applying the central tenets of integrated pest management to bed bug infestations

Applying the central tenets of

IPM to bed bug infestations

Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program

Andrew Sutherland

Bay Area Urban IPM Advisor

UCCE and UC IPM

A new Advisor?!

• Andrew Sutherland: Bay Area Urban IPM

Advisor

– Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San

Mateo, Santa Clara counties

– Professional / commercial landscape IPM

– Structural / industrial IPM

• [email protected]

• http://ucanr.edu/sites/urbanIPM/

mailto:[email protected]

Outline of presentation

• The what, why, where and who of IPM

• Central tenets of IPM

• IPM for bed bugs

– Education: biology, ecology

– Prevention of bed bug infestation

– Bed bug monitors and detection

– Thresholds for nuisance pests?

– Multiple tactics for bed bug management

– IPM program evaluation

What exactly is integrated pest

management (IPM)?

• ‘a decision-based process involving

coordinated use of multiple tactics for

optimizing the control of all classes of pests

(insects, pathogens, weeds, vertebrates) in

an ecologically and economically sound

manner’

• R.J. Prokopy, 2003

OK……so…

• simultaneous management of multiple

pests;

• regular monitoring of pests, and their

natural enemies and antagonists as well;

• use of economic or treatment thresholds

when applying pesticides;

• integrated use of multiple, suppressive

tactics.

• L. E. Ehler, 2006

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Treatment Thresholds

• Multiple Tactics

• Integration

• Evaluation

Central tenets of IPM

Why Urban IPM?

• Urban surface water contamination levels

(w / pesticides) 2 – 3 X higher than that of

surface water in production ag areas

– Diazinon and chlorpyrifos (Bailey et al 2000)

– Pyrethroids (Weston et al 2005; Amweg et al

2006)

– Fipronil (Lin et al 2009)

Problems with pesticide use in

urban areas

• Surface water, soil, groundwater

contamination

• Human health concerns

• Disruption of ecosystem

• Economic costs

• Public perception

Problems with pesticide use in

urban areas

Major users of pesticides in

urban areas

• General (residential) public

• Homeowners / tenants

• Property owners / managers

• Pest management professionals (PMPs)

• Government agencies

• Agriculture

• Non-crop systems: ornamental nurseries

• Urban ag systems

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Treatment Thresholds


• Integration

• Evaluation

Central tenets of IPM

• Education

• Biology

• True bug (Heteroptera / Hemiptera)

• Piercing-sucking mouthparts

• Wingless

• Incomplete / gradual

metamorphosis

• Obligate haematophages

IPM for bed bugs

Other true bugs

• Pests

• Predators

• Some parasites

• Piercing-sucking

mouthparts

• All feed on

liquids

Heteroptera: Cimicidae

• Education

• Biology

• Ecology

• Nest parasites (require harborage)

• Development requires regular blood

meals

• Can survive months to years

without feeding

IPM for bed bugs

Good bed bug harborage = dark,

protected from cold, heat, moisture,

within 2m of host, wood, paper or fabric

Blood meal required prior to molting,

egg-laying

Bat bugs? Swallow bugs?

• Related species

• Attack bats and birds

• Occasionally invade

homes

• IPM involves

management of hosts

• Length of hairs on

pronotum > diameter

of eye

• Education

• Prevention

• Of introduction

• Education and communication

• Traveling precautions

• Second-hand furniture

• Infested personal items

IPM for bed bugs

Education for Prevention

Traveling precautions

• Inquire as to bed bug history

• Inspect room before unpacking

– Start with mattress (seams, tufts)

– Box spring, head board, bed frame

– Under / in bedside furniture

– Baseboards (within 2m of bed)

– Behind wall hangings

– Carpet joints

Traveling precautions

• Inquire as to bed bug history

• Inspect room before unpacking

• Consider sealing luggage

• Store luggage on tile surface or on luggage

rack, avoid placing near bed, on upholstered

surfaces

• Report suspected infestation and then

change rooms ASAP

• Vacuum luggage, wash clothes, properly

store luggage upon return home

The dangers of secondhand

furniture…

• Education

• Prevention

• Of introduction

• Of establishment

• Elimination of harborage sites

• Encasements / barriers

• Appropriate sanitation and

maintenance

IPM for bed bugs

Make rooms ‘bed bug unfriendly’

More prevention of introduction /

establishment (new tenants)

• Inspection

• Preventative heat treatments

• Mattress encasements

Consideration of ‘clutter’

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Visual / manual inspection

• Bugs, eggs, exuviae, fecal spots,

blood smears / spots

• Bed bug monitors

• Canine detection

IPM for bed bugs

Bed bug signs

Bed bug inspection

Bed bug monitors

• Active monitors

– Employ some attractant

• CO2

• Heat

• Pheromones / kairomones

– Can detect bugs in absence of host

• Passive monitors

– Harborage or pitfall traps

• Interceptor traps

Bed bug monitor efficacy research

(Vernard Lewis laboratory, UC

Berkeley)

http://www.pestboard.ca.gov/howdoi/

research/monitors_bedbug.pdf

Bed bug monitors: summary

• Active monitors in absence of host

• All tested able to attract bugs…

• Best for detection, evaluation purposes

• Easier to inspect than furniture

• More monitors, more time = better

• Proper placement is key

Canine Detection

Canine Detection

• Classical conditioning

• Potential for very high accuracy (> 90%)

• Potential for false positive detection

• Canine team requires constant training,

re-conditioning

• 3rd party certification

• Should always be confirmed with visual

/ manual inspection by trained PCO

Canine Detection Accuracy

Pest Control Technology: pctonline.com; August 2011

Certification important, but…SHOW ME THE BUGS!

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Thresholds?

• Is one bug too many?

• State, county mandates

• Liability

• Hypersensitive immune responses

IPM for bed bugs

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Thresholds


• Mechanical / nonchemical

• Biological?

• Chemical

IPM for bed bugs

Mechanical / Nonchemical Tactics

• Disposal of infested items (clearly marked)

• Barriers (previously discussed)

• Laundering

• Vacuum (provide HEPA filter)

• Steam

• Heat (> 45oC or > 115oF)

• Cold (below freezing)

Disposal of bed bug infested items

• Not always necessary

• Items should be sealed, if possible

• Consider rendering unusable

• Items should be clearly marked as

infested

• Consider

encasements or

heat as alternatives

Laundering infested items

• Water temperature should be as hot as

possible (60oC; 140oF)

• Tumble dry at ‘hot’ setting for > 30

minutes, until dry if items wet

• Consider dissolving laundry bags

Vacuuming bed bugs

• Make sure HEPA filter in place

• Use of brushes not advised

• Target known harborages

Steam application for bed bug control

• Kills all stages

• Often used before chemical applications

• Low vapor flow, high temperature best

• Check treated surfaces with infrared

– Should be ≥ 160oF

• Reduce flow rate if possible

Extreme heat and cold

• Heat treatments

– Gas or electric heat sources

– > 45oC or > 115oF, 2-6 hours, dep on temp

– Must be ramped up QUICKLY

– Enclosed treatments best

• Cold treatments (below freezing)

– Not always practical for large items

– Hours to days, depending on temp

Biological control for bed bugs?

• Masked hunter (assassin bug)

– Native to Europe, common in

east, central US

– Preys on bed bugs during all life

stages

– Can bite humans in defense

• Entomopathogenic fungi

– Beauveria bassiana

– Efficacy proven in lab

– Penn State

Chemical control of bed bugs

• Liquids

– pyrethrin

– Pyrethroids

– Neonicotinoid / pyrethroid combinations

– Pyrrole: chlorfenapyr

– Insect growth regulator: hydroprene

– Cold-pressed neem cake

– Botanicals and other oils


• Liquids

– pyrethrin

– Pyrethroids






Natural (sometimes considered

organic) materials; contact

knockdown, but little residual

activity


• Liquids

– pyrethrin

– Pyrethroids






Most commonly-used, offer

knockdown and residual

activity…OVER-RELIANCE MAY

BE DRIVING RESISTANCE


• Liquids

– pyrethrin

– Pyrethroids






Reduced-risk materials; generally

take longer than pyrethroids to kill

bugs, may be good choice when

dealing with resistant populations


• Liquids

– pyrethrin

– Pyrethroids






Newly registered material; long

history of use in agriculture;

manufacturer claims contact,

residual, and repellency


• Liquids

• Solids (powder, dusts)

– Borates

– Diatomaceous earth (DE)

– Silica

– Limestone

– Formulations of pyrethrins, pyrethroids


• Liquids


– Borates


– Silica

– Limestone


Questionable efficacy

since requires

grooming, ingestion

(stomach poison)


• Liquids


– Borates


– Silica

– Limestone


Desiccants: break down

waxy cuticle of insect,

insect dies slowly due to

water loss


• Liquids


– Borates


– Silica

– Limestone


Activity, mode of action

similar to as discussed

for liquid formulations


• Liquids


– Borates


– Silica

– Limestone


Must remain dry to retain efficacy, have potential to

remain active for long period of time…


• Liquids


• Fumigation

– sulfuryl fluoride

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Thresholds


• Integration

• No tactic should interfere with another

IPM for bed bugs

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Thresholds


• Integration

• Evaluation

• Monitor for population changes

• Resistant population?

IPM for bed bugs

• Education

• Prevention

• Monitoring

• Thresholds


• Integration

• Evaluation

IPM for bed bugs

Thanks!...Questions?

• Andrew Sutherland

• Bay Area Urban IPM Advisor

• [email protected]

• http://ucanr.edu/sites/urbanIPM/

• 510-777-2481 office

• 510-499-2930 cell

• 1131 Harbor Bay Parkway; Alameda

mailto:[email protected]