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Behavioral ecology and control of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., in multifamily housing communities
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Cooper, Richard Alan. Behavioral ecology and control of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., in multifamily housing communities. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3NC638W

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TitleBehavioral ecology and control of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., in multifamily housing communities
NameCooper, Richard Alan (author); Wang, Changlu (chair); Hamilton, George C (internal member); Robson, Mark G (internal member); Schal, Coby (outside member); Rutgers University; Graduate School - New Brunswick
Date Created2016
Other Date2016-01 (degree)
SubjectEntomology, Bedbugs--Control, Apartment houses--United States, Pest introduction
Extent1 online resource (xiv, 209 p. : ill.)
DescriptionAfter nearly a fifty-year absence, the bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) has reemerged as a very important urban pest affecting persons of all economic strata. My research was conducted in affordable housing communities for the elderly. These communities suffer disproportionately high infestation rates compared to other housing communities. In my first study, I evaluated the accuracy of commercially available canine scent detection teams to detect bed bugs in apartments and compared the results to detection using pitfall-style traps. The mean detection and false positive (false indication of bed bugs) rate among 11 teams was 44% (10 – 100%) and 15% (0-57%), respectively. In comparison to dogs, placement of traps detected 93% of the infested apartments. The poor performance of canine teams under field conditions reveals the need for further investigation of factors affecting the accuracy of canine detection. In my second study, I used mark-release-recapture (m-r-r) technique to study bed bug movement within and between apartments. I demonstrated that bed bugs travel extensively throughout apartments regardless of their release location (at or away from host feeding sites). Marked bed bugs were also recovered in one or more apartments neighboring 4 of 6 m-r-r units 14-15 days after release. My third study evaluated the effects of various interventions, including mass trapping with traps, in apartments with low-level (≤ 10 bed bugs) infestations. In the first experiment, bed bugs were eliminated without any control intervention (other than traps) in 96% of the apartments with newly identified bed bugs and 96% of those that had recently been treated after 22 weeks. A second experiment demonstrated that the mass trapping contributes to the control of low-level populations. Last, I developed and implemented a model integrated pest management (IPM) program that successfully managed bed bugs at the community-level in an affordable housing community where previous control efforts had failed. The infestation rate was reduced from 15 to 2% within 12 months. Of the existing bed bug infestations, 72% were detected during proactive community-wide inspection of apartments. Proactive inspections and implementation of a rigorous elimination protocol played a major role in the success of the program.
NotePh.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Noteby Richard Alan Cooper
Genretheses, ETD doctoral
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3NC638W
Languageeng
CollectionGraduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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