use flashlight to search bedbugs

Has anyone used their flashlight to search for bedbugs at night ?

I used my Eagletac MCX4 to search for bedbugs in my place at 3AM in the morning. I kills at least a dozen of them. I had to buy mattress cover to seal it up to prevent them from laying eggs.

picard said:

Has anyone used their flashlight to search for bedbugs at night ?

I used my Eagletac MCX4 to search for bedbugs in my place at 3AM in the morning. I kills at least a dozen of them. I had to buy mattress cover to seal it up to prevent them from laying eggs.

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Ugh, bummer. Where did you pick them up? How are you going to eradicate them?

You won't solve bedbugs with just a mattress cover. They hide. If you know they haven't infested your whole place you may be able to use bedbug specific foggers for your house. Stay in a hotel, hopefully bedbug free, fog your house for a day or two then you should be safe. A mattress cover is only a weak temporary solution to reduce biting but does nothing to solve the problem. You don't want to let them establish a foothold.

Oh I've checked for bedbugs numerous times with my flashlight. Don't get me wrong, I've never had the darn critters in my bed (knock on wood). I'm a health inspector so it's part of my job. My go-to light for work is a 6P with an M60 drop-in. For the most part this combo works great for my needs, but I found it's too bright searching for bed bugs. I recently got myself a High CRI clicky from HDS. I think the High CRI will be perfect for bedbug hunting, but I haven't used my light for that purpose yet.

I've read on a US based list (dog agility) that bedbugs are getting to be pesticide resistant in many places, and the only effective treatment is heat (which is awkward to do to a whole house). Some of the reports are real horror stories, especially if you bring them home (typically they hide out in your clothes, luggage or anything with small crevices).

Gregozedobe said:

I've read on a US based list (dog agility) that bedbugs are getting to be pesticide resistant in many places, and the only effective treatment is heat (which is awkward to do to a whole house). Some of the reports are real horror stories, especially if you bring them home (typically they hide out in your clothes, luggage or anything with small crevices).

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Cold works too, but it's a hassle to let your place freeze hard.

I'm curious if bed bugs glow under ultraviolet light like scorpions and other insects do? I think that a UV light would be a good addition to my collection for various reasons.

I've only brought home one bed bug once in my travels for work. Luckily, I did not get an infestation.

PCC said:

I'm curious if bed bugs glow under ultraviolet light like scorpions and other insects do? I think that a UV light would be a good addition to my collection for various reasons.

I've only brought home one bed bug once in my travels for work. Luckily, I did not get an infestation.

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They do not. I don't actually know of any insects that do, scorpions are of course not insects.

Agreed. UV light won't work. Regular incan/led light will do fine, you just need to know what to look for.

There's a lot of good "how-to prevent/control bedbug info" on the web so I won't get into that. I wouldn't be surprised that bedbugs are becoming pesticide resistant. But the other reason for using alternatives like heat is to avoid over exposure of pesticides to humans. Heat (i.e. steam) does work, but it has it's own drawbacks. Steam is not long-lasting as the heat dissipates quickly and it cannot penetrate thick materials (e.g. mattresses).

Subjecting bedbugs to freezing temperatures works as well to kill them but the application is limited. Works well for things that you do not want to spray with pesticides, steamed, or washed. Things like books, delicate clothing, shoes, etc. can be bagged and tossed into a household freezer.

Bedbugs don't like Diatomaceous Earth. They also may develop no immunity since the killing is mechanical. Use it as a part of a comprehensive plan to eliminate or prevent infestation. You can get little bottles with nozzles that allow you to squirt the powder into crannies under trim boards and into outlet boxes. Once applied it lasts as long as it's still there.

Safe for kids and pets.

Boil the matress to kill both bedbugs and their eggs

Nice article, zemmo.

Sub_Umbra said:

Nice article, zemmo.

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Thanks, I thought so. I was a little worried I'd get them in Nepal, but didn't even know of any, while we were there. The higher altitudes are too cold for them, but they're possible in other places.