We all have heard the stories of how bed bugs have made a resurgence in modern cities in the last few years.
They are back in full force and resistant to most of the major chemical pesticides approved for use in homes.
Diatomaceous earth is a well known dust-type pesticide that has been used for decades. It is effective.
In fact, after researching this extensively, I have come to the conclusion that this most inexpensive solution is actually one of the best solutions.
Diatomaceous earth comes in two varieties: food-grade and non food grade. Only the food-grade type should be used for pest control in the home as the other type, such as used in pool filters, is toxic and can cause silicosis if inhaled.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is non-toxic and you can easily apply the dust yourself around skirting boards, floors and cracks in furniture where bed bugs may be hiding. It can even be applied in the seams of your mattress, boxspring and bed frame. A small bellows hand duster is probably the best way to apply a light dusting to surfaces.
The dust will adhere to the shells of the bugs and slowly desiccate them by drawing out their fluids. Diatomaceous earth has a very fine and complex surface that gives it a tremendous surface area for each particle. Natural laws of diffusion cause the fluid in the bug to be drawn out onto the surface of the dust particles. Death is not instantaneous but it does occur over two to three weeks.
The reason this type of dust insecticide is so effective is that the bugs cannot develop a resistance to it and it remains on the surface indefinitely. The only way the dust would be less effective is if it is removed by wiping or vacuuming or if it becomes covered with normal dust. The best solution is to apply the dust and then clean normally with a vacuum every two weeks or so. The dust can be reapplied after cleaning.
Other insecticide dusts on the market contain a powdered silica gel mixed with about 1% pyrethrin. These are effective but are much more expensive. The degree to which they are better than simply using diatomaceous earth is debatable. The pyrethrin only has a residual potency of a week or two and bed bugs have already been found to be resistant to it. The silica gel dust will act as a desiccant of the bugs just as diatomaceous earth but may only be marginally more effective.
Other methods of combating bed bugs quickly become very expensive although the may be needed for a very bad infestation. Steam heat can be used to kill bed bugs and eggs in mattresses and floor boards. A whole house can be heated with a special propane powered blower apparatus to a temperature of 46 to 50 degrees Celsius. The heat will kill bugs and eggs but the cost is very high. And the problem is that heat has no residual killing effect — if all bugs in adjoining areas were not killed they can simply repopulate the treated areas.
There are other chemicals that only licensed exterminators can apply to try to combat bed bugs but these still have limited effect and the exterminator costs will be high. Several treatments over a few weeks are likely required.
Given all this, it seems the best preventative solution a homeowner or apartment dweller can take is to use diatomaceous earth dusted in appropriate areas. Even where an infestation has already been discovered the dust may be the first best control method after a thorough cleaning of the area.
The advantages are clear: diatomaceous earth is inexpensive, no outside service people need be hired to apply it, and it is proven to be effective against bed bugs.
Probably the best source of diatomaceous earth ready to be used as an insecticide is from garden supply stores. This product can be used both indoors and outdoors to control many crawling insects and slugs.
If you have no garden stores local to you, Amazon has hundreds of choices in purchasing diatomaceous earth.