Are bed bugs here to stay?

[wayfarer]

Interesting but concerning article in today's paper.

https://m.independent.ie/life/bed-b...rced-to-live-with-them-lecturer-36404418.html

 

[t2andreo]

My question, if faced with endemic bed bugs in an established residential context, as described in the article (see above link) would be, do they have any predators whose presence would be more acceptable in a home, e.g. lady bugs, small gecko lizards, etc.

Most every pest has an effective and more desirable predator that might be introduced to maintain a balance.

 

[Bradypus]

Most every pest has an effective and more desirable predator that might be introduced to maintain a balance.

Sorry @t2andreo but your suggestion of using biological control instantly brought to mind this passage from the late great Sir Terry Pratchett's Making Money

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I´ll take a house-mongoose over a bedbug any day!

 

[elizason]

My mom told me when she was a little girl her mother would boil water and right before bedtime would pour scalding hot water along the edges of all the beds so the kids could sleep bedbug Bite-Free.... this was a good 70 years ago. That was my grandmas method.

 

[trecile]

My mom told me when she was a little girl her mother would boil water and right before bedtime would pour scalding hot water along the edges of all the beds so the kids could sleep bedbug Bite-Free.... this was a good 70 years ago. That was my grandmas method.

A high power steamer would be the modern way to do this.
https://www.bedbugs.umn.edu/bed-bug-control-in-residences/steamers

 

[VNwalking]

I´ll take a house-mongoose over a bedbug any day!

Haha...one more being for the Peaceable ark.
Only thing is that mongooses eat cobras and not bedbugs.
Unless, maybe...well, what size of bedbugs are you thinking of?
I wouldn't want to even see a bedbug big enough to interest a mongoose, let alone sleep with it.

 

[elizason]

I once had a very serious takeover from fleas they are no joking matter.
They just loved to bite me. I used modern methods which worked for about a month then the fleas which also are able to lay dormant for extended lengths of time awoke ! the nightmare began.
My neighbor told me to get Borax Mule Team Detergent and spread on all fabric/stuffed material tops such as sofas, carpets beds etc
It was a bit of a mess initially but this worked they were smothered !
I got rid of carpet and to this day only use area rugs. Best wishes in the battle

 

[Kent Davis]

Bed Bugs are an epidemic, they are here to stay because the preventative and exterminating measures are not fully sufficient. Exterminating is done by either heat or chemicals for the most part and the bugs tend to be capable in cases of avoiding these solutions and they lay so many eggs so rapidly that if you are not 100% successful, it is hard to make progress. Interestingly, there is no predator I am aware of that would help the situation but beagles (dogs) are used to identify the bugs - this is the highest level of technology.

 

[JohnCP43]

Re concept of introducing natural predators - an intriguing concept but the results of introducing non-native species of plants, fish, birds, other animals for a variety of well intentioned purposes has generally not been successful and in some cases has been an ecological disaster. Now as an alternative, the introduction of sterile animals into the breeding pool has shown promise in some instances. I suspect however the surgery to neuter a bedbug, even a large one would be tricky and well beyond my skills as a retired Pediatrician.

 

[clearskiescamino]

Bed bugs are part of Camino life, we just have to accept that.

 

[SYates]

Yes, they are here to stay, actually they come back again and no, apart of a rather ugly looking spider there are very few effective bed bug predators around - sadly. Buen Camino sin chinches, SY

 

[onwayhome]

Discovering there is a Masked Bed Bug Hunter has made my day. And no I didn't just make it up.
Unfortunately they do bite people if there aren't enough bed bugs to go round -but it would at least make a change for pilgrims.

 

[C clearly]

Bed bugs are part of Camino life, we just have to accept that.

Yes, I agree with you. BUT, we need to be careful not to be complacent and let things get worse. The people who insist there are no (or few) bedbugs can add to the problem. I recommend some basic measures for everyone, such as putting packs into airtight bags at albergues, with thorough heat treatment after any encounter and always upon leaving the camino. Heat treatment is very effective and safe.

That article did not say that bed bugs cannot be eradicated from a residence. It says that it is getting more difficult, and many residents in poor affected neighbourhoods have given up on doing so, instead accepting that they must "live with them." That probably means that they don't have the time and resources to be successful and maybe that they are not allergic to them.

 

[FamPed]

I recommend some basic measures for everyone, such as putting packs into airtight bags at albergues.

Can anyone recommend a bag that is big enough for a 45L backpack?

 

[C clearly]

Can anyone recommend a bag that is big enough for a 45L backpack?

Search for "pack liners." For example, this one (expensive, but likely you can find a less expensive one). Alternatively, you can use a plastic garbage bag although it won't be as durable, and if it has holes, it won't serve the purpose!

 

[WGroleau]

Unfortunately they do bite people if there aren't enough bed bugs to go round -but it would at least make a change for pilgrims.

Wikipedia says they don't feed on people but they will bite in self-defense—painfully!

 

[FamPed]

Thanks @C clearly . I though it was liners you ment, just wasn't sure. Do you just use it right before it gets dark and over night? Or do you use it the hole time in the albergue? (I have never encounted bedbugs in my life, but they are getting more common here in Sweden to.)

 

[Pilgrim9]

Businesses that sell shipping and packaging supplies are a possible source of large clear polyethylene bags. Try Googling “plastic bags [name of your city]”. I do not recommend use of opaque bags such as garbage bags, due to the very real risk that your bagged pack might be mistaken for garbage and be discarded in your absence.