Bedbug update

At a recent international meeting attended by ACES pest control, Dr Cooper ( New Jersey USA) presented new information on bedbugs.

Some of his information came from his experience with a heavily infested low cost apartment complex in the USA. The complex had resident pest controllers that applied traditional chemical treatments. The result? Numbers of bedbugs increased over the years!

Dr Cooper then took control and retained the same staff.  He retained the staff. The result? Number of bedbugs started to decrease!

The reason was that Dr Hooper’s approach was different to a “ cure all” “ silver bullet” single spray and walk away! This will NOT work on resistant bedbugs!

Dr Hooper’s taught the pest controllers to use multiple NON chemical treatments, including vacuuming, localised heat treatment and bed and base Bedloc covers.

Additionally Dr Hooper started using non repellent- transfer chemicals in localised areas, and NOT on the bed or floors to reduce exposure of the residents to chemicals.

The also used in high numbers per apartment of mechanical traps to monitor and catch the bedbugs.

And in apartments with clutter or excess items that were infested,  they encouraged residents to be tidy and helped them decontaminate their possessions using a device that heats their processions e.g. garments to above 67 degrees C ( fatal to all insects) .

Using the physical traps they were able to monitor the bedbugs. Often when they thought they had pest controlled all the bedbugs in the apartment, they caught some more! Only after two-four weeks of no bedbugs being caught did they claim a successful treatment.

The result was a significant decrease in bedbug numbers!

The majority of treatment methods and chemicals used by Pest Control Companies in New Zealand currently used will result in a similar result to the apartment complex studies above, i.e. an increase in numbers.

The spread of bedbugs will also be driven by consumers as correct treatment as per Dr Hooper requires time and expense and often the average kiwi opts for the cheaper spray and walk away option.

Watch this space!