COMBATING BED BUG PESTICIDE RESISTANCE WITH SAFE, ELECTRIC HEAT
The conventional approach to eradicating bed bugs relies on spraying pesticides in areas where these pests tend to hide during the day, such as mattresses, box springs, nightstands, bed frames, and behind framed pictures above your bed.
However, as of 2021, top entomologists and facilities managers have reached a critical consensus: bed bugs have evolved resistance to most pesticides. This alarming development means that these treatments are often futile, as not only do resistant bed bugs survive, but even the non-resistant ones have learned to evade treated areas. As a result, infestations not only spread but also become increasingly complex and costly to address.
Even more concerning is the fact that the surviving, resistant bed bugs can mate and pass their inherited resistance onto their offspring. This cycle perpetuates a growing challenge: each new generation of bed bugs becomes harder to eradicate, rendering traditional pest control methods ineffective. The implications are clear—without a change in approach, homeowners and businesses may find themselves facing an escalating and persistent battle against these resilient pests.
Pesticide resistance is not a new phenomenon, and it didn’t begin with bed bugs. According to an entry in Wikipedia, all insects will eventually develop resistance to chemical pesticides due to the process of natural selection.
If you recall your 7th- or 8th-grade science classes, you likely learned about Charles Darwin’s concept of natural selection. This principle explains that over time, a species will evolve at the molecular level, reinforcing traits that enhance survival while losing traits that are detrimental.
Bed bug resistance to chemically produced insecticides is worsening, despite the pesticide manufacturing industry’s best efforts to keep pace. Since 1945, it is estimated that over 1,000 species of pests have developed resistance to various pesticides.
I have mentioned this before, but it is worth reiterating: the effectiveness of antibiotics is quickly diminishing and is not being replaced as rapidly as humans are developing resistance to them, due to overuse, time, and natural selection. The situation with bed bug resistance to pesticides is no different.
One final point to consider when deciding whether to use pesticides for bed bug control is this: there are currently no chemical sprays available that can kill unhatched bed bug eggs. If you choose the pesticide spray method, your pest control professional will need to return to your home to respray once the eggs have hatched. Customers have reported that these follow-up visits can sometimes extend over 2 to 4 additional weeks to ensure that every single bed bug egg is dealt with.
Listen to what customer Nancy has to say in the video below about the advice she received from three pest control professionals regarding the use of bed bug pesticides in her home, and why she ultimately decided against it.
Due to the ongoing development of resistance among all pests, including bed bugs, to pesticides designed to eliminate them, exposing bed bugs and their unhatched eggs to temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) is the only proven method to achieve 100% elimination in a single treatment, all while preserving your furniture.
An electric bed bug heater is the ultimate weapon against bed bugs and their eggs. Many landlords endorse these heaters, with some claiming that their PestPro Thermal bed bug heaters are among the best investments they have ever made and that they wish they had purchased them sooner.
Several of our customers have struggled for months and, in some cases, spent thousands of dollars attempting a DIY approach or hiring professionals who only used pesticide sprays without incorporating heat treatment.
We encourage you to watch the short video produced by the University of Colorado’s Facilities Manager. In the video, Ed von Bleichert explains how bed bug eggs can remain dormant for weeks or even months, emphasizing that heat, rather than pesticides, is the most effective method for killing bed bugs and their eggs.
UPDATE 01JUN 2022
Read our customer Schendel Pest Services take on Heat vs. Chemicals:
“When used as a primary treatment for eradicating bed bugs, chemicals can be a problem. Bed bugs are a resilient insect in many ways. When they sense danger they flee deep into wall voids and climb up into attic spaces to avoid even the most aggressive chemical treatments, leaving you to face another infestation down the road. Research has shown that modern bed bugs can survive more than 1,000 times the amount of pesticide that was considered lethal to them only 10 years ago. Chemical treatments alone do not effectively arrest a bed bug infestation.Companies that focus on heat treatments as the primary treatment for bed bugs get the job done safer and faster. It usually only takes one heat treatment to rid a property of bed bugs, while a chemical treatment may need to be done three or more times. This can be a serious problem when more than 90% of sprayed pesticides can make their way into air, soil or water. If chemicals are used, it should always be sparingly and in focused locations. The problem for many pest control companies is knowing where to apply pesticides.The bed bug control specialists at Schendel Pest Services rely on heat to destroy bed bugs. Heat is non-toxic and highly effective at killing bed bugs in all stages of development. It leaves no residue or pollution behind.”
For additional information and details on bed bug heating equipment visit this post: The Ultimate Guide to Bed Bug Heaters: Buying a Bed Bug Heater vs Renting
Call or text 970-443-8119 for meaningful answers to your intelligent questions about our bed bug heat treatment equipment.
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