Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

Bed Bug Traps Review

The challenge of “getting rid of bed bugs” is being faced by individuals, private businesses, and governmental agencies everywhere.  Most everyone has either had bed bugs or knows someone who has had problems with bed bugs.  Hotels, nursing homes, and other businesses worry that a bed bug scandal will ruin their reputation.  The Centers for Disease Control, the EPA, and state as well as local health departments have all confronted the problem of bed bug control.  A great example is a publication by the New York City Department of Health entitled Preventing and Getting Rid of Bed Bugs Safely which outlines the procedures that a homeowner should follow to control bed bugs.

One of the highlights of the New York City publication is a pictorial illustration of the many bed bug hiding places that a typical home or apartment has.  Often the first sign of a bed bug infestation is bed bug bites.  However, it is better to be more proactive and to inspect the obvious hiding places.   Another way of detecting bugs is to use bed bug traps and we recommend ClimbUp Interceptors and BuggyBeds.  If bed bugs are found be aware that New York City officials do not recommend the use of insect foggers or bug bombs.  Besides the inherent danger to the homeowner, foggers and bed bug bombs are simply not an effective means of bed bug control.

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs – New York City

A whole section of the NYC advisory is devoted to the subject of getting rid of bed bugs and includes very useful information on choosing a pest management professional or PMP.   New York City has very stringent bed bug control regulations.  Tenants should not hesitate to insist that bed bug infestations be eliminated.  Once an eradication program has been completed, bed bug traps are a cheap and effective way of insuring that bed bugs do not return.  The NYC Department of Health does not make any recommendations regarding bed bug monitors.  To learn more about bed monitors (sometimes referred to as detectors) consult Bed Bug Traps Review.

Bed bugs are an unfortunate reality, especially in big cities and particularly in places where large masses of people congregate.  Bed bugs are everywhere and they are expert hitchhikers.  All kinds of places may harbor bed bugs and they can easily travel home with you.  Having bed bugs in your home is not a source of shame.  A bed bug infestation has nothing to do with cleanliness – anybody can get bed bugs.  Fortunately, as stated in the New York City publication, “It is hard, but not impossible to get rid of bed bugs.”  Get some peace of mind – use bed bug traps and you will rest easy each and every night!



 

ClimbUp Bed Bug Traps

ClimbUp Bed Bug Traps work as interceptors and as bed bug monitors.  Like any effective bed bug trap, it relies on a lure to entice the insect.  Guess what serves as the lure for a ClimbUp Trap?  You! 

ClimbUp Bed Bug Traps – ClimbUp Interceptors



ClimbUp Bed Bug Traps

ClimbUp bed bug traps, also known as ClimbUp Interceptors, work on the principle that to reach its food source, a bed bug will “climb up” and in doing so will fall into the well of the trap.   In practice, an interceptor trap is placed under each leg of the bed.  It is critical to make sure that the head board does not touch the wall and that bed covers do not touch the floor.  (If you suspect that bed bugs might already be in your mattress or box springs, you can use BuggyBeds to find out for sure.  See Bed Bug Traps Review.)  Each ClimbUp trap has two wells.  A bed bug trapped in the interior well is another sign that bed bugs are hiding in your bed.  If you find bed bugs in the exterior well, that means that the insects are hiding elsewhere in your home.  Bed bugs will travel several yards, usually in the early morning hours, to reach their food source.  ClimbUp traps intercept bed bugs before they can reach you.

ClimbUp Bed Bug Traps – Bed Bug Monitors

Bed Bug Traps Review

ClimbUp traps are also used as bed bug monitors and can provide great peace of mind.  People who travel are legitimately concerned about the possibility of bringing bed bugs home with them.  Even if you are not bitten, bed bugs are notorious for climbing into luggage or clothing and hitchhiking home with you.  Any place that has large numbers of people either visiting or living in close proximity to one another is likely to have bed bug problems, sooner or later.  In fact, the Bed Bug Registry was created to alert people to potential problems.  Check out this resource before you travel or move, but be aware that not all infestations are reported.  Dormitories, nursing homes, gyms, movie theatres - almost any public space might harbor bed bugs.  ClimbUp bed bug traps work very well as bed bug monitors just in case you bring bed bugs home. 

We also recommend using either ClimbUp traps or BuggyBeds as a follow up to a professional eradication program.  Even the best professional exterminator will not kill every bed bug in your house or apartment.  Bed bugs are very good at hiding in walls and other places where they are relatively safe.   All it takes is a single egg-carrying female and soon you will have a new infestation.  Bed bug traps should be used to monitor and intercept any stray bed bugs.  Bed bug traps are not expensive.  Be safe!  Be sure!  Order ClimbUp Traps. 

 

Bed Bug Glue Traps



Bed Bug Traps Review

Do you remember the Roach Motel?  “Roaches check in, but they don’t check out!”  The concept of bed bug glue traps is exactly the same.  Basically, the idea is to lure insects into a trap with either a food lure or a pheromone.  Once inside, the insect is immobilized with a sticky (glue) substance.  In the case of bed bugs, a food lure would be something that mimics the human body by producing either carbon dioxide or heat.  Although very cumbersome and a bit dangerous to handle, dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) is often used to lure bed bugs.  Less bulky is yeast – yes, plain old baker’s or brewer’s yeast.  Commercial traps are actually sold that are essentially bread dough with yeast producing the carbon dioxide.  Unfortunately, as you might imagine, this type of trap does not have a very long service life.  And why would one pay top dollar for bread dough and glue in a box?  The other way to mimic the human body is with heat.  A heat source can be either very sophisticated or something as simple as a heating pad.  The problem is that a heat source makes this type of trap very bulky.

Bed bug glue traps, also known as bed bug sticky traps, sometimes contain pheromones as an attractant.  By definition, a pheromone is a volatile substance produced by one or more individuals to influence the social behavior of other individuals.  (Read more about pheromones here.)  The effect of pheromones is well-documented in insects.  Some species, bees and ants for example, produce an alarm pheromone when they are disturbed with the result being a nest of very angry and aggressive insects.  Other species produce aggregation pheromones that attract individual insects to one spot.  The bed bug glue trap that we recommend has a pheromone that lures the insects inside. 

Bed Bug Glue Traps – BuggyBeds

The patent-pending BuggyBeds product is designed for long-term use (up to six months).  Highly-rated by customers, BuggyBeds are sold in packs that are designated for a particular situation (dormitories, child bed, auto, for example).  Because they are small, BuggyBeds are really great for travelers.  Typically, these bed bug glue traps are inserted between the mattress and box springs of each corner of a bed.  Time permitting, one can do this shortly after checking into a hotel room and then leave for a period of time.  Upon returning, one can check the traps and then ask for a different room if the room is infested.  If no bed bugs are detected, leave the traps in place, just in case, and then remove them the next morning.  This approach will reduce the possibility of getting bed bug bites while staying in a hotel.  Also, the likelihood of bringing bed bugs home with you is minimized. 

Order BuggyBeds

BuggyBeds can be used at home where they can function both as a monitor and as a method of killing bed bugs.  That is, if one is concerned about the possibility of a bed bug infestation, BuggyBeds provide a convenient and inexpensive method of detecting bed bugs and trapping the insects before an infestation becomes serious.  BuggyBeds can be placed in beds, on the floor, in closets or any other place where bed bugs may be hiding. 

BuggyBeds, compared to other brands of bed bug glue traps, are by far the best choice.  In cases of severe infestations, BuggyBeds can be a component of integrated pest management (IPM).  For more information on BuggyBeds and other bed bug traps see Bed Bug Traps Review.





 

Do Bed Bug Traps Work?

Bed Bug Traps Review

Good question.  “Do bed bug traps work?”  As monitoring devices, it is well established that bed bug traps are very effective.  (See the publication from the Illinois Department of Public Health.)  Ideally, traps should be used either to detect/combat low-level infestations before they become severe or, as a way to monitor for bed bugs after a pest management professional (PMP) has conducted an extermination campaign.  Typically, a PMP would use either heat or chemical eradication; however, it is difficult if not impossible to kill every single bug or bed bug egg.  Perfect 100% eradication is probably never achieved and that is why traps are so useful.  In other words, do bed bug traps work – depends your expectation.  At the very least, bed bug traps provide peace of mind by keeping the insects out of your bed. 

Note:  Occasionally, there are reports of bed bugs going up a bedroom wall, across the ceiling, and then dropping down on the people sleeping below.  This scenario is unlikely for the simple reason that bed bugs are incapable of thinking.  A bed bug is governed by instinct and its instinct dictates that it move towards a source of heat and carbon dioxide.  Travelling up a wall would take the insect farther away from the heat/carbon dioxide source.  The only way a bed bug would drop on someone is if the room above had bed bugs and the insects were trying to move down, for example through a light fixture in the ceiling.   

Do Bed Bug Traps Work – Eradication

Using bed bug traps for eradication purposes becomes a question of time.  Bed bugs can survive a year without a blood meal so it is unlikely that all the bed bugs in a home will venture out and be trapped in a short time frame.  Moreover, in the case of a severe infestation, retaining the services of a PMP is essential to reduce the bed bug population to a manageable level.  Thereafter, bed bug traps can be used to measure the effectiveness of the eradication effort and to guard against any survivors.  Long-term monitoring is a good practice, especially considering the fact that bed bug traps are not expensive and are easy to use. 

Unfortunately, the do bed bug traps work question is confounded by the marketing of ineffective traps, including traps that are actually designed for other insects such as ants or cockroaches.  Do not attempt to use these “general purpose” traps.  Bed bug traps are especially designed for bed bugs.  The two most highly-recommended traps are ClimbUp traps and BuggyBeds.  ClimbUp traps are great for trapping insects that are attempting to climb up (hence, the name) into your bed.  BuggyBeds have the advantage of convenience and portability.  BuggyBeds traps are normally placed between the mattress and box springs, but they can also be placed on the floor or next to an area that might harbor bed bugs.  BuggyBeds can also be used where ClimbUp traps are not practical, such as furniture with over-sized legs.  Travelers appreciate BuggyBeds because they can be used to determine if a hotel room is infested and as a way to avoid bringing bed bugs home with you in your luggage or clothing. 

Integrated pest management (IPM) is the best way to combat the plague of bed bugs that is afflicting the country.  Bed bug traps, used either as a preventive or as a monitor can be an important part of IPM.  For more information on bed bug traps, see Bed Bug Traps Review.  



 

Bed Bugs! Help!

Bed Bug Traps Review

Bed bugs drive us crazy!  The cry “Bed bugs!  Help!” means that bed bugs have probably invaded yet another home.  In the case of a severe infestation, you may need to call an exterminator (also known as a pest management professional or PMP), but you should first buy bed bug traps, either online or at the local hardware store.  We recommend two types – ClimbUp traps and BeddyBugs traps.  The two traps work differently and it is important to understand why and how each one should be used.

Help!  I think I have bed bugs!

The first step is to determine if the bed bugs are actually living in your bed. (Visit this post for general bed bug information.)  Check the crevices of your mattress and box springs.  You may not see any actual bugs, but the dark spots that are feces are easy to observe.  Once you have finished your visual inspection, take the next step and set traps, either to confirm the presence/absence of bed bugs or to assess the severity of the infestation.

Help!  I need a bed bug cure!

If you suspect that you have bed bugs, but they are not actually in your bed, then you should use ClimbUp traps.  Bed bugs will often hide several feet from your bed and then make the journey to your bed in the early morning hours.  People sometimes talk of waking up at 3:00 a.m. to check for traveling bed bugs.  This is entirely unnecessary, because ClimbUp traps will catch any invaders.  Just make sure that your bed is not against the wall and that your bed covers do not touch the floor.  If you should find bed bugs in the inner well of a ClimbUp trap then you know that the bed bugs are in your bed.  If the bed bugs are in the outer well, then you know that they are coming from some other place in the room. 

Help me escape my bed bugs hell!

BuggyBeds glue traps can be placed between a mattress and box springs to combat bed bugs that may be hiding in your bed.  They are especially good for furniture that has large feet which make it impossible to use ClimbUp traps.  Because of their small size, BuggyBeds are also great to use when you travel.  Hotels are a common source of bed bugs; in fact, some hotels use BuggyBeds as a precaution in case bed bugs are brought into their establishment.  (Bed bugs like to hitchhike from place to place in luggage.)   BuggyBeds contain a non-toxic chemical lure which draws the bugs into the glue trap.  To be extra safe, people will often place BuggyBeds in all four corners of the bed (between the mattress and box springs) and then place a trap or two on the floor.  BuggyBeds will last for up to six months so if you are traveling, you can simply collect them and take them with you.  BuggyBeds is an Approved Pest Control Device that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Bed bugs!  Help! is likely to be heard more and more as the bed bug plague spreads across the country.  Bed bug traps are part of an integrated pest management approach that minimizes the use of insecticides.  For truly severe infestations, the homeowner should retain the services of a PMP.  For more information, see Bed Bug Traps Review.

Order ClimbUp Traps                   Order BuggyBeds



 

How to Kill Bed Bugs?

Bed Bug Traps Review

In our previous posts, “how to kill bed bugs” was the central question.  Major outbreaks of bed bugs are occurring everywhere – New York, Detroit, and Cincinnati – to name just a few places.  Cities with a high number of multi-family residences are especially vulnerable.  In large tenement buildings, dormitories, and apartments - all it takes is for one resident to inadvertently bring bed bugs home and eventually the bugs will spread through the walls and infest every dwelling.  Cornell University has published an especially helpful guide to the overall problem.  (See Bed bugs are back!  An IPM answer)   Integrated pest management (IPM) is the key to bed bug control.  Some of the ideas described in the article include trying to avoid bringing the insects home, keeping clutter at a minimum to reduce hiding places, and if necessary, spraying with insecticides.  Remarkably, the article even describes crude bed bug barriers that work on the same principle as the bed bug traps that we recommend.  (See Bed Bug Traps Review.)  Bed bug traps are safe.  Traps also provide an easy means for detecting an infestation and for monitoring the effectiveness of other control measures.  

Kill bed bugs - use ClimbUp traps!

Pest control professionals really like ClimbUp traps.  These traps are an effective way of detecting and monitoring the presence of bed bugs.  Moreover, from a customer’s viewpoint, ClimbUp traps are reassuring.  Not only are bed bug bites itchy, but the very thought of being bitten while you sleep is mortifying, especially to people who dislike insects to begin with.  ClimbUp traps really work.  The only complaint is the plastic construction will not support the weight of a bed when there is carpeting.  However, this problem is easily addressed by simply putting a thin board or metal plate (electrical plate works well) under each bed post.  It is critical to keep the bed away from the wall and to not let bed covers touch the floor.

Kill bed bugs - use BuggyBeds!

The amazing feature of BuggyBeds is their versatility.  Essentially a bed bug glue trap, BuggyBeds are small and easily portable.  BuggyBeds are sold in a Travelers Pack, a Dorm Bed Pack, a Child Bed Buggy Pack, an Auto Bed Pack, and a Detector and Monitor Pack – it is all the same product!  Typically, BuggyBeds are inserted between the mattress and box springs, but many people will also place BeggyBeds on the floor.   The price of BuggyBeds makes them very affordable, they are great for travelers, and they can be used almost anywhere.

The how to kill bed bugs issue can thus be addressed with either ClimbUp bed bug traps or BuggyBeds traps.  Has anyone ever tried using ClimbUp and BuggyBeds traps together?  Now that is a question!