of sodium
channel (Yoon et al. 2008, Seong et al.
2010)
– Target site mutations widespread (88%) in
U.S. populations of bed bugs (Zhu et al.
2010)
• Increased metabolic detoxification by
cytochrome P450s, glutathione
transferases, and esterases (Bai et al.
2011)
• Reduced cuticular penetration (Virginia
Tech., unpubl.)
Genes involved in insecticide
detoxification were at very high levels
in field-collected bed bugs from Ohio.
Pesticide-exposed bb
bb
ƒƒƒ Pesticide-exposed
Pesticide-susceptible bb
bb
ƒ Pesticide-susceptible
(Harlan strain)
Cytochrome P450 (CYP9)
Glutathione S-transferase (GST)
Xiaodong Bai, Praveen Mamidala, Swapna P. Rajarapu, Susan C.
Jones, & Omprakash Mittapalli. Transcriptomics of the bed bug
(Cimex lectularius). January 2011. PLoS One 6(1): e16336.
Non-pyrethroid Insecticides For
Use Against Bed Bugs
Active Ingredient
(insecticide class)
Product Name(s)
Imidacloprid + ß-cyfluthrin
(neonicotinoid + pyrethroid)
Temprid® SC
Chlorfenapyr
(halogenated pyrrole)
Phantom® SC
Phantom® PI
Propoxur
(carbamate)
Invader®
Acetamiprid
(neonicotinoid)
Transport®
Dinotefuran + diatomaceous earth
(neonicotinoid + silica dioxide)
Prescription Treatment
Alpine Dust
Alpine PI
®
®
®
Life History Characteristics Show
That Bed Bug Numbers Can Quickly
Skyrocket …
™ Eggs
¾
¾
¾
¾
Glued in place
1 – 12 eggs / day / female
A single female can produce ~150 eggs
Hatch in 6 – 17 days
™ Nymphs (immature bugs)
¾ Five nymphal stages
¾ Require a blood meal in order to grow
™ Adults (males & females)
¾ Require repeated blood meals
¾ Can live 12 – 18 months
¾ Can survive months without food
Egg
~0.04 inch (1 mm) long
Glued in place
Adult (male & female)
~0.26 inch (6.5 mm) long
Takes repeated blood meals;
life span ~1 to 1½ yrs
1st stage nymph
~0.06 inch (1.5 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
LIFE
CYCLE
Total developmental
time
(eggTHE
to adult)
OF
takes:
BED
21
days @BUG
86°F
2nd stage nymph
120 days
@ 65°F
(Cimex
lectularius)
~0.08 inch (2 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
Note: These images depict bugs with
a partly digested blood meal.
© The Ohio State University
Dr. Susan C. Jones &
Benjamin R. Diehl
5th stage nymph
3rd stage nymph
~0.18 inch (4.5 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
4th stage nymph
~0.12 inch (3 mm) long
Takes a blood meal then molts
~0.1 inch (2.5 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
Bed Bug Habits
• Cannot fly
• Can walk very fast
• Typically hide during the day in dark,
protected sites (esp. cracks & crevices)
• Prefer fabric, wood, and paper surfaces
• Can cling tightly to surfaces
Bed Bug Habits
• Often closely associated with
hosts’ sleeping or resting sites
(hide in many places)
• Locate their host using cues
such as carbon dioxide and heat
Not caused by bad housekeeping!!
Not a sign of uncleanliness!!
INJURY FROM BED BUGS
•
•
•
•
•
Initial bite is painless
Itchy welts
Anemia
Exacerbated symptoms in asthmatics
Scratching of bites increases inflammation, can
lead to secondary bacterial infections
• No conclusive evidence of disease transmission
(reviewed by Goddard & deShazo. 2009. JAMA
301(13): 1358-1366)
• Anxiety, sleeplessness, economic hardship, etc.
Survey (spring/summer 2009):
• 474 individuals with verified bed bug infestation in dwellings
• Apts (66%), single-family homes (15%), condos/townhomes (9%),
shelters (7%), dorms (2%), long-term care (<1%)
• Chicago, N.Y., Cincinnati, Louisville, Atlanta, L.A., & Miami
• ~70% of people had an allergic reaction to bed bug’s
injected saliva; ~30% had no reaction
- Swelling
- Welts
- Severe itching (hrs to days)
• Difference in reactivity due to age
- Elderly (>65 years old--42% with no reactions)
- Children (1-10 years old--41% with no reactions
[note: very small sample size])
• No significant difference in reactivity for:
- Males vs. females
- Ethnic groups
If you wake up with itchy, red welts that
weren’t there when you went to bed,
perhaps it’s bed bugs.
BED BUGS BITES:
• Resemble bites from
other insects & kin
• Some clues that it may
be bed bug bites:
• Typically are on
exposed skin
• Often in groups or
rows
Confirmation based on
finding bed bug evidence
Recognize the telltale
signs of bed bugs!
•
•
•
•
•
Black fecal spots
Shed skins & eggshells
Live bed bugs (nymphs & adults)
Blood stains from crushed bugs
Welts on exposed skin
BED BUG HIDING PLACES
D
E
¾ Mattress, box springs
R
R
E
PREF
: ¾ Bed frame
S
E
C
A
F
R
U
S
¾ Furniture
c
i
r
b
a
• F
d
o
o
• W
r
e
p
a
• P
¾ Carpeting
¾ Cracks and crevices
¾ Carpet tack strips
¾ Baseboards
¾ Window frames, door frames
¾ Electric outlets, switch plates
¾ Wall hangings, pictures
¾ Drapery pleats, window blinds
¾ Smoke detectors
¾ Ceiling moldings
¾ etc.
Bed Bugs on Mattresses
and Box Springs
Bed Bugs on Furniture
bed frame
Bed Bugs Hiding in Luggage
Some Insecticides Registered For Use Against Bed Bugs
Active
Ingredient
Dichlorvos
(=DDVP)
Product
Name (s)
Nuvan™
Prostrip
Miscellaneous Label
Notes
- Pesticide strip hung in enclosed area
- Within homes, use only in closets,
wardrobes, cupboards; supplemental
label allows for items to be confined in
bag, container or room (48-72+ h)
- Slow-release vapor kills bed bugs
Did you check for signs
of bed bugs in your
hotel/motel room when
you last traveled?
BED BUG PREVENTION
FOR TRAVELERS
Make it STANDARD PRACTICE to check
for bed bugs in hotel/motel rooms!
• Pull back the bedding and look for black fecal
spots on mattress & box springs (especially
seams)
• Carefully examine the underside of the bed skirt
• Look for bb signs along bed frame (especially
head board)
• Open nightstand drawers and look for bb signs
along inner and outer edges
• Look for bb signs along baseboards
BED BUG PREVENTION
FOR TRAVELERS
Reduce the chances of getting bed bugs
from hotel/motel rooms!
• Keep clothes in your zipped suitcase
• Don’t keep clothes in hotel chest-of-drawers
• OK to hang clothes in closet
• Keep your suitcase on the luggage rack
(after first inspecting it for bb signs)
• Don’t store your suitcase on the bed, floor,
or upholstered furniture
In multi-family housing, bed bugs readily
spread to units that are adjacent, below,
and above the infested unit.
Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs
Some Insecticides Registered For Use Against Bed Bugs
Active
Ingredient
Diatomaceous
earth
(=silicon
dioxide)
Product
Name
Natural Guard
Crawling Insect
Control
Safer® Brand Ant &
Crawling Insect
Killer
MotherEarth™ D
Miscellaneous Label
Notes
- Crack & crevice applications
- Slow-acting
- Residual (long-lasting) activity
- Dusts should be applied in thin layers
- DO NOT allow product to get wet or
it will lose its effectiveness
- Caution: Avoid inhalation; wear a
dust mask during application
- Pool grade DE should NEVER be used
for pest control. Pool grade DE
contains crystalline silica and can be a
respiratory hazard.
- Mattresses mentioned on label
Words of caution regarding
“natural products” for bed bug
control:
• Exempt from EPA regulation
• EPA requires no efficacy data
• Claims often based on “satisfied
customers”—ask for their research data
and evaluate it carefully
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
(IPM) FOR BED BUGS:
Correctly identify the pest
+
Conduct a thorough inspection
+
Use sanitation measures
+
Use non-chemical measures
+
Apply insecticides to targeted sites
Some Basics of Bed Bug
Management Using
Insecticides
• Bed bug control is time-intensive
and labor-intensive.
• A thorough inspection to locate all
bed bug harborages is critical.
• Spot treat all harborage sites.
Bed Bugs in Carpeting
o
t
t
n
a
t
r
It’s impo l
treat al
!
s
e
t
i
s
e
g
harbora
Bed Bugs in Electrical Outlets
o
t
t
n
a
t
r
It’s impo l
treat al
!
s
e
t
i
s
e
g
harbora
Bed Bugs Behind Baseboards
o
t
t
n
a
t
r
It’s impo l
treat al
!
s
e
t
i
s
e
g
harbora
Bed Bugs Behind A Hanging Picture
o
t
t
n
a
t
r
o
It’s imp
treat all
!
s
e
t
i
s
e
harborag
--Bed Bug Inspection-Bed Bug-Sniffing Dogs
• Dog and handler should be
specially trained and certified
• Dog requires daily training, too
• The dog’s handler is important
• High accuracy (>90%)
• Enable rapid inspections
• Expensive
Margie Pfiester, Philip G. Koehler & Roberto M. Pereira. 2008.
Ability of bed bug-detecting canines to locate live bed bugs and
viable bed bug eggs. J. Econ. Entomol. 101: 1389-1396
--Passive Monitoring Devices--
Climbup™ Insect Interceptor
*
• Positioned under bed legs
• Bed must be kept in use—bugs
are attracted to host’s CO2
• Pitfall trap—bed bugs climb in
and cannot escape*
• Eliminate alternative ways for
bugs to access bed
• Keep bed several inches away
from walls
*Keep inner walls of pitfall area dusted
with thin layer of talcum powder to
prevent bugs from escaping!
• Don’t let bed linens, dust ruffle, &
bedding contact the floor or walls
Insecticides
• Residual insecticides
• Low impact products (diatomaceous earth,
insect growth regulators, etc.)
• Several different insecticides and
formulations often are used to treat a unit
• Follow-up treatments typically necessary
• Don’t keep using the same insecticide
(rotate insecticides)
Some Basics of Bed Bug
Management Using
Insecticides
• There is no single “magic bullet”
• Customer cooperation is critical
– Clutter management
– Emptying drawers, removing bedding, etc.
– Disclosure re: prior insecticides used
DO NOT use “bug bombs”
against bed bugs!
- ”Bug Bombs” (“foggers”) don’t work
- Few bugs will be killed!
- “Bug Bombs” cause bed bugs to
scatter!!!
“Bug Bombs” will worsen the
bed bug problem!!
Reasons why residents
should not dispose of
furniture, mattresses, etc:
– Bed bugs will fall off the furniture as it is
being moved, hence spreading the problem.
– Infested furniture usually can be treated.
– Bed bugs can quickly infest replacement
furniture.
– Items placed on the curb often are
picked up and reused, thereby
spreading bed bugs to other
households.
What can help solve the bed
bug problem in a home?
•
•
•
•
•
Remove clutter!
Launder and dry items
Vacuum thoroughly
Clean and disinfect items
Encase mattress and box springs
Disinfect Items by
Laundering & Drying
(kills all bed bug life stages)
Launder clothing
• Wash in hot water (>120ºF)
• Use drier on hot setting (>30 mins.)
• Dry clean items
Bag disinfected items
What can help solve the bed
bug problem in a home?
Vacuum thoroughly!
• Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
filtered vacuum cleaner
• vacuum up cornstarch or talc using the
attachment as the final step
Don’t share
• dispose of vacuum bag afterwards
your vacuum
cleaner with • Heavy-duty vacuum cleaner useful for
cracks & crevices
others!
• Vacuum prior to chemical treatment
What can help solve the bed
bug problem in a home?
Encase mattresses & box springs!
• Be sure to encase both the mattress & box springs
• Specialized encasements trap bed bugs and eggs
• May take 1 year to “starve bugs out”
• Restricts any new bug activity to the exterior of the
encasement, where bugs can be more easily treated
• Be careful not to tear or damage encasements and
make sure the zipper stays closed
• Some exs: Clean Rest, Mattress Safe, National Allergy
Supply, Protect-A-Bed …
Some Insecticides Registered For Use Against Bed Bugs
Active
Ingredient
Phenothrin
w/isopropanol
with synergist
Product
Name
Steri-fab®
Bedlam®
Miscellaneous Label
Notes
- Steri-fab: General surface applic.
- Bedlam: Mattresses mentioned on
label—emphasis on seams, tufts
and folds; spot applic. elsewhere
- Contact insecticide, not a residual
- Research note: Both products kill very
few eggs (Virginia Tech, unpubl. data)
--Summary-•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Myths
Historical perspective
Identification
Bed bug habits
Prevention
Self-protection
Integrated pest management (IPM)
For More Information
http://ohioline.osu.edu
OSU Extension
Fact Sheets:
• HYG-2105 (Bed bugs)
• HYG-2105A (Bat bugs)
http://centralohiobedbugs.org
ions
t
a
t
n
Prese le for
b
availa rainings
t
group
BED BUG POCKET GUIDE
• A pictorial guide for
recognizing bed bugs
and their signs;
provides information on
IPM
• $5 each (includes
shipping and handling)
• Contact Susan Jones
at [email protected]
Thank You!
Sleep tight,
and don’t let the …
… well, you know the rest