Monday, October 3, 2011

The Cure, worse than the problem?

Bed Bugs, a scourge, a nuisance, a pest...
living off the blood of humans.  Inflicting them with severe bites,
but strangely enough do not transmit disease.
They tried - they used Hepatitis B (a virus that is known to still be active for 3 weeks in a dry pool of blood), fed bed bugs the infected blood, but it did NOT transmit.
A recent edition of MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) disclosed problems associated with the control of bed bugs.
Am i surprised?  No, they are talking insecticides and oil spray delivery systems  all of which can cause real health issues.
What to do?  Suffer? 
There are other ways to control - they are not easy, bed bugs have been around a long time.  They survived chlordane.
They are susceptible to extremes of heat and cold.  They will be killed by alcohol vapor, both isopropyl and ethyl - i proved that in the lab and wrote on it here.  there are even companies which use it.
Same effect the bed bugs are killed, they will come back, just like with regular pesticides.
it might be something to consider.
Well searching, the US EPA has not certified any alcohols for bed bug eradication.  CDC and the US EPA do have a joint statement that is interesting.
The interesting non pesticide is diatomacious earth.

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