Bed bugs: Least Toxic Control

Bedbugs are generally confined to bedrooms where they are found mainly on bedding. Both adults and nymphs suck blood at night-time and then hide in crevices such as the seams of mattresses or cracks in a bed frame during the day. They were a severe problem 50 years ago. Although they are currently not so frequent they are likely to become more common again in the future. While they may be associated with poor hygiene they can also come from birds nesting close to a house, bats in an attic, or from a nearby chicken house. See our factsheet on bed bug control for more details.

Physical controls

q       Locate source of infestation (see factsheet)

q       Treat mattress

Ø      Steam cleaning

Ø      Replace mattress

Ø      Heat treatment

service available from

- ServiceMaster

- Ecolab / Thermokil

q       Prevent further infestations by

Ø      Placing legs of beds in cans of soapy water

Ø      Place ring of petroleum jelly around bed legs

Ø      Keep bed away from walls

Least toxic chemical controls

q       Insecticidal soap

available from

- Growell

- Gone Gardening

- Agralan

- Green Gardener

- Suffolk Herbs Ltd