Oct 6, 2011 – Have It YOUR Way
QUESTION:
What is the most effective chemical on the market for a bedbug treatment? Also, explain the Univar way for treating for bedbugs please.
ANSWER:
Well, I will avoid angering our upper management and state that Univar has not really sanctioned any particular method for dealing with bed bugs, so what we'll go with instead is the Mr. Pest Control Way for bed bug management. And, everything that I suggest comes from listening to our experts on their advice for dealing with this difficult pest. There also does not seem to be that "most effective" insecticide, but companies across the country are successfully using a great many different products. Perhaps after the great many educational sessions on bed bugs at the upcoming NPMA Convention I will know a lot more, but for now here are my impressions. Also, on PestWeb we do have extensive resources and information on bed bugs in our (appropriately) Bed Bug Info section. Here you will find example inspection checklist, customer info forms, product information, and general information on bed bugs from many resources.
Some of our most knowledgeable experts on The Common Bed Bug have told us that (and I paraphrase) "neither chemical tools nor non-chemical tools by themselves are likely to eradicate bed bugs", but it will be the combination of these that gives the greatest success. Now, I modify that statement because the use of a fumigant like Vikane, to tent and fumigate the whole infested structure, is likely to provide 100% eradication with that one treatment. And, whole structure heat treatments, if done properly, may also eliminate all bugs and their eggs with one treatment. Short of these two options your best process will be to incorporate the non-chemical tools (monitors, heat by laundering or heat chambers, freezing, steam, vacuums, and of course mattress and boxspring encasements, etc.) with the chemical tools (residual sprays into harborage points, pyrethrum perhaps, a fumigant like vapona strips, perhaps an IGR).
A complete reliance on just spraying materials has its shortcomings. For example, you should never spray into electronic equipment due to the likelihood of destroying the compenents within. But, bed bugs would certainly hide within computers, radios, TVs, bedside clocks, etc., and if they also deposit eggs in those items it is mandatory that these bugs and eggs somehow be killed. Vapona strips may be the answer. Not every customer wants you spraying pesticides on their mattress, so the use of steam and an encasement may be the best answer. Since bugs could hide virtually anywhere in an infested room and deposit eggs on drapery, clothing, luggage in the closet, and other fabrics that should not be directly sprayed with an insecticide, these items might instead be laundered or dry cleaned or placed within a portable heat chamber. Remember that temperatures above 115 degrees are lethal to bugs and their eggs within just a short time, so heat if a very effective tool.
With chemical products I always hesitate to publicly name names, for fear of angering the vendors whose products I failed to mention. However, I will say that synthetic pyrethroids have a problem because of a HIGH level of resistance shown by many bed bug populations. This does not mean the bugs are "immune" to these products, but only that a much longer exposure time is needed to kill the darned bugs. So, pyrethroids do work for many companies but placing them thoroughly where the bugs hide is necessary. Microencapsulated formulations may work better due to the ease of those capsules adhering to the bugs, and creating this longer exposure period. Non-pyrethroids also are popular and we have many new insecticides on the market that are in these newer chemical families. A few names that people use successfully include Transport, Phantom, and Temprid. For those customers who adamantly do NOT want synthetic insecticides used you have many natural choices, most using one or more of the various essential oils. These definitely kill bed bugs but pretty much only on contact, and they leave short to no residual. Essentria is one example.
Many companies include some liquid pyrethrum with the residual material and feel this gives them better results. Perhaps they achieve some faster knockdown due to the pyrethrum itself or perhaps the synergist in the pyrethrum product does the work, but choices here include Kicker, Excite-R, or Pyreth-It. The use of a dust product within interior walls and other voids is also very successful, and a popular choice is Drione, which combines silica gel and pyrethrum. Studies at the Univ. of Kentucky also found that Tempo Dust gave the best performance for dusting within voids, but as a synthetic molecule it is going to degrade more rapidly than the inorganic silica gel. The use of an IGR, like Gentrol, is still up for argument, but some companies do feel they get enhanced control with its use.
On top of all of these products keep in mind the various "passive" and "active" bed bug monitors that help you to determine if the bugs are still there after your treatment. One major company that has done thousands of bed bug jobs in and around New York states that they do not consider the infestation to be gone until 60 days have passed without any bugs or complaints of new bites.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
What is the most effective chemical on the market for a bedbug treatment? Also, explain the Univar way for treating for bedbugs please.
ANSWER:
Well, I will avoid angering our upper management and state that Univar has not really sanctioned any particular method for dealing with bed bugs, so what we'll go with instead is the Mr. Pest Control Way for bed bug management. And, everything that I suggest comes from listening to our experts on their advice for dealing with this difficult pest. There also does not seem to be that "most effective" insecticide, but companies across the country are successfully using a great many different products. Perhaps after the great many educational sessions on bed bugs at the upcoming NPMA Convention I will know a lot more, but for now here are my impressions. Also, on PestWeb we do have extensive resources and information on bed bugs in our (appropriately) Bed Bug Info section. Here you will find example inspection checklist, customer info forms, product information, and general information on bed bugs from many resources.
Some of our most knowledgeable experts on The Common Bed Bug have told us that (and I paraphrase) "neither chemical tools nor non-chemical tools by themselves are likely to eradicate bed bugs", but it will be the combination of these that gives the greatest success. Now, I modify that statement because the use of a fumigant like Vikane, to tent and fumigate the whole infested structure, is likely to provide 100% eradication with that one treatment. And, whole structure heat treatments, if done properly, may also eliminate all bugs and their eggs with one treatment. Short of these two options your best process will be to incorporate the non-chemical tools (monitors, heat by laundering or heat chambers, freezing, steam, vacuums, and of course mattress and boxspring encasements, etc.) with the chemical tools (residual sprays into harborage points, pyrethrum perhaps, a fumigant like vapona strips, perhaps an IGR).
A complete reliance on just spraying materials has its shortcomings. For example, you should never spray into electronic equipment due to the likelihood of destroying the compenents within. But, bed bugs would certainly hide within computers, radios, TVs, bedside clocks, etc., and if they also deposit eggs in those items it is mandatory that these bugs and eggs somehow be killed. Vapona strips may be the answer. Not every customer wants you spraying pesticides on their mattress, so the use of steam and an encasement may be the best answer. Since bugs could hide virtually anywhere in an infested room and deposit eggs on drapery, clothing, luggage in the closet, and other fabrics that should not be directly sprayed with an insecticide, these items might instead be laundered or dry cleaned or placed within a portable heat chamber. Remember that temperatures above 115 degrees are lethal to bugs and their eggs within just a short time, so heat if a very effective tool.
With chemical products I always hesitate to publicly name names, for fear of angering the vendors whose products I failed to mention. However, I will say that synthetic pyrethroids have a problem because of a HIGH level of resistance shown by many bed bug populations. This does not mean the bugs are "immune" to these products, but only that a much longer exposure time is needed to kill the darned bugs. So, pyrethroids do work for many companies but placing them thoroughly where the bugs hide is necessary. Microencapsulated formulations may work better due to the ease of those capsules adhering to the bugs, and creating this longer exposure period. Non-pyrethroids also are popular and we have many new insecticides on the market that are in these newer chemical families. A few names that people use successfully include Transport, Phantom, and Temprid. For those customers who adamantly do NOT want synthetic insecticides used you have many natural choices, most using one or more of the various essential oils. These definitely kill bed bugs but pretty much only on contact, and they leave short to no residual. Essentria is one example.
Many companies include some liquid pyrethrum with the residual material and feel this gives them better results. Perhaps they achieve some faster knockdown due to the pyrethrum itself or perhaps the synergist in the pyrethrum product does the work, but choices here include Kicker, Excite-R, or Pyreth-It. The use of a dust product within interior walls and other voids is also very successful, and a popular choice is Drione, which combines silica gel and pyrethrum. Studies at the Univ. of Kentucky also found that Tempo Dust gave the best performance for dusting within voids, but as a synthetic molecule it is going to degrade more rapidly than the inorganic silica gel. The use of an IGR, like Gentrol, is still up for argument, but some companies do feel they get enhanced control with its use.
On top of all of these products keep in mind the various "passive" and "active" bed bug monitors that help you to determine if the bugs are still there after your treatment. One major company that has done thousands of bed bug jobs in and around New York states that they do not consider the infestation to be gone until 60 days have passed without any bugs or complaints of new bites.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
