Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite! -- by Michael Tropiano -- Muhlenberg College Class of 2015

Cimex lectularius, better known as bed bugs have been prevalent since humans dwelled in caves .For a while these parasites fed only on bat blood but  once humans started living in caves that all changed.  Since bats live in caves and are mammals it was easy for bed bugs to start feeding on human blood. Once bed bugs started feeding on human blood, they were able to spread to different continents including North America in the 17th century. Colonists and the increase of travel allowed bed bugs to spread faster and to a greater range of places including the Allentown PA area.         

Bed bugs are small, flat and parasitic insects that do not have wings. They are known as "bed bugs" due to their preferred habitat which includes beds, movie theatres and even cars. These insects like to hide in small spaces and have every inch of their body be touching a part of their hiding spot. This makes it very hard for people to find bedbugs. Cimex lectularius are no bigger than a pencil eraser which increases their evasive capabilities.

The best indication of bed bugs is if bites start to occur on a person's body. These bites  can be very small and are usually reddish in color. Bed bugs bite humans because they feed on our blood and use our blood for nutrition and to reproduce. Another indication can be left over exoskeletons from the insects. These exoskeletons are produced when the insect molts into a new stage and allows the insect to grow in size. Without molting of the exoskeleton, the insect would not be able to grow.

Bed bugs tend to create fear in the minds of many people which can result in insomnia or lack of sleep. This lack of sleep has numerous negative effects on a person's physical and mental health. What most people do not know is the fact that Cimex lectularius are not able to transmit diseases. Bed bugs are not considered to be dangerous or a vector of disease.

Research has shown that bed bugs do not have direct adverse effects on humans besides biting them and causing itching at the site of the bite in some cases. Treatments do exist for the bites because different reactions can appear in different people. Some people affected by bed bugs do not react, while others experience itching and a rash. Scratching the skin should be avoided, antiseptic and anti-itch/antihistamine cream should be applied to the affected area of the bites which will help reduce any discomfort or risk of infection. Reducing the spreading of bed bugs reduces the availability of different habitats for them to live.

There are also many different ways to eliminate bed bugs from your house/building, clothing and bed. One way to get rid of bed bugs is by increasing the heat in your house. This is not possible to achieve by simply turning up the thermostat. Special heaters are needed that will bring the building to about 120-130° F in a process called thermal remediation. The increase in temperature will melt the waxes on the surface of the bed bugs and allow for a massive amount of water loss. Heat sensitive items should be removed from the building before starting thermal remediation. This treatment usually takes around 1 day. Although thermal remediation is a more expensive route of treatment, it is much safer for human health.  Thermal remediation requires specialized technicians who know how to perform this specific process. As an ancient proverb once said “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”.

Getting rid of bed bugs in clothes involves putting all clothes in the dryer. This has the same effect on the bed bugs as increasing the heat inside your house. The inside of a dryer gets to around 200-300°F which is far beyond the 120-130°F needed to kill the insects.

Along with eliminating bed bugs after their infestation, it is important to prevent the infestation from happening in the first place. The bed is a very important place when dealing with the prevention of bed bugs. In particular these insects prefer to hide in the small seams of a mattress and box spring which are difficult for people to see unless they are specifically looking for them. One of the many possible ways to prevent bed bugs from infesting your bed is by buying a mattress cover.

Current research at Penn State has provided a new and fascinating way to halt bed bug infestations. Researchers have found a natural fungus that kills bed bugs with extreme effectiveness. Once the bed bug comes in contact with the fungus it becomes diseased and can bring the disease back to where all the other bed bugs congregate and spread the disease, thus killing more of them. This fungus is non-toxic to humans, cheap to produce and extremely effective on bed bugs! Although this treatment is not yet on the market, this research is a great step forward in the development of new pest management strategies which do not consist of spraying harmful chemicals everywhere.

When most people see an insect they go right for the closest can of insecticide and spray every inch of their house including but not limited to chairs, beds, small children, etc. Research has shown that over use of insecticide is extremely dangerous and can lead to illness. This is somewhat horribly ironic because by trying to solve a problem people created a worse problem that is more harmful.