Applying the central tenets of
IPM to bed bug infestations
Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
Andrew Sutherland
Bay Area Urban IPM Advisor
UCCE and UC IPM
A new Advisor?!
• Andrew Sutherland: Bay Area Urban IPM
Advisor
– Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San
Mateo, Santa Clara counties
– Professional / commercial landscape IPM
– Structural / industrial IPM
• http://ucanr.edu/sites/urbanIPM/
Outline of presentation
• The what, why, where and who of IPM
• Central tenets of IPM
• IPM for bed bugs
– Education: biology, ecology
– Prevention of bed bug infestation
– Bed bug monitors and detection
– Thresholds for nuisance pests?
– Multiple tactics for bed bug management
– IPM program evaluation
What exactly is integrated pest
management (IPM)?
• ‘a decision-based process involving
coordinated use of multiple tactics for
optimizing the control of all classes of pests
(insects, pathogens, weeds, vertebrates) in
an ecologically and economically sound
manner’
• R.J. Prokopy, 2003
OK……so…
• simultaneous management of multiple
pests;
• regular monitoring of pests, and their
natural enemies and antagonists as well;
• use of economic or treatment thresholds
when applying pesticides;
• integrated use of multiple, suppressive
tactics.
• L. E. Ehler, 2006
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Treatment Thresholds
• Multiple Tactics
• Integration
• Evaluation
Central tenets of IPM
Why Urban IPM?
• Urban surface water contamination levels
(w / pesticides) 2 – 3 X higher than that of
surface water in production ag areas
– Diazinon and chlorpyrifos (Bailey et al 2000)
– Pyrethroids (Weston et al 2005; Amweg et al
2006)
– Fipronil (Lin et al 2009)
Problems with pesticide use in
urban areas
• Surface water, soil, groundwater
contamination
• Human health concerns
• Disruption of ecosystem
• Economic costs
• Public perception
Problems with pesticide use in
urban areas
Major users of pesticides in
urban areas
• General (residential) public
• Homeowners / tenants
• Property owners / managers
• Pest management professionals (PMPs)
• Government agencies
• Agriculture
• Non-crop systems: ornamental nurseries
• Urban ag systems
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Treatment Thresholds
• Multiple Tactics
• Integration
• Evaluation
Central tenets of IPM
• Education
• Biology
• True bug (Heteroptera / Hemiptera)
• Piercing-sucking mouthparts
• Wingless
• Incomplete / gradual
metamorphosis
• Obligate haematophages
IPM for bed bugs
Other true bugs
• Pests
• Predators
• Some parasites
• Piercing-sucking
mouthparts
• All feed on
liquids
Heteroptera: Cimicidae
• Education
• Biology
• Ecology
• Nest parasites (require harborage)
• Development requires regular blood
meals
• Can survive months to years
without feeding
IPM for bed bugs
Good bed bug harborage = dark,
protected from cold, heat, moisture,
within 2m of host, wood, paper or fabric
Blood meal required prior to molting,
egg-laying
Bat bugs? Swallow bugs?
• Related species
• Attack bats and birds
• Occasionally invade
homes
• IPM involves
management of hosts
• Length of hairs on
pronotum > diameter
of eye
• Education
• Prevention
• Of introduction
• Education and communication
• Traveling precautions
• Second-hand furniture
• Infested personal items
IPM for bed bugs
Education for Prevention
Traveling precautions
• Inquire as to bed bug history
• Inspect room before unpacking
– Start with mattress (seams, tufts)
– Box spring, head board, bed frame
– Under / in bedside furniture
– Baseboards (within 2m of bed)
– Behind wall hangings
– Carpet joints
Traveling precautions
• Inquire as to bed bug history
• Inspect room before unpacking
• Consider sealing luggage
• Store luggage on tile surface or on luggage
rack, avoid placing near bed, on upholstered
surfaces
• Report suspected infestation and then
change rooms ASAP
• Vacuum luggage, wash clothes, properly
store luggage upon return home
The dangers of secondhand
furniture…
• Education
• Prevention
• Of introduction
• Of establishment
• Elimination of harborage sites
• Encasements / barriers
• Appropriate sanitation and
maintenance
IPM for bed bugs
Make rooms ‘bed bug unfriendly’
More prevention of introduction /
establishment (new tenants)
• Inspection
• Preventative heat treatments
• Mattress encasements
Consideration of ‘clutter’
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Visual / manual inspection
• Bugs, eggs, exuviae, fecal spots,
blood smears / spots
• Bed bug monitors
• Canine detection
IPM for bed bugs
Bed bug signs
Bed bug inspection
Bed bug monitors
• Active monitors
– Employ some attractant
• CO2
• Heat
• Pheromones / kairomones
– Can detect bugs in absence of host
• Passive monitors
– Harborage or pitfall traps
• Interceptor traps
Bed bug monitor efficacy research
(Vernard Lewis laboratory, UC
Berkeley)
http://www.pestboard.ca.gov/howdoi/
research/monitors_bedbug.pdf
Bed bug monitors: summary
• Active monitors in absence of host
• All tested able to attract bugs…
• Best for detection, evaluation purposes
• Easier to inspect than furniture
• More monitors, more time = better
• Proper placement is key
Canine Detection
Canine Detection
• Classical conditioning
• Potential for very high accuracy (> 90%)
• Potential for false positive detection
• Canine team requires constant training,
re-conditioning
• 3rd party certification
• Should always be confirmed with visual
/ manual inspection by trained PCO
Canine Detection Accuracy
Pest Control Technology: pctonline.com; August 2011
Canine Detection Accuracy
Pest Control Technology: pctonline.com; August 2011
Certification important, but…SHOW ME THE BUGS!
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Thresholds?
• Is one bug too many?
• State, county mandates
• Liability
• Hypersensitive immune responses
IPM for bed bugs
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Thresholds
• Multiple Tactics
• Mechanical / nonchemical
• Biological?
• Chemical
IPM for bed bugs
Mechanical / Nonchemical Tactics
• Disposal of infested items (clearly marked)
• Barriers (previously discussed)
• Laundering
• Vacuum (provide HEPA filter)
• Steam
• Heat (> 45oC or > 115oF)
• Cold (below freezing)
Disposal of bed bug infested items
• Not always necessary
• Items should be sealed, if possible
• Consider rendering unusable
• Items should be clearly marked as
infested
• Consider
encasements or
heat as alternatives
Laundering infested items
• Water temperature should be as hot as
possible (60oC; 140oF)
• Tumble dry at ‘hot’ setting for > 30
minutes, until dry if items wet
• Consider dissolving laundry bags
Vacuuming bed bugs
• Make sure HEPA filter in place
• Use of brushes not advised
• Target known harborages
Steam application for bed bug control
• Kills all stages
• Often used before chemical applications
• Low vapor flow, high temperature best
• Check treated surfaces with infrared
– Should be ≥ 160oF
• Reduce flow rate if possible
Extreme heat and cold
• Heat treatments
– Gas or electric heat sources
– > 45oC or > 115oF, 2-6 hours, dep on temp
– Must be ramped up QUICKLY
– Enclosed treatments best
• Cold treatments (below freezing)
– Not always practical for large items
– Hours to days, depending on temp
Biological control for bed bugs?
• Masked hunter (assassin bug)
– Native to Europe, common in
east, central US
– Preys on bed bugs during all life
stages
– Can bite humans in defense
• Entomopathogenic fungi
– Beauveria bassiana
– Efficacy proven in lab
– Penn State
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
– pyrethrin
– Pyrethroids
– Neonicotinoid / pyrethroid combinations
– Pyrrole: chlorfenapyr
– Insect growth regulator: hydroprene
– Cold-pressed neem cake
– Botanicals and other oils
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
– pyrethrin
– Pyrethroids
– Neonicotinoid / pyrethroid combinations
– Pyrrole: chlorfenapyr
– Insect growth regulator: hydroprene
– Cold-pressed neem cake
– Botanicals and other oils
Natural (sometimes considered
organic) materials; contact
knockdown, but little residual
activity
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
– pyrethrin
– Pyrethroids
– Neonicotinoid / pyrethroid combinations
– Pyrrole: chlorfenapyr
– Insect growth regulator: hydroprene
– Cold-pressed neem cake
– Botanicals and other oils
Most commonly-used, offer
knockdown and residual
activity…OVER-RELIANCE MAY
BE DRIVING RESISTANCE
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
– pyrethrin
– Pyrethroids
– Neonicotinoid / pyrethroid combinations
– Pyrrole: chlorfenapyr
– Insect growth regulator: hydroprene
– Cold-pressed neem cake
– Botanicals and other oils
Reduced-risk materials; generally
take longer than pyrethroids to kill
bugs, may be good choice when
dealing with resistant populations
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
– pyrethrin
– Pyrethroids
– Neonicotinoid / pyrethroid combinations
– Pyrrole: chlorfenapyr
– Insect growth regulator: hydroprene
– Cold-pressed neem cake
– Botanicals and other oils
Newly registered material; long
history of use in agriculture;
manufacturer claims contact,
residual, and repellency
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
• Solids (powder, dusts)
– Borates
– Diatomaceous earth (DE)
– Silica
– Limestone
– Formulations of pyrethrins, pyrethroids
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
• Solids (powder, dusts)
– Borates
– Diatomaceous earth (DE)
– Silica
– Limestone
– Formulations of pyrethrins, pyrethroids
Questionable efficacy
since requires
grooming, ingestion
(stomach poison)
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
• Solids (powder, dusts)
– Borates
– Diatomaceous earth (DE)
– Silica
– Limestone
– Formulations of pyrethrins, pyrethroids
Desiccants: break down
waxy cuticle of insect,
insect dies slowly due to
water loss
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
• Solids (powder, dusts)
– Borates
– Diatomaceous earth (DE)
– Silica
– Limestone
– Formulations of pyrethrins, pyrethroids
Activity, mode of action
similar to as discussed
for liquid formulations
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
• Solids (powder, dusts)
– Borates
– Diatomaceous earth (DE)
– Silica
– Limestone
– Formulations of pyrethrins, pyrethroids
Must remain dry to retain efficacy, have potential to
remain active for long period of time…
Chemical control of bed bugs
• Liquids
• Solids (powder, dusts)
• Fumigation
– sulfuryl fluoride
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Thresholds
• Multiple Tactics
• Integration
• No tactic should interfere with another
IPM for bed bugs
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Thresholds
• Multiple Tactics
• Integration
• Evaluation
• Monitor for population changes
• Resistant population?
IPM for bed bugs
• Education
• Prevention
• Monitoring
• Thresholds
• Multiple Tactics
• Integration
• Evaluation
IPM for bed bugs
Thanks!...Questions?
• Andrew Sutherland
• Bay Area Urban IPM Advisor
• http://ucanr.edu/sites/urbanIPM/
• 510-777-2481 office
• 510-499-2930 cell
• 1131 Harbor Bay Parkway; Alameda
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