SLEEP TIGHT , DON’T LET THE BED BUGS BITE ”

1. “ SLEEP TIGHT , DON’T LET THE BED BUGS BITE” Dean Geller- Technical Supervisor Integrated Pest Management Group Manitoba Housing

2. OUTLINE • The Epidemic • Bed Bug Phobia • Bed Bug Identification • Life Cycle • Bed Bug Feeding Habits & Behaviour • Habitat • How Do You Know if You Have a Bed Bug Infestation • Remediation and Control • Protecting Yourself From an Infestation • Questions

3. THE EPIDEMIC HOW WIDE SPREAD ARE BED BUGS?

4. WORLD DISTRIBUTION

5. Why are bed bug numbers increasing? • The increase in numbers may be due to changes in modern pest control practices. • This includes the use of insect-specific baits and gels, which do not work for bed bug control. • The prohibition of previously successful pesticides. • Pesticide resistant bed bugs • More people are traveling which increases the chance of bringing the insect back in their luggage • Use of second hand furniture or clothing • Increased urbanization • Poverty

6. Bed Bug Phobia

7. True or False? • Bed bugs do not spread disease - TRUE • Bed bug are caused by poor sanitation or filthy conditions -FALSE • Unlike lice and fleas, bed bugs do not live on people or animals - TRUE • Bed bugs can’t jump or fly, so you can’t suddenly be infested with they just by being in a room that has them - TRUE • Bed bugs are restricted to the poor. FALSE, anyone can get them

8. IDENTIFICATION WHAT ARE BED BUGS? • Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely on the blood of warm-blooded animals. • Bed bugs look a lot like wood ticks • Humans are the primary host. • Bed bugs will feed on rodents or birds when a human blood meal is not available. • There are other similar types of bugs – Bat bugs

9. IDENTIFICATION Bed Bugs – Size – Shape – Colour There are seven stages to the life of a bed bug: • Eggs are 1.5 mm in length and are white in colour • Hatchlings or 1st Instar nymph are clear in colour before feeding and are 1.5 mm in length (size of a poppy seed) • Adults are brown to red in colour, oval in shape and flat when viewed from the side. (thickness of one credit card before feeding and 3 credit cards after feeding) • Adults are approximately 5.5 mm in length (size of an apple seed)

10. Instar Bed Bug Nymph On Finger

11. BED BUGS BEFORE AND AFTER FEEDING

12. BED BUG LIFE CYCLE • 7 Stages for a bed bug • Egg – 1 mm (impervious to insecticide while inside) • First stage larvae – 1.5 mm • Second stage larvae – 2.0 mm • Third Stage larvae – 2.5 mm • Fourth stage larvae – 3.0 mm • Fifth stage larvae – 4.5 mm • Adult Stage – 5.5 mm (size of an apple seed, able to procreate) • With each stage there is a required blood meal and then a moulting

13. BED BUG LIFE CYCLE • Life Cycle • Females lay ~200 eggs • Eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks • Nymphs start to feed immediately • Nymph stage is 14-30 days • Entire life cycle is 4-9 weeks(in a perfect world!) • Adults may survive up to 18 months or more without feeding

14. Bed Bugs – CimexLectularius • Bed bugs have an unusual mating behaviour that is known as traumatic insemination. The male bug penetrates the females body with a modified copulatory organ called a paramere • Females lay 200 to 500 eggs in life cycle • These eggs are laid over multiple days and multiple places • Eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks

15. Bed Bug Feeding Habits • Bed bugs are most active at night, but are opportunists who will feed if necessary during the day depending on the sedentary habits of the host. • They are attracted to heat (body warmth) and Co2, i.e. Breathing • The feed mainly on human blood and feed for 3 to 10 minutes • Their bite is painless and may result in a small red itchy bump. • Unlike fleas or lice, bed bugs do not live on people, but only visit them to feed. • After feeding, bed bugs generally crawl to a hiding place to digest their meal and molt to the next life cycle stage. • Bed bugs that develop solely on human hosts are usually moved from one location to the next on infested furniture, bedding and/or transfer by humans • The may migrate in multi-unit buildings to other suites along heating/plumbing/electrical conduits or pipes.

16. BED BUG BITES #2

17. Bed Bug Bite #3

18. HABITAT • Bed bugs do not live on people although they sometimes unintentionally hitchhike. • They hide in cracks & crevasses where they won’t be disturbed. • Bed bug like to be close to their blood source, but they will travel when necessary.

19. Bed Bugs around and in joint in table leg

20. Bed Buds in the Cording of a Mattress

21. Bed bugs in the fold of the mattress

22. How Do You Know if You Have Bed Bugs?

23. Bed Bug Inspection • During the day, bed bugs tend to hide close to where they feed; for example, where people sleep. • Bedbugs are attracted by heat(body) and Co2(breathing) • Bedbugs do not have nests, but they do tend to gather and hide in routine places. • If bedbugs are present, there will be dark spotting and staining on your sheets, mattress, pillow, carpets and clothing.

24. Bed Bug Inspection • Pull drawers out of dressers and check the inside. Check under lamps on nightstands • Check cracks and crevices along baseboards and walls. • Check torn or loose wallpaper, decorative borders, and behind paintings and pictures. • Check the seams of your mattress and/or boxspring • Conceivably check any crack the width of a credit card

25. Bed bugs under fabric of futon

26. Bed bugs on box spring liner

27. Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

28. Preparation Guidelines • It is very important that tenants follow the preparation guidelines provided by their landlord or hired pest control contractor. • Proper preparation is key to reducing to eradicating bed bugs. • Provides access to all areas for treatment • Removes harbourage locations • Reduces physical activity at location

29. Getting Rid of Bed BugsExtermination

30. Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

31. How can bed bug problems be prevented? • The best way to prevent bed bug problems is to keep them out of your home in the first place. • Do not bring infested items into your home. Closely check or inspect your luggage or the and clothing, • Check the luggage and clothing of your guests, especially after travel to other countries • Be wary of second hand furniture and clothing and inspect them very carefully before bringing them into your home. • Remove or destroy wild animal roosts and bird nests in or on your house. • The best way to prevent bed bug problems is to keep them out of your home in the first place. • Do not bring infested items into your home. Closely check or inspect your luggage or the and clothing, • Check the luggage and clothing of your guests, especially after travel to other countries • Be wary of second hand furniture and clothing and inspect them very carefully before bringing them into your home. • Remove or destroy wild animal roosts and bird nests in or on your house.

32. Visiting and don’t know if there are Bed Bugs? Observe Certain Personal Precautions • Do not sit on upholstered furniture if you think the location has a bed bug concern. Stay to hard chairs • Do not place your purse, jacket, bag, etc on the furniture or even set it down on the floor • Ensure that the room is brightly lit • Do not wear loose clothing with cuffs. • In badly infested homes or suites wear a tyvex suit with tyvex foot wear. • Upon return to home, have a clean change of clothes available to change into, place your soiled clothing directly into a sealed plastic bag before entering your home. Run clothes wash and dry asap using hot water and a medium to medium-hot dry cycle.

33. Bed Bug Resources and Websites • Province of Manitoba Bed Bug Website – www.manitoba.ca/bedbugs , ph. 1-855-3MB-BUGS(1-855-362-2847) or email: bedbugs@gov.mb.ca • www.bedbugger.com (US website) • Province of Ontario site – www.bedbugsinfo.ca • Google Dr. Michael F Potter of the University of Kentucky or Dr. Lou Sorkin, Entomologist from American Museum of Natural History • www.bedbugcentral.com (US website)

34. QUESTIONS Who will you be sleeping with tonight? Dean Geller Technical Supervisor IPMG-Manitoba Housing