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Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

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Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#81

Post by jp57 »

koolba wrote: post #28
jp57 wrote: post #26

The obvious answer is centipedes. If you are going to have to tolerate any kind of bug in your house, Scutigera Coleoptrata, the common house centipede, is the one to have. These creepy, long-legged brown centipedes were familiar to everyone I knew growing up in the northeastern US. They are shy of people and tend to stay in the basement at night and only come out at night when it's dark, cool, and quiet (increasing…

If you have centipedes in your house then de facto you have other bugs. They’re strictly carnivores. So as cool and helpful as they are, their continued existence indicates you have other problems as well. Best to consider them like Sully in the movie Commando: “ I like you. I’m gonna kill you last. ”

This is like saying that the continued existence of Burmese pythons in the Everglades implies that the small mammals (and other python prey) are definitely doing fine and their numbers are just as high as always, of course, because otherwise all the pythons would be dead.

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#82

Post by calamari4065 »

dom96 wrote: post #79
Citizen_Lame wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3. Spread the diatomaceous earth all over the floor. Don't be shy and over do it. It wont work immediately but in 7 days or more they are dead.

Is it safe to use this to avoid any possible bed bug outbreaks? or are there any risks that outweigh the benefit of it defending against possible bed bugs? I've been thinking about spreading it around every so often under my bed (plus around my bedroom) just in case.

It's generally considered safe. It's sold as an additive to livestock feed, though I don't know what the purpose there is.

It's very finely ground volcanic rock. The particulates have very sharp edges which shred insect exoskeletons. It doesn't hurt your skin though.

It might cause a problem if inhaled, similar to silicosis but that's mostly a guess.

Some people leave a line of it on windowsills or door thresholds to keep bugs out, but it's a fine powder that gets everywhere and makes a mess. Personally I wouldn't leave it around but that's up to you

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#83

Post by jbaber »

ThrowawayR2 wrote: post #51
lm28469 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might as well use this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

There are caveats to using diatomaceous earth. If inhaled, it'll do to your airways what it does to insects. You'd want to avoid disturbing it or placing any where airflow from heating ducts, fans, etc. might blow across it to prevent it from floating around in the air.

The reason to use fossilized diatoms instead of something synthesized is specifically so that you won't get silicosis from too much crystallized silica. But I agree, just sprinkling it liberally around your house as some kind of preventative measure sounds like way more exposure than I'd be comfortable with.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth#Safety_cons...

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#84

Post by jbaber »

cassepipe wrote: post #39

If you ever have bed bugs, do yourself a favor and buy water vapor gun, with a large tank. Adults and larvae die at 60 degrees so vapor is like the nuclear option to them. Also it's non-toxic to you, it doesn't stain and the vapor can penetrate anything anywhere. For example : https://www.kaercher.com/fr/home-garden/nettoyeurs-vapeur/sc...

Even in French, it doesn't call it a gun. But I like this name. I'm calling my steam cleaner a "vapor gun" from now on. :)

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#85

Post by Modified3019 »

dom96 wrote: post #79
Citizen_Lame wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3. Spread the diatomaceous earth all over the floor. Don't be shy and over do it. It wont work immediately but in 7 days or more they are dead.

Is it safe to use this to avoid any possible bed bug outbreaks? or are there any risks that outweigh the benefit of it defending against possible bed bugs? I've been thinking about spreading it around every so often under my bed (plus around my bedroom) just in case.

You want “food grade” diatomaceous, which is reasonably safe. Personally I wouldn’t use it preemptively, only when there’s a suspected problem. I would wear a mask when applying.

“Pool grade” diatomaceous earth should not be used, it is hazardous to be around as it’s structure was changed by heating.

https://www.diatomaceousearth.com/blogs/learning-center/begi...

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#86

Post by jbaber »

koolba wrote: post #28
jp57 wrote: post #26

The obvious answer is centipedes. If you are going to have to tolerate any kind of bug in your house, Scutigera Coleoptrata, the common house centipede, is the one to have. These creepy, long-legged brown centipedes were familiar to everyone I knew growing up in the northeastern US. They are shy of people and tend to stay in the basement at night and only come out at night when it's dark, cool, and quiet (increasing…

If you have centipedes in your house then de facto you have other bugs. They’re strictly carnivores. So as cool and helpful as they are, their continued existence indicates you have other problems as well. Best to consider them like Sully in the movie Commando: “ I like you. I’m gonna kill you last. ”

My house isn't a sealed system, though, at the bug-sized level. Having some sentries whose diet is invaders seems good to me.

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#87

Post by UncleOxidant »

Citizen_Lame wrote: post #62
caesil wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's how we got rid of them ourselves for cheap: 1. Bought a bedbug-proof encasement for every mattress and pillow. Seals them in and they starve. 2. Bought a handheld steam cleaner and steamed every seam on every piece of furniture.

3. Spread the diatomaceous earth all over the floor. Don't be shy and over do it. It wont work immediately but in 7 days or more they are dead.

Don't you have to be careful not to breathe that stuff since it's composed if tiny silica spikes? You'd need to wear a respirator in your house.

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#88

Post by UncleOxidant »

calamari4065 wrote: post #82
dom96 wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it safe to use this to avoid any possible bed bug outbreaks? or are there any risks that outweigh the benefit of it defending against possible bed bugs? I've been thinking about spreading it around every so often under my bed (plus around my bedroom) just in case.

It's generally considered safe. It's sold as an additive to livestock feed, though I don't know what the purpose there is. It's very finely ground volcanic rock. The particulates have very sharp edges which shred insect exoskeletons. It doesn't hurt your skin though. It might cause a problem if inhaled, similar to silicosis but that's mostly a guess. Some people leave a line of it on windowsills or door thresholds to…

> It's very finely ground volcanic rock.

No. "Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a natural substance called silica." http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#89

Post by Modified3019 »

weatherlight wrote: post #4

We had a house centipede infestation when I lived in NYC. It was awesome. No bed bugs. No roaches except in the end of summer, (the giant flying variety and it was really just the month of August when the humidity is out of control they would come out of the drains.) No bugs in general. Those house centipedes ate everything.

Same, had an old house in Michigan that would otherwise have been prone to filling up with orb-weaver type spiders if not for the centipedes. They’d also quickly vacuum up the wolf spiders that would try to invade whenever it rained.

Apparently house centipedes can live for up to about 7 years, and need a few years to reach breeding age.

Re: Getting rid of bed bugs: trickier than ever

#90

Post by thaumasiotes »

calamari4065 wrote: post #82
dom96 wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it safe to use this to avoid any possible bed bug outbreaks? or are there any risks that outweigh the benefit of it defending against possible bed bugs? I've been thinking about spreading it around every so often under my bed (plus around my bedroom) just in case.

It's generally considered safe. It's sold as an additive to livestock feed, though I don't know what the purpose there is. It's very finely ground volcanic rock. The particulates have very sharp edges which shred insect exoskeletons. It doesn't hurt your skin though. It might cause a problem if inhaled, similar to silicosis but that's mostly a guess. Some people leave a line of it on windowsills or door thresholds to…

> It's very finely ground volcanic rock.

Wikipedia is pretty clear that it's finely ground fossils. (It also says that it's sedimentary rock, as is necessary for fossils. Fossils can't be volcanic rock; their structure would be destroyed by melting.)

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