NOTE: If you stayin Saint Louis you may want to avoid the Saum Apartments. That is where I developed this process.
The solution that finally gave relief is diagrammed below. This trap works on the principle that bed bugs can not climb on slippery surfaces such as the plastic sheeting utilized. After implementing it the bedbugs that I found in the morning looked more emaciated by the week. At first they regularly showed up every morning. Within 3 weeks they were not showing up in the morning any more on any sort of regular basis. After about 1 month they stopped showing up in the morning except for one at the 2 month mark. This solution is a good one because replacing the mattress would have resulted in it being infested by the hold outs in the carpet.
PLEASE NOTE: Your sheets and blankets must stay on the top flat surface of the bed. Avoid draping over the edge of the bed or you will give your little friends a way to latch on and climb up to feast on you.
Links – In use
- AllerEase BedBug Mattress Cover
- Plastic sheeting wrapped around the mattress to cover sides with slippery material. Realized this was a good technique after seeing how bedbugs can not move well in diatomaceous earth. Highly effective. Cheapest solution to avoid bites. Plastic Sheeting from Home Depot
- BedBug and Flea Insecticide – very short term in effects
- Diatomaceous Earth – Mighty slow in effect. Main effect I can see is that they can not get their footing. They do not do well on slippery surfaces. You can fill in cracks but still not sure that helps. Try the other stuff first.
Discontinued Strategies
- CO2 Alka Seltzer Bed Bug Trap – results: One minor bug trapped. Useless. Discontinued.
- Pf Harris BBTRP Bed Bug Traps – 2-Pack This will be my indicator as to if they have returned. On order. Arrived: Useless. No apparent baiting. Just a sticky surface for if they manage to track through.
Heating Strategies
Mattress Heating Strategy #1: Plastic sealing up 10x10x10 cube around mattress and box spring. 2 1500 watt heaters on. Only made it up to 94 degrees on a 70 degree day. Need better heaters!. Plastic Sheeting from Home Depot used.
Mattress Heat treat strategy parts required
- SSR (solid state relay)
- metal pipe 3 feet long minimum
- slippery box spring stands to get the bed up off the floor
- Heat gun
Other Strategies
- BedBug Resistant BeautyRest Memory Foam Topper – Treated with neem oil
- As Seen On TV FabriClear for Bed Bugs
- Neem Oil
- Bed Bug Patches – Vitamin B1 Many doubters on the net
Locations
We are occupying BedBugLandia. Thus the correct attitude is continuing vigilance. I woke up bite free after initial application of above noted measures. I found 2 bedbug Billys at the base of the bed. Vacuumed around the base of the bed and did an inter mattress inspection. It's going to be a long occupation.
Notes
- Adult bed bugs live about 10 months, though some may live substantially longer. 3 months is cited as a more reasonable figure in moderate weather.
- Bed bugs can live a year without feeding
- BedBugs on wikipedia
The simple truth is life was better there before "div__sity".
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