The authors suggested that bed bugs avoided yellow and green colors since those colors resemble areas of intense lighting, rather than darker reds and blacks.
This is further supported by the bed bugs' distinct dislike of lighter colors, particularly white, yellow and green. This may be because these colors seem light-bright to the bugs or possible that the lighter color offers less concealment, according to a Washington Post article covering the study.
Bed bugs are on this list. In 2009, EPA and CDC collaborated on a joint statement to highlight the public health impacts of bed bugs . Myth: Bed bugs won't come out if the room is brightly lit. Reality: While bed bugs prefer darkness, keeping the light on at night won't deter these pests from biting you.
Encase mattresses and box springs in protective plastic covers. Vacuum frequently, especially in areas near where you sleep. Cut down on clutter in your home, which will eliminate some hiding places for bed bugs. If you live in an apartment or other shared housing, try to close off your unit.
These sneaky creatures will feast on exposed areas of your skin, but they can't bite through fabric. Lower your risk of getting bedbug bites by wearing long-sleeved pajamas with pants while sleeping. But be mindful that bedbugs can find their way to your skin under loose clothing.
Bed bugs are sensitive to strong smells and certain scents can help keep them away. Essential oils like lavender, tea tree and peppermint are popular choices. These oils not only smell good but also act as natural repellents.
Cockroaches. When it comes to bed bug predators cockroaches are at the top of our list. They not only eat adult and nymph bed bugs they also feed on bed bug eggs.
Courtesy of its insecticidal properties, tea tree oil is an effective natural remedy to kill bed bugs instantly. You can spray the tea tree oil on furniture joints, headboards, cracks, and corners.
If bed bugs have one weakness, it's that they're intolerant of extremely high or low temperatures. Washing clothes and bedding at the highest possible setting followed by drying for at least 30 minutes at high heat should do the trick. You can also freeze clothing or other objects you suspect of being infested.
Although it sounds like a grim choice, it is best to continue sleeping in the infested area using the population reduction methods described above, until the bed bugs are eliminated.
A good pest control service might be your first thought, but they'll probably struggle, too. And it can get horribly expensive. Luckily UVC light kills bedbugs fast and efficiently.
Using Vaseline For Bed Bugs
While this could stop the bed bugs from traveling up the bed, it won't kill them. Bed bugs will find another way to a food source. They have been known to climb up walls and drop from the ceiling, and they can also jump, so they can probably jump right past the vaseline.
The smooth and slick surface of tightly woven nylon makes it difficult for bed bugs to gain a foothold, making it an excellent choice for furniture upholstery and bedding. Similarly, polyester is another material that bed bugs hate.
A scientific report, that researchers at Tohoku University wrote, found that certain species of insects were killed by wavelengths of visible light. For example, blue light at a wavelength of 467 nm was nearly 100% lethal to fruit fly pupae, while ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 378 nm was only 40% lethal.
To lure bed bugs out of their hiding spots, you can use a steamer or a hairdryer to heat areas such as mattresses. Neither of these is hot enough to kill the bed bugs, but it can trick them into thinking a human host is near. You can also keep an eye out at night to locate their nests when they are most active.
Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids: Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are the most common compounds used to control bed bugs and other indoor pests. Pyrethrins are botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemical insecticides that act like pyrethrins.
Essential oils. While essential oils like tea tree, lavender, and peppermint are popularly recommended for DIY bed bug treatments due to their strong scents and supposed insect-repellent properties, there is not much scientific evidence to support their effectiveness in eradicating bed bug infestations.
Tea tree oil, renowned for its antibacterial properties, is like a natural bug repellent that bed bugs can't stand. Peppermint oil, with its invigorating minty freshness, overwhelms their acute senses. And eucalyptus oil, known for its refreshing aroma, is a formidable deterrent against these tiny intruders.
Bed bugs are not known to spread pathogens through their bites. Bed bug bites can be itchy and stressful. Do not squish a bed bug as it will release the blood and any pathogens it may be carrying.
Bed bugs do not like to climb or stay on smooth plastic materials. Placing small items in plastic containers or in sealed heavy-duty plastic bags will prevent bed bugs from infesting the items. In an infested home, placing clutter in plastic containers will make bed bug elimination efforts easier.
While some people believe that the strong smell of VapoRub might repel bed bugs, there is no reliable data to support this claim.
Currently there are no insect repellents registered for use against bed bugs that can be applied to human skin. The Pesticide Specialist also explained that using outdoor products indoors is not only against the law, it may cause the bed bugs to spread out from one or two hiding places to several.