Dr. ElRay Roper, Syngenta

There has been a significant resurgence of bed bug infestations since the late 1990s. As a result, there’s a renewed need for PMPs who can serve as knowledgeable experts when dealing with these bothersome insects. Several key measures to take before using physical and/or chemical controls on a customer’s home or business are:

• Prevention, early detection and identification. Knowledge is essential for preventing a bed bug infestation. Inform customers and provide them with educational materials about how to recognize and detect bed bugs and encourage them to perform routine inspections of furniture in bedroom areas. To confirm an infestation, search for live bugs, carcasses and fecal deposits — making sure not to mistake these signs for those of other insects. For example, if the pests are present on walls but absent from beds, they’re likely not bed bugs, which assemble in areas where human blood is readily available.
• Physical controls. There are various physical control options available for managing bed bugs. Mattress and box spring encasements, for example, can keep bed bugs from hiding and force them to remain visible on the exterior of the encasement. Commercial vacuums are effective when used with an attachment that targets cracks and crevices, although vacuum bags should be sealed and discarded immediately after use. Additionally, customers can frequently wash their bed linens in hot water to kill bed bugs and their eggs, as well as maintain pest control in between follow-up visits from a PMP.
• Chemical controls. Insecticides are useful when treating areas where bed bugs and their eggs have escaped the effects of physical controls. Applications of insecticides should be directed as close to harborage areas as possible, which might require dismantling and removing bedroom furniture. A residual product is best for bed bug infestations.

PMPs should engage in prevention, early detection and identification of the bed bug species as a part of their integrated pest management (IPM) approach. They should remember thorough bed bug management isn’t possible without continued support and follow-up visits. It’s rare bed bug infestations are wiped out in a single treatment or visit, and various other factors might result in a relapse in infestation. A successful PMP will schedule follow-up inspections with customers no more than two weeks apart (in accordance with bed bug egg-hatching times), and schedule additional treatments as needed.