The document provides information on bed bug biology, behavior, and research updates. It discusses the common bed bug, its life cycle, feeding habits, and ability to spread rapidly. Health effects of bed bug bites are outlined. Research studies summarized include ones evaluating various monitoring and detection tools, the efficacy of insecticides on resistant bed bugs, and natural pesticide products. The need for multiple treatments using different insecticide classes and formulations to control an infestation is emphasized.

1. Bed Bug Biology/Behavior
and
Research Update
Dr. Susan C. Jones
Professor of Entomology

2. Sept/Oct 2013 Pestworld

3. The Most Bed Bug-Infested Cities in the U.S.

4. ©Graphicmaps.com

5. The Common Bed Bug
(Cimex lectularius)
Hemiptera: Cimicidae
Insects (true bugs)
• Temporary external parasites
• Feed only on blood
• Prefer to feed on humans
• Alternate hosts:
rodents, bats, birds,
pets (cats, dogs, etc.)
Not caused by bad housekeeping!!
BED BUGS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE!

6. BED BUG HABITS
• Cannot fly
• Can walk very fast
• Typically hide during the day in dark,
protected sites (esp. cracks & crevices)
• Prefer fabric, wood, and paper surfaces
• Can cling tightly to surfaces

7. In multi-family housing, bed bugs readily
spread to units that are adjacent, below,
and above the infested unit.

8. How do bed bugs travel?
• Walking
• from an infested room to new
territory
• from one apartment to another
via pipes, electrical wires,
cables, …
• down a hallway after dropping
off an item
• Hitchhiking

9. Bed Bug Hitchhikers in Luggage

10. --Bed Bug Hitchhikers—
in walker & wheelchair
Photos courtesy of General Pest Control Co.

11. --Bed Bug Hitchhikers—
in shoe tread

12. Female Male
Adult Bed Bugs

13. hanging picture
Bed Bug Harborages
carpet
electric outlet
cover

14. LIFE CYCLE
OF THE
BED BUG
(Cimex lectularius)
Adult (male & female)
~0.26 inch (6.5 mm) long
Takes repeated blood meals;
life span ~1 to 1½ yrs
4th stage nymph
~0.12 inch (3 mm) long
Takes a blood meal then molts
2nd stage nymph
~0.08 inch (2 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
5th stage nymph
~0.18 inch (4.5 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
Egg
~0.04 inch (1 mm) long
Glued in place
3rd stage nymph
~0.1 inch (2.5 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
Note: These images depict bugs with
a partly digested blood meal.
1st stage nymph
~0.06 inch (1.5 mm) long
Takes a blood meal
then molts
© The Ohio State University
Dr. Susan C. Jones &
Benjamin R. Diehl
Total developmental
time (egg to adult):
21 days @ 86F
120 days @ 65F

15. Life History Characteristics Show
That Bed Bug Numbers Can Quickly
Increase … (Early Detection and Treatment
are Very Important)
 Eggs
 Glued in place
 1 – 12 eggs / day / female
 A single female can produce ~150 eggs
 Hatch in 6 – 17 days

16. Note: red eyes
on developing
embryos that are
nearing hatch

17. Life History Characteristics Show
That Bed Bug Numbers Can Quickly
Increase … (Early Detection and Treatment
are Very Important)
 Eggs
 Glued in place
 1 – 12 eggs / day / female
 A single female can produce ~150 eggs
 Hatch in 6 – 17 days
 Adults (males & females)
 Require repeated blood meals
 Can live 12 – 18 months
 Can survive months of starvation
 Nymphs (immature bugs)
 Five nymphal stages
 Require a blood meal in order to grow

18. http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/2/2/232
Test conditions:
79-80 °F (~26.5 °C)
69% RH

19. • Typically feed at night
• Locate their host using cues
such as carbon dioxide, heat,
and odor
Bed Bug Feeding Habits

21. Health Effects from Bed Bugs
• Skin reactions in 7 of 10 people
• Redness
• Welts
• Itching
• Secondary bacterial infections
• Anemia
• Asthma
• Anaphylactic shock
• Psychological effects
• Sleeplessness
• Agitation
• Anxiety …

22. Fig 3. Clinical manifestations of
bed bug bites: three or four skin
lesions are often seen in a
“breakfast (1), lunch (2), dinner
(3)” distribution (A),
or “wheel” distribution (B);
Atypical bullous lesions (C); and
urticaria (D).

26. August 2010
Bed bugs are a
pest of significant
public health
importance!
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/Publications/Bed_Bugs_CDC-EPA_Statement.htm
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/bedbugs/
CDC & EPA
Joint
Statement

27. Pesticide Misuse

28. Columbus, OH 4/26/11
Pesticide Misuse
Columbus, OH 6/28/12

29. FMC Verifi™ Bed Bug Detector
http://www.fmcprosolutions.com/BedBugs/PropertyManager/Home.aspx
A- CO2 booster pack
B- lures (pheromone +
kairomone)
C- pitfall trap area
D- harborage area
E- self-adhesive sticker
--Active Monitoring Device--
Front view (with cut away
revealing interior components)
Rear view

30. PITFALL— OSU Research Study —
All Stages Of Bed Bugs Were
Captured In The Verifi™ Detector Pitfall.

31. Monthly
insecticide
treatments
initiated
Date
High-rise apt. building
Rental office Security booth
2/14/2013 Install
2/21/2013 0 Install
2/28/2013 2 bed bugs 2 bed bugs
3/13/2013 0 2 bed bugs (dead)
5/3/2013 0 5 bed bugs (dead)
6/25/2013a
0 1 bed bug (dead)
7/2/2013 0 1 bed bug (live)
10/22/2013a
0 1 bed bug (dead)
a
Verifi lure components replaced in all detectors; wiped free of debris.
— OSU Research Study —
Results

32. a
Verifi lure components replaced in all detectors; wiped free of debris.
— OSU Research Study —
Results
Date
Townhome office building
Rental
office
Management
office
Community
room
Meeting
room
3/13/2013 Install Install Install Install
3/20/2013 0 0 0 0
5/3/2013 0 0 0 0
6/25/2013a
0 0 0 0
7/2/2013 0 0 0 0
10/22/2013a
0 0 0 0
No bed bugs have been captured in Verifi detectors
in the four rooms. Office personnel have expressed
relief and increased peace-of-mind.

33. Second Floor
Master bedroom
Main Floor
Family room
Entry
door
closet
Key
ClimbUp
Verifi
— Materials & Methods —
Dining room
Kitchen
Porch (open)
Guest
bedroom
Bathroom
Spare
room
≥1
bed bug
captured
— Results —
In a 3-week period following the 2nd (final) treatment, we captured
6 bed bugs in Verifis & 2 bed bugs in ClimbUps.
3 days after 2nd (final) treatment, we installed 24 Verifis & 4 ClimbUps.

34. Comparison of Erroneous Results with
Canine Team, Dry Ice Trap, and Verifi™ Detector
— OSU Research Study —
0
1
2
3
Dog 1 Dog 2 Dog 1 Dog 2
False Positive False Negative False
Positive
False
Negative
False
Positive
False
Negative
Canine Team Dry Ice Trap Verifi Detector
NmberofErrrors
Detection Method

35. Rutgers University Field Study
August 2011
‘Detection
Tools and
Techniques’
By: Changlu
Wang and
Richard
Cooper
Canine team performance
(7 firms; 24 apts.)
Average Range
Inspection time 150 minutes 100-250 min.
Cost $750 $500-1,000
Detection rate 43% 11-83%
False positive rate (signaling
bed bugs that weren’t there)
0-38%
 Much variability among canine
detection firms.
 Can be a useful tool in large-scale
inspections.

36. The liners consist of finely
woven polyester fabric
impregnated with 1.64%
permethrin. The liners are kept
in place on mattresses and
box springs beneath bedding.

37. Bed bugs were not repelled
from ActiveGuard liners
TreatmentsControlsC C T C
Bed Bug Movement on ActiveGuard™ Liners
— OSU Research Study —

38. Words of caution regarding
over-the-counter ‘natural
products’ for bed bug control:
• Exempt from Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) registration
• EPA requires no efficacy data
• Claims often based on “satisfied
customers”—be sure to ask for their
research data and evaluate it carefully
• Botanical (plant based) products often
have a strong odor
• Botanical products often have limited, if
any, residual activity

39. 25(b) Natural Products (exempt from EPA registration)
FTC takes action
The FTC complaint charges that the Cedarcide defendants make:
• false claims that scientific studies prove Best Yet! is effective at
stopping and preventing bed bug infestations, and that it is more
effective than synthetic pesticides at doing so;
• a false claim that the Environmental Protection Agency has warned
consumers to avoid all synthetic pesticides for treating bed bug
infestations;
• …
• false claims that Best Yet! was invented for the U.S. Army at the
request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that the USDA has
acknowledged the product as the number one choice of bio-based
pesticides
The FTC complaint charges that the RMB Group defendants make
unsupported claims that Rest Easy kills and repels bed bugs, and that a
consumer can create a barrier against them by spraying the product
around a bed.
http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/09/cedarcidermb.shtm

40. March 2013
By: Narinderpal Singh, Changlu Wang, and Richard Cooper
Rutgers Univ. Study: Natural Pesticides

41. Mortality (>50%)
at 10 days
100%
Low mortality
(<50%)
92%
60%
Low mortality
(<50%)
Low mortality
(<50%)
Low mortality (<50%)
Low mortality
(<50%)
Low mortality
(<50%)
Low mortality (<50%)
Low mortality
(<50%)
100% @ 3d
Low mortality (<50%)
• 60 bed bug nymphs per pesticide (presumably pyrethroid resistant)
• Directly sprayed at a rate of 1 gallon/1000 ft2
Rutgers Univ. Study: Natural Pesticides
Natural pesticides
that ARE NOT
regulated by
the EPA
Synthetic pesticides that ARE
regulated by the EPA

42. Active Ingredient
(insecticide class)
Product Name(s)
Imidacloprid + ß-cyfluthrin
(neonicotinoid + pyrethroid)
Temprid®
SC
Chlorfenapyr
(halogenated pyrrole)
Phantom®
SC
Phantom®
PI
Acetamiprid + bifenthrin
(neonicotinoid + pyrethroid)
Transport®
Mikron
Transport®
GHP
Thiamethoxam + λ-cyhalothrin
(neonicotinoid + pyrethroid)
Tandem®
Dinotefuran + diatomaceous earth
(neonicotinoid + silica dioxide)
Prescription Treatment
Alpine®
Dust & Alpine®
PI
Amorphous silica gel
(silica)
CimeXa™
Neem seed oil
(azadirachtin)
Cirkil™ CX
Cirkil™ RTU
Some non-pyrethroid insecticides available in the U.S.
for use against bed bugs:

43. OSU Research to Evaluate Contact and
Residual Efficacy of Combination
Insecticides (Tandem™, Temprid™ SC, and
Transport® Mikron™) Against Bed Bugs

44. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Initial 30 m 1 h 2 h 4 h 8 h
Meanpercentmoribund/dead
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Initial 30 m 1 h 2 h 4 h 8 h
Meanpercentmoribund/dead
̶ Results ̶
Direct Spray
Pyrethroid susceptible bugs
Rapid bed bug
mortality is
achieved through
directly spraying
bed bugs.
Pyrethroid resistant bugs
Even with highly resistant bed bugs the bugs quickly died
after being sprayed with any of the 3 insecticides. Evidence
of contact toxicity.

45. PlywoodFabric Efficacy of Temprid SC Residues on Plywood and
Fabric Aged for 6 mo (182 d)
highly
resistant
moderately
resistant
susceptible

46. March 14, 2013
http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/130314/srep01456/pdf/srep01456.pdf
Resistance genes were very active in
the bed bug exoskeleton (skin).

47. Some Basics of Bed Bug
Management Using
Insecticides
• There is no single “magic bullet”.
• Bed bug control typically takes
several treatments.
• It is important to use several different
formulations, and often, several
different insecticides.
• A residual insecticide is necessary.
• Don’t keep using the same
insecticide (rotate insecticide use)

48. IDENTIFICATION SERVICES
Ohio State University Pest Diagnostic Clinic
• Fee for identification services ($20 per insect
sample)
• ID wide variety of insects, arthropods, plant
diseases, etc.
• Online submission form: http://ppdc.osu.edu

49. Thank You!
Sleep tight,
and don’t let the …
… well, you know the rest