DIY bed bug eradication solution

Dr. Richard Naylor's Bed Bug Research and Insights

Dr. Richard Naylor, associated with Cimex Store and The Bed Bug Foundation CIC, has been studying bed bugs for over 20 years. Together with his wife Alexia and their team near Chepstow, they run a research and development lab focused on bed bugs. This lab tests various products and cultivates bed bugs for research and detection dog training. In this article, Dr. Naylor shares findings from his research and discusses bed bug management strategies for 

Test Bedrooms for Realistic Evaluation

In 2019, Dr. Naylor and his team created two test bedrooms to evaluate bed bug products in a realistic setting. Studying bed bugs is challenging because people usually want them eradicated immediately upon discovery, leaving no time for thorough field trials. Laboratory trials often lack realism, particularly in the presence of a host, which significantly alters bed bug behaviour. A device might perform well in a small lab, but attracting bed bugs in a complex, room-sized environment with a live host is a different challenge.

The test bedrooms simulate infestations and allow for controlled experiments. They resemble normal bedrooms with double beds, bedside tables, carpets, and a window with a blind. One room features a wooden frame bed, while the other has a divan-style bed fitted with an encasement to prevent bugs from hiding inside. Pitfall traps at the doorways prevent bugs from escaping and help assess the impact of treatments on dispersal.

For the past five years, this setup has been used to test traps, monitors, barrier tapes, bed isolation devices, and insecticidal treatments. Bugs are given access to a human host (Dr. Naylor) weekly to provide nourishment and trigger natural foraging and harbouring behaviour. One room is used for short-term studies with fixed numbers of bugs, while the second room allows for more natural infestations over a longer period.

Infrared time-lapse cameras observe bed bug behaviour, showing how they interact with monitoring devices or treated surfaces. If a trap performs poorly, the videos can reveal whether bugs are avoiding traps or entering and escaping, providing valuable insights for product development.

Discoveries and Recommendations

Dr. Naylor's team collaborated with engineering students from KTH Royal Institute of Technology on a monitoring device that uses heat and carbon dioxide (CO2) from a cylinder to attract bed bugs. Infrared cameras allowed them to observe the impact of CO2 release on bed bug behaviour, helping optimize the device.

They also studied Nattaro Safe (Insectosec Barrier Tape), a self-adhesive paper tape containing diatomaceous earth (DE), designed as a long-lasting preventive measure against bed bugs. When installed to form a continuous barrier around sleeping areas, the tape resulted in an 86% reduction in bed bug numbers after six weeks compared to untreated controls. While control populations grew exponentially, those in rooms with barrier tape declined, with surviving bugs being unhealthy and laying few eggs.

Currently, they are testing Aprehend, a suspension of entomopathogenic fungal spores (Beauveria bassiana) from ConidioTec (USA). Applied as a narrow barrier around bed frames and legs, the spores infect and kill bed bugs within about a week. Initial results are promising, and Aprehend, already popular in the USA and Canada, may soon be available in Europe.

Bed Bug Spread in Late 2023

Despite media reports of a bed bug surge from Paris to London, the situation is more nuanced. While there has been an increase, it's important to contextualize this rise.

Historical Context of Bed Bug Infestations

The Rise:

Bed bugs evolved alongside cave-dwelling bats, transitioning to human hosts when early humans lived in caves thousands of years ago. Historical records show bed bugs plagued ancient civilizations, but the first record in the British Isles was in 1583, likely introduced via cargo ships. Initially, their spread was slow due to the cool climate. Bed bug activity is temperature-dependent; below 13°C, they become inactive, cease feeding, and their eggs don't hatch. Improvements in housing, heating, and transportation facilitated their spread. By the 17th and 18th centuries, bed bugs were widespread in the UK, with nearly 11% of homes in British cities infested by the 1930s.

The Fall:

From 1934 to 1943, slum clearance and improved living standards reduced bed bug infestations. The introduction of DDT and other organochlorine insecticides in the mid-1940s significantly controlled bed bugs, making them increasingly rare throughout the 1950s. For nearly 50 years, bed bugs were scarcely seen.

The Resurgence:

In the late 1990s, bed bug numbers began to rise globally due to factors such as low-cost travel and increased human population density. Many potent insecticides were withdrawn for health or environmental reasons, leading to widespread resistance to remaining options.

Impact of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the hospitality sector and restricted people's movement. This provided an opportunity to address bed bug issues effectively. By 2021, bed bugs had nearly disappeared from these sectors, with data from the Swiss Pest Advisory Service indicating 2021 saw the lowest bed bug levels since 2013. However, bed bugs in residential areas, particularly low-income and sheltered housing, were less affected, and social distancing likely exacerbated these infestations. As travel restrictions lifted in early 2022, bed bugs quickly returned, prompting media attention in late 2023. Despite this, bed bug outbreaks in Paris do not significantly impact London or other areas. Bed bugs have been globally distributed for centuries, thriving in warmer environments and dense human populations.

Future Outlook

Most professional residual insecticides for bed bug control are primarily pyrethroid-based, but their overuse has led to widespread resistance. In buildings with multiple occupants, bed bugs can easily move between rooms or apartments, making chemical control alone challenging. Therefore, it's important to consider various options.

Diatomaceous Earth:

Including DE-barrier tape can provide long-lasting residual protection, although its effectiveness can be reduced by high humidity, especially when used with steam.

Bed Isolation Devices: 

Such as Climbup Insect Interceptors, help break the re-infestation cycle and limit dispersal. 

Encasements:

For bed bases, these prevent bugs from hiding inside, making detection and treatment easier, and simplifying future inspections.

While not every solution fits every situation, a growing range of tools is available for effective bed bug control.