According to a new article in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management titled “Pest Management Strategies for Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) in Multiunit Housing: A Literature Review on Field Studies,” evidence shows that in multifamily housing units preventative bed bug measures are the most effective treatment in reducing the spread of bed bugs among the building.

The article addresses the use of chemical and non chemical treatments, in addition to the importance of ongoing monitoring with bed bug interceptors.

According to the article, most PMPs rely on the use of visual inspections to detect bed bug infestations, however, experts state that bed bug monitors can be more effective at detecting low-level infestations than visual inspections.

Below is an excerpt from the study and its comments on bed bug monitors:

Nationwide surveys recently revealed that visual inspection is the most common method used by PMPs to find bed bugs (Fig. 4; Potter et al. 2015, Sutherland et al. 2015). Although this method can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, PMPs report that visual inspection is an accurate way of detecting infestations (Sutherland et al. 2015). However, some devices have proven to be useful in detecting bed bug infestations not apparent during visual inspection (Wang et al. 2011, Lewis et al. 2013; D. H. G., unpublished data). Lewis et al. (2013) showed that several detection devices were effective at catching bed bugs foraging within a simulated field environment arena during a 24-h period. Pitfall-type interceptors (such as the ClimbUp Insect Interceptor, Susan McKnight, Inc., Memphis, TN; Fig. 4) are relatively inexpensive and effective tools for detecting bed bug infestations as well as for evaluating the effectiveness of bed bug management programs (Wang et al. 2011, Cooper et al. 2015). Attractant-based traps have also been proposed for bed bug detection (Anderson et al. 2009; Singh et al. 2012, 2013a, 2015). A few studies have compared the effectiveness of visual inspections with that of bed bug monitoring devices in detecting bed bugs in multiunit housing communities (Wang et al. 2009a, 2011). Research conducted in low-income housing suggested that both passive (interceptors) and active traps (with attractants, e.g., CDC3000 Cimex Sci-ence LLC, Portland, OR; Night Watch, BioSensory Inc., Putnam, CT; SenSci ActivVolcanoTM Bed Bug Detectors with Lures, BedBug Central, Lawrenceville, NJ) were more effective than visual inspections when detecting the presence of small numbers of bed bugs (Wang et al. 2011, 2016; Gouge, unpublished data).

To read the article in its entirety, click here.