Chemical pest control seems to be a far too short-term treatment for bedbugs considering their exceptional biological traits when it comes to individual and collective survival in the context of...
Chemical pest control seems to be a far too short-term treatment for bedbugs considering their exceptional biological traits when it comes to individual and collective survival in the context of an infestation. For example, a few flat-bodied adults — hiding in some forgotten crevice — can easily avoid a series of pesticide attacks over multiple months and then repopulate the colony.
Of course, it may be that bedbugs (eventually) receive long-term political attention; but such a coordinated response would perhaps not be in the same capacity as, say, mosquitoes which are known disease-vectors that are responsible annually for almost a billion illnesses and almost a million deaths. However, such wishful thinking is of little comfort to those households who are presently dealing with bedbugs, and the myriad challenges that come with repeated infestations.
Instead of the short-term chemical or long-term political strategies, here is then a more mid-term mechanical solution to pragmatically alleviate the problem of bedbugs at home. The “mechanical” descriptor refers to the act of physically impeding bedbugs from obtaining their blood meal, and the “mid-term” qualifier corresponds to the 3–18 month period needed to starve out all individuals and completely eradicate a localised colony. In addition, the pragmatic aspect concerns how the implementation itself is straightforward, immediate and cost-saving. This approach is based on a mixture of lived experience and personal practice as well as established research and common advice, the main disclaimer being that it will require some creativity, discipline, and patience.
The general outline is as follows:
Step 0: Verification. Confirm that there are indeed bedbugs. Short of catching one in the act before dawn, the most notable visual signs include the three-bite (“breakfast-lunch-dinner”) pattern as well as the dark ink spot-like cluster of fecal droppings. Make a note or take some photos of the existing bites and/or droppings as evidence for future comparisons.
Step 1: Localisation. As a major closed-system assumption going forward, it is essential that no new bedbugs are being introduced by some external sources e.g. frequent hotel stays or via neighbouring residences.
Step 2: Detection. Some sleuthing should reveal possible hiding places that elude other effective mechanical methods such as vacuuming, heating and wrapping. It is difficult to provide an exhaustive list but search for narrow gaps and small openings in the furniture and on the walls.
Step 3: Installation I. The crux of this specific mechanical method is to create an impenetrable barrier between each possible hiding place and the outside world. Such a barrier would trap those in their hiding place and prevent others from returning to it or accessing it, the latter then becoming more susceptible to chemical and/or other mechanical treatments. Duct tape is a tried-and-tested recommendation for such a purpose, especially since it can be periodically removed to see if there are bedbug carcasses. Wood glue is a more permanent alternative. (Perhaps even silly putty for experimentation?)
Step 4: Installation II. A supplemental measure would be prevent stragglers from climbing onto sleeping surfaces in the first place e.g. adhesive coating around each foot of the bed and/or cabinet.
Step 5: Inspection. Now that the insect-scale blockade is in place, prepare for a waiting game with some monitoring and maintenance. Review and repeat the aforementioned steps whilst checking for new bites and changes in the droppings. In some cases, as little as 3 months could suffice if the critters become oxygen starved; however 18 months is a safe upper bound calculation given their lifecycle and reproductive behaviour.
For all of their evolutionary advantages, bedbugs, unlike mosquitoes, cannot (yet) fly and hence must crawl from hiding place to host, and so leveraging this weakness is crucial. The central hypothesis is that starvation can be effective if the blockade is sustained over a sufficient period. Remain open to, and accepting of, the aesthetic sacrifice: duct tape on the bed frame and bedside cabinets is a small price for quality sleep.
Chemical pest control seems to be a far too short-term treatment for bedbugs considering their exceptional biological traits when it comes to individual and collective survival in the context of an infestation. For example, a few flat-bodied adults — hiding in some forgotten crevice — can easily avoid a series of pesticide attacks over multiple months and then repopulate the colony.
Of course, it may be that bedbugs (eventually) receive long-term political attention; but such a coordinated response would perhaps not be in the same capacity as, say, mosquitoes which are known disease-vectors that are responsible annually for almost a billion illnesses and almost a million deaths. However, such wishful thinking is of little comfort to those households who are presently dealing with bedbugs, and the myriad challenges that come with repeated infestations.
Instead of the short-term chemical or long-term political strategies, here is then a more mid-term mechanical solution to pragmatically alleviate the problem of bedbugs at home. The “mechanical” descriptor refers to the act of physically impeding bedbugs from obtaining their blood meal, and the “mid-term” qualifier corresponds to the 3–18 month period needed to starve out all individuals and completely eradicate a localised colony. In addition, the pragmatic aspect concerns how the implementation itself is straightforward, immediate and cost-saving. This approach is based on a mixture of lived experience and personal practice as well as established research and common advice, the main disclaimer being that it will require some creativity, discipline, and patience.
The general outline is as follows:
For all of their evolutionary advantages, bedbugs, unlike mosquitoes, cannot (yet) fly and hence must crawl from hiding place to host, and so leveraging this weakness is crucial. The central hypothesis is that starvation can be effective if the blockade is sustained over a sufficient period. Remain open to, and accepting of, the aesthetic sacrifice: duct tape on the bed frame and bedside cabinets is a small price for quality sleep.