Soap and water ban bedbugs better than bug bombs

 

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Subject:     Soap and water ban bedbugs better than bug bombs
     Date:     Mon, 01 Dec 2003
    From:     Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
          Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation 

Soap and water ban bedbugs better than bug bombs Richard Fagerlund Saturday, November 29, 2003 ©2003 San Francisco Chronicle | Feedback

URL: sfgate.com/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/11/29/HO263B7CS1.DTL

Q: I found about four or five bedbugs the other day. I called our Department of Health and Agriculture and even the university insect guy. The ag guy recommended Raid Terminator bomb, so we bombed our bedroom and the apartment. But the next day we found a couple that had survived. I know eggs aren't killed in the bomb, so I had planned to bomb again later. I must ask if your solution of spraying with soap and water really works. Will this do the trick on bedbugs in a mattress? I'm thinking of dumping our mattress and box spring. I found bugs on the pillowcases and comforter. I know they must be laundered. Do the pillows too need to be laundered? You mentioned that bedbugs like to hide in cracks and crevices. The exterminators I called mentioned that that they would have to spray all our books, computer, etc. Is this true? They'd charge $300 to $400, and I'd be willing to pay if that stopped the problem.

A: Your ag dept. and your exterminators are positively scary (and incompetent). Bug bombs are absolutely useless for bedbugs, as you probably already noticed.

Bedbugs are small, but clearly visible. Strip your bed and search around the buttons and seams of the box spring and mattress, as they are favorite places to hide. If you have tears or voids in either one, seal them up by sewing or tape, and any bugs inside will die. Check the crevices where the slats fit as they will hide there too. Any bugs you find you can spray with soap and water. Check along the edges of any carpet near the bed and behind any pictures or posters on the wall near the bed. Don't worry about books and computers; bedbugs will be on the bed or very close. They are not very mobile and won't be very far from dinner (you).

If you decide to hire a professional, find one whose treatment is similar to the one I just outlined. There is no reason to use excessive pesticides all over the place, and you should definitely throw away the bombs.

Bed bugs don't carry diseases. I get a very small mark when they bite me.

I slept in a hotel recently that had bedbugs. I knew they were there and didn't pay any attention to them. The next morning I had a few little marks that were of no consequence and I left behind a few fat and happy bedbugs in the room.

Richard Fagerlund is an entomologist and is the author of "Ask the Bugman." E-mail him at fagerlun@unm.edu or visit his Web site, www.askthebugman.com.

©2003 San Francisco Chronicle | Feedback

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