Source: RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY submitted to
PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH AND URBAN ENVIRONMENT THROUGH INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1001098
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
NJ08127
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 31, 2013
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Wang, CH.
Recipient Organization
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
3 RUTGERS PLZA
NEW BRUNSWICK,NJ 08901-8559
Performing Department
Entomology
Non Technical Summary
Integrated pest management (IPM) programs have been recognized as more effective to manage urbanpests and reduce pesticide use. An effective IPM program takes consideration of pest biology and ecology. Therefore, our next 5-year project will focus on developing effective IPM programs. Through basic and applied research on pest biology, behavior, ecology, and various control techniques, we will design, test, and disseminate new and improved pest management solutions. We will deliver the research findings to the public by: 1) publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals and trade journals; 2) maintaining an urban pest management web site; 3) presenting research findings at professional meetings; 4) conducting workshops and training to pest management professionals; and 5) preparing audience-appropriate extension publications. By reducing pesticide applications and more effectively controlling urban pests, food contamination and adverse impact to human health from pesticide use and pest infestation can be minimized.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2163110113080%
7215220113020%
Knowledge Area
216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems; 721 - Insects and Other Pests Affecting Humans;

Subject Of Investigation
3110 - Insects; 5220 - Pesticides;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;
Goals / Objectives
Develop practical and effective solutions for managing urban pests such asbed bugs, cockroaches, ants, andtermites.
Project Methods
We will conduct both laboratory and field experiments to determine how bed bugs locate their hosts, their spatial distribution patterns, and their dispersal behavior. Experimental arenas and naturally-infested residences will be used in these studies. Our previous studies showed that bed bug behavior is affected by feeding status and strain. They are attracted to carbon dioxide, heat, and chemical lure. Their distribution in a naturally-infested home varies with the host behavior, population levels, clutter present in the home, etc. In the laboratory, we will use different sizes of arenas and observe how bed bugs move around in relation to the presence/absence of a host cue, a vertical object, time after feeding, etc. In the field, we will place monitors in numerous locations within an apartment to determine the bed bug spatial distribution patterns and analyze the association between bed bug distribution and pest control treatment, location of furniture where resident sleeps or rests on, bed bug infestation history, population level. We will place 20-30 bed bug monitors per infested apartment and their surrounding apartments (left, right, above, below) to determine the spatial distribution patterns of bed bugs and dispersal of bed bugs. We will improve current bed bug detection tools through three steps: 1) screening for more effective bed bug lures, 2) developing a convenient and inexpensive carbon dioxide source and release method, and 3) evaluate new bed bug trap designs in naturally infested apartments. We will extract volatile compounds from worn socks and analyze the components and their attractiveness to bed bugs using olfactometers. The most effective compounds will be further evaluated in arenas and/or in the field. The effective attractants will then be combined with carbon dioxide or heat to test their synergistic or additive effects. Our past studies showed that both passive (without lure) and active (with lure) monitors are valuable tools in bed bug management. Passive monitors are suitable in occupied rooms. Active monitors are suitable under all conditions but more effective in un-occupied rooms. The current monitors can be improved by modifying the trap design or the lures. We will test various designs and lures in the laboratory or in the field using similar methods as described in Singh et al. (2012). A critical step in effective bed bug management is early detection. Resident report or visual inspections are unreliable in our field studies. To eliminate bed bugs economically and effectively, and minimize their spread, a proactive monitoring program must be in place. We will test a proactive monitoring program in multi-unit dwellings. The program consists of interviews, installing monitors in suspected units, and periodically inspecting the monitors based on bed bug counts. We will study the cost-effectiveness of custom bed bug IPM programs in different communities. Two to three housing authorities with high number of bed bug infestations will be selected to participate in the study. One housing authority will be using their current pest control service. The other 1-2 housing authorities will adopt a new bed bug management protocol which consists of educating residents, biweekly monitoring, placing interceptors under furniture legs, using steam and other non-chemical intervention methods, and application of insecticide sprays or dusts when necessary. We will conduct surveys at the beginning and end of the program to evaluate the effectiveness of the bed bug IPM program. We anticipate these studies will provide the much needed cost-effectiveness data and help reduce the prevalence of bed bug infestations in our society. In collaboration with manufacturers and pest control companies, laboratory and field experiments will be conducted to evaluate the comparative efficacy of novel urban pest control techniques and existing technologies in controlling a range of urban pests, including bedbugs, cockroaches, ants, and termites. The technologies to be evaluated will include both non-chemical and chemical tools with an emphasis on least toxic technologies. Standard assay methods in the laboratory and in the field will be used to evaluate new technologies for the control of these pests. We will collaborate with pest management professionals and building managers in identifying difficult-to-control cockroach populations. We will collect and maintain these populations in the laboratory, study their feeding behavior andinsecticide resistance profile, and evaluate alternative methods to control these populations. Newer formulations of bait matrices will be investigated where appropriate.

Progress 10/31/13 to 08/31/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Residents and housing management staff; pest control professionals, educators, public health officials, Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Information developed from our studies were incorporated in the updated training materials from Stop Pests in Housing program. This program trains housing staff and residents on pest control. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results are diseminated in the following events: 1. Annual Clinic, Trade Show and Clambake. 450 pest management professionals attended the training. 2.Bed Bug Summit. About 500 people attended. Most of them are pest management professionals. 2. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. About 100 researchers and students attended. 4. New Yor City Epidemiology Forum. About researchers and students attended. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During the last year, we evaluated various tools and strategies for better management of bed bugs. We found consumer grade steamers are as effective as professional steamers as a non-chemical control tool. The consumer grade steamers ually cost 60-150 dollars compared to commercial steamers which cost > $700. Proper use of steamers can kill all life stages of bed bugs. This information can be utilized by consumers toconduct safe and effective treatment. We designed and tested integrated pest management programs (IPM)for bed bugs in two counities and eevaluated their effectiveness in three cocummities. Three communities that contains more than 2,000 apartments were enrolled in this 2-year study. IPM programs were more effective in reducing bed bug infestations than traditional pest control services, Residents from buildings enrolled in IPM programs were more satisfied with the bed bug control services than residents from the site did not adopt IPM. We tested a threshold-based bed bug management approach with the goal of achieving elimination with minimal or no insecticide application. Thirty-two bed bug infested apartments were identified. A threshold-based management approach (non-chemical only or non-chemical and chemical) can eliminate bed bugs in a similar amount of time, using little to no pesticide compared to a chemical only approach. Comprehensive pre-treatment preparation of apartments is not necessary for eliminating most of the bed bug infestations. Applying these findings in future bed bug management will help save money and eliminate bed bugs rapidly and safely. Biting arthropods are capable of transmitting human and animal pathogens worldwide. Repellents are a primary tool for reducing the impact of biting arthropods on humans and animals. N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), the most effective and long-lasting repellent currently available commercially, has long been considered the gold standard in insect repellents, but with reported human health issues, particularly for infants and pregnant women. In the present study, we report fatty acids derived from coconut oil which are novel, inexpensive and highly efficacious repellant compounds. These coconut fatty acids are active against a broad array of blood-sucking arthropods including biting flies, ticks, bed bugs and mosquitoes.In laboratory bioassays, these fatty acids repelled biting flies and bed bugs for two weeks after application, and ticks for one week. Repellency was stronger and with longer residual activity than that of DEET. In addition, repellency was also found against mosquitoes. An aqueous starch-based formulation containing natural coconut fatty acids was also prepared and shown to protect pastured cattle from biting flies up to 96-hours in the hot summer, which, to our knowledge, is the longest protection provided by a natural repellent product studied to date. The German cockroach is a common pest found in apartment buildings. Prevalence of cockroach infestations is affected by both environmental conditions and building occupant behavior, but their relationships are not well studied. We analyzed the presence of German cockroaches in relation to environmental conditions, resident demographics, and residents' tolerance of cockroaches. We conducted resident interviews, placed sticky traps to detect the presence of German cockroaches, and assessed apartment conditions. A total of 388 apartments from seven low-income apartment buildings, occupied by senior citizens in New Jersey, United States, were included. We found 30% of the apartments had German cockroaches. Among interviewed residents whose apartments had existing cockroach infestations, 36% were unaware of the presence of cockroaches.Apartments with a 'poor' sanitation rating in kitchens and bathrooms was 2.7 times more likely to have cockroachesthan that in apartments with better sanitation conditions. Residents' tolerance to cockroaches is significantly associated with presence of cockroaches and cockroach population size. The median cockroach count when residents were bothered by cockroaches was ≥3, based on deployment of 4 sticky traps per apartment, over a 2 weeks period. These findings help designining future educational effortsin order to reduce high cockroach infestation rates found in similar communities.

Publications

  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Cooper, R. and C. Wang. 2018. Chapter 27. Detection and monitoring. In Doggett, Miller, and Lee (eds), Advances in the Biology and Management of Modern Bed Bugs. CABI International. pp. 241-255.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Cooper, R. and C. Wang. 2018. Chapter 33. Bed bug control in specific situations: low-income housing. In Doggett, Miller, and Lee (eds), Advances in the Biology and Management of Modern Bed Bugs. CABI International. pp .333-339.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, D. Wang, C. Zha, R. Cooper, M. Robson. 2017. Testing a threshold-based bed bug management approach in apartment buildings. Insects 8(3), 76; doi:10.3390/insects8030076.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Zha, C., C. Wang, A. Li. 2017. Toxicities of selected essential oils, Slicone oils, and paraffin oil against the common bed bug. Journal of Economic Entomology. doi: 10.1093/jee/tox285.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Zha, C., C. Wang, J. M. Sheele. 2017. Effect of moxidectin on bed bug feeding, development, fecundity, and survivorship. Insects. 8, 106; doi: 10.3390/insects8040106.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Wang, C., A. Eiden, N. Singh, C. Zha, D. Wang, R. Cooper 2017. Dynamics of bed bug infestations in three low-income housing communities with various bed bug management programs. Pest Management Science doi: 10.1002/ps.4830.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Zha, C., C. Wang, B. Buckley, I. Yang, D. Wang, A. L. Eiden, and R. Cooper. 2018. Evaluation of community-wide integrated pest management for reducing cockroach infestations and indoor insecticide residues. Journal of Economic Entomology. doi: 10.1093/jee/tox356
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wang, D., C. Wang, G. Wang, C. Zha, A. L. Eiden, R. Cooper. 2018. Efficacy of three different steamers for control of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.). Pest management science. Doi: 10.1002/ps.4933
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wang, D., C. Wang, G. Wang, C. Zha. 2018. Effect of steam treatment on feeding, mating, and fecundity of the common bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 55: 1536⿿1541. doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjy113
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Zhu, J. J., Zhu, J., Cermak, S. C., Kenar, J. A., Brewer, G., Haynes, K. F., Boxler, D., Baker, P. D., Wang, D., Wang, C., Li, A.Y. 2018. Better than DEET repellent compounds derived from coconut oil. Scientific Reports 8: 14053. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-32373-7
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wang, C., E. Bischoff, A. L. Eiden, C. Zha, R. Cooper, J. M. Graber. 2018. Residents attitudes and home sanitation predict presence of German cockroaches infestations in apartments for low income senior residents buildings. Journal of Economic Entomology. doi: 10.1093/jee/toy307.


Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Health workers, social workers, building staff, educators, pest management professionals, and residents. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Through face-to-face interviews, brochures, and on-site seminars, we educated residents from three housing authorities (Irvington, New Brunswick, and Paterson). Approximately 1,000 residents were accessed. The contents of the education includes safe use of insecticides, effective and in-effective cockroach and bed bug control materials and methods, biology of cockroaches and bed bugs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Findings of the studies were communicated with the participated communities soon after the data collection was complete. The research results were disseminated to the pest management professionals during the New Jersey Pest Management Association annual meeting held in August 2017 and the National Pest Management Association annual conference held in October 2017. Approxiately 1,000 professionals were attended in the talks. We also presented the results to the research commuity during the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America held in November 2017. Approximately 60 attendees were present during the presentations. Five papers were published in peer-reviewed or non-pee-reviewed journals for wider access to the findings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Investigte the spatial distribution patterns of German cockroach infestations in multi-unit dwellings. This will help design more effective cockroach management strategies. 2. Study differences in cockroach nutrition preference. Common cockroach species (German, American, Oriental, and Brown-banded cockroach) will be studied. 3. Compare two strategies for control of low level cockroach infestations 4. Determine the aesthetic injury level of German cockroaches in apartment buildings

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Urban pests (such as cockroaches, bed bugs) are commonly found in homes and urban environment. They are more than nuisances to people. Bed bug bites are painful and may lead to allergic reactions. Cockroaches vector pathogens and produce allergens that lead to increased sensitivity and asthma morbidity. Using insecticides to treat these pests introduces additional health and environmental risks to humans and their environment. Understanding the biology and behavior of urban pests and methods to control these pests will help protect human health and the urban environment. This project has four broad goals. The accomplishments under each goal are described below: 1. Monitor the insecticide resistance of the German cockroach. We compared the food preference of four German cockroach strains which showed various levels of resistance to toxic baits. Preliminary findings confirm that there are significant differences in the preference to glucose, which is a common food source to humans and insects. A highly resistant strain becomes averse to glucose Other strains showed various levels of feeding preference to sugars, reflecting that cockroaches evolved resistance to toxic baits gradually and part of the resistance mechanism is due to behavioral resistance. These findings will help design new bait matrices for cockroach control to resistant cockroaches can be effectively controlled. 2. Investigate biology and behavior of bed bugs that is related to control. The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is an obligate blood-sucking insect that has been resurging in many countries. Researching this pest's behavior will help design more effective control methods. we evaluated the effect of feeding history and time elapsed from field collection on bed bug movement behavior and response to chemical lure or carbon dioxide stimulation in the laboratory. After CO2 was released, bed bugs unfed for 3 days began to hide in harborages; in contrast, the ones unfed for 2 and 4 weeks become active and look for host. This behavioral difference suggests hunger level determines whether bed bugs seek a hiding site or go out looking for food. We also found bed bug behavior changed after long time rearing using an artificial feeding system. Bed bugs kept in the lab for 1-2 weeks are more active than the ones kept in the lab for 6 months; and bed bugs kept in the lab for 6 months are more active than the ones kept in the lab for 5 years. Regardless how long the bed bugs were kept in the lab, they are equally responsive to stimuli (chemical lure and CO2). These findings are important for conducting laboratory assays. When evaluating bed bug monitors or lures, it is best to use recently collected bed bugs because they are more active and more likely to produce results. 3. Evaluate new and least toxic techniques for managing urban pests. The control of bed bugs is often challenging, due to their cryptic nature and resistance to commonly used insecticides. We evaluated the effect of the antiparasitic drug moxidectin on bed bug survival, reproduction, and development. This is a potentially novel and effective method for controlling bed bugs. The LC50 (lethal concentration to kill half the members of a tested population) of moxidectin against bed bug male adults, female adults, and large nymphs were determined. Moxidectin (≥ 25 ng/mL) reduced egg laying of bed bug females, but showed no significant effect on egg hatching. One time feeding on rabbit blood containing 20 and 40 ng/mL moxidectin showed no negative effects in bed bug feeding and blood meal ingestion, but significantly reduced digestion rates and nymph molting rates. Although moxidectin at concentrations of 20 and 40 ng/mL only caused moderate mortality in bed bugs, it significantly interrupted digestion, development, and oviposition of survived bed bugs for at least one week after feeding. Therefore, moxidectin may not be a standalone effective bed bug control method, but shows potential as a supplementary method in bed bug management. If moxidectin can be approved for use in humans in the future, there is a possibility that bed bugs could be added to the list of target parasites. 4. Develop and implement cost-effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs for various urban settings. 4.1. Bed bugs. Bed bugs are one of the most difficult urban pests to control. We tested a threshold-based bed bug management approach with the goal of achieving elimination with minimal or no insecticide application. Thirty-two bed bug infested apartments were identified. These apartments were divided into four treatment groups based on apartment size and initial bed bug count, obtained through a combination of visual inspection and bed bug monitors: I- Non-chemical only in apartments with 1-12 bed bug count, II- Chemical control only in apartments with 1-12 bed bug count, III- Non-chemical and chemical control in apartments with >12 bed bug count, and IV- Chemical control only in apartments with ≥11 bed bug count. All apartments were monitored or treated once every two weeks for a maximum of 28 weeks. For low level infestations, non-chemical treatment alone eliminated bed bugs in a similar amount of time to chemical treatment, indicating low level infestations can be eliminated without using any insecticides. The non-chemical treatment methods included installing mattress encasement, applying steam, laundering infested bed linens and clothing, placing intercepting devices under bed and sofa legs, and physically remove live bed bugs during visual inspection. The chemical treatment group used an insecticide mixture spray and pyrethroid dust insecticide. For medium and high bed bug infestation levels, a combination of non-chemical and chemical treatment used less insecticides compared to using insecticides alone. Both treatment groups achieved similar results in bed bug elimination. A threshold-based management approach (non-chemical only or non-chemical and chemical) can eliminate bed bugs in a similar amount of time, using little to no pesticide compared to a chemical only approach. 4.2. Cockroaches. We conducted a building-wide integrated pest management (IPM) study in a 188-unit high-rise apartment building. The objectives are to evaluate the impact of IPM on German cockroach reduction, insecticide residue reduction, and cockroach allergen reduction. After 12 months of program implementation, 87% of the cockroach infestations identified at the beginning of the study were eliminated. Results are being analyzed and will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. In addition to the above research, we also reported observations of unusual reactions to bed bug bites. The study was published in Austral Entomology. This article documents systemic reactions in two patients following repeated bites from the common bed bug. Both patients had previously fed bed bugs on themselves without any serious complication, however upon feeding a new batch of the insects subsequently developed systemic urticarial reactions. Patient 1 fed 40-50 bed bugs on himself and after 8 minutes, he developed itch, swelling of the face, lethargy, profuse sweating and widespread wheals on the torso and limbs. The reaction disappeared in 5 hours after treatment with systemic prednisone and antihistamines. Patient 2 developed a similar reaction after feeding five to six bed bugs on himself. In this case, the patient also developed chest tightness and breathing difficulties. Following a similar treatment, symptoms disappeared in 4 hours. In light of the increasing exposure of this insect to the general public, systemic reactions in patients may present more commonly to the medical practitioner.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Minocha, R., C. Wang, K. Dang, C. E. Webb, P. Fern�ndez-Pe�as, and S. L. Doggett. 2016. Systemic and erythrodermic reactions following repeated exposure to bites from the Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Austral Entomology doi: 10.1111/aen.12250.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, L., C. Wang, Y. Xu, L. Zeng. 2016. Review of current research on bed bugs and its implications for bed bug management in China. Acta Entomologica Sinica 59: 1021-1032. (In Chinese)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, D., C. Wang, N. Singh, A. Eiden, R. Cooper, and C. Zha. 2017. Effect of hunger level and time elapsed from field collection on the locomotion behavior and response to stimulation in the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Journal of Economic Entomology 110: 17191727.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, D. Wang, C. Zha, R. Cooper, M. Robson. 2017. Testing a threshold-based bed bug management approach in apartment buildings. Insects 8(3), 76; doi:10.3390/insects8030076.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Zha, C., C. Wang, D. Wang, and A. Eiden. 2016. Community-wide IPM can conquer cockroaches in apartments. Pest Control Technology 44 (7): 30, 32, 33, 34, 50, 98.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Wang, C. 2017. Challenges and solutions of pest management in low-income housing. Annual Meeting of the National Environmental Health Association. July 10-13. Grand Rapids, MI.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Wang, C., and R. Cooper. 2017. Bed bug control in low-income housing. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. November 5-9. Denver, CO.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Cooper, R., and C. Wang. 2017. Bed bug monitoring tools and methods. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. November 5-9. Denver, CO


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Health workers, social workers, building staff, educators, pest management professionals, and residents. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Through face-to-face interviews, brochures, and on-site seminars, we educated residents from five housing authorities (Bayonne, Hackensack, Irvington,New Brunswick, andPaterson). Approximately 3,000 residents were accessed. In each housing authority, two to ten staff were also educated. The contents of the education includes safe use of insecticides, effective and in-effective cockroach and bed bug control materials and methods, biology of cockroaches and bed bugs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Findings of the studies were communicated with the participated communities soon after the data collection was complete. The research results were disseminated to the pest management professionals during the New Jersey Pest Management Association annual meeting held in August 2016 and the National Pest Management Associationannual conference held inOctober 2016.Approxiately 600 professionals were attended in the talks. We also presented the results to the research commuity during the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America held in September 2016. Approximately 120 attendeeds were present during the presentations. Seven papers were published in peer-reviewed or non-peer reviewed journals for wider access to the findings. In addition, a fact sheet based on the research was published. The findings were also presented in six institutions in China while Dr. Wang was on sabbatical leave. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1.Investigate the mechanisms of the insecticide resistance in the German cockroach and the prevalence of cockroach resistance 2. Study non-chemical and chemical methods for bed bug management. 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of integrated pest managementon pest reduction, insecticide residue reduction, and cockroach allergen reduction.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project has four broad goals. The accomplishments undereach goal are described below: 1. Monitor the insecticide resistance of the German cockroach. We collected German cockroaches from three cities in New Jersey to monitor the development of insecticide resistance. These cockroaches representeddifferent insecticide exposure history. At present time, gel baits are the most common method used by professionals as well as consumers for managing cockroaches. Since 2004, there are no studies on the bait resistance among field German cockroach populations. We evaluated the effectiveness of three commonly used gel bait products against the field strains. Significance resistance was detected.Their resistance levels varied among strains and the bait type. This information is extremely useful for future cockroach management. Rotating the treatment materials and methods is necessary to achieve effective control and slow down cockroach resistance managment. 2. Investigate biology and behavior of bed bugs that is related to control. We investigated male mate choice and mating competency in the common bed bug. In the male mate choice experiment, when a male was placed with two females of different mating status, males preferred to initiate copulation with the virgin female more quickly than with the mated female, and the mean total copulation duration with virgin females was significantly longer than with mated females. When a male was placed with two females of different age, males initiated copulation more quickly with the old virgin female (29-34 days after adult emergence) than with the young virgin one (<7 days after adult emergence), and the mean total copulation duration with old virgin femaleswas significantly longer than with young virgin females. In the male mating competency experiment where a female was placed with two males of different mating status or age, the virgin males were more eager to mate than the mated males, and the old virgin males (29-34 days afteradult emergence) were more eager than the young virgin males (<7 days afteradult emergence), with eagerness measured by the percentage of first mate selected (first copulation occurred) and the total copulation duration by each group of males. Male mating competency is related to postmating duration; males mated 1 day earlier were significantly less likely to mate than virgin males. However, males mated 7 days earlier showed no significant difference in mating competency compared to virgin males. In conclusion, mate choice incommon bed bugsis associated with both male and female mating status, age, and postmating duration. 3.Evaluate new and least toxic techniques for managing urban pests. Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., are one of the most difficult urban pests to control. Pest management professionals rely heavily on insecticide sprays and dusts to control bed bugs. We evaluated the residual efficacy of four liquid sprays and four ready-to-use aerosols that are commonly used in the U.S. against bed bug. A field collected strain with moderate resistance level to pyrethroids was used. The four liquid sprays were: Tandem, Temprid SC, Transport GHP, and Demand CS. The four aerosols were: Alpine, Bedlam, Bedlam Plus, and Phantom. Four substrates were tested: fabric, unpainted wood, painted wood, and vinyl. Bedlam, Demand CS, and Temprid SC are not very effective when testedon all tested substrates. Among the other five products, substrate type significantly affected theirefficacy, except for Transport GHP, which caused greater than 89.7% mortality regardless of the substrate. This study reveals that the efficacy of the available products varies and the substrate type can affect the effectiveness of an insecticide product. Bed bug elimination often requires a combination of several tools and methods.One of the more challenging obstacles in eliminating a bed bug infestation is addressing personal items that are infested but cannot be treated with pesticides. We studied the use of portable heat chambers for disinfesting bed bug infested items that cannot be treated with traditional pesticides or laundered. Our study shows 4.3-8 hours treatment time is sufficient to kill all stages of bed bugs hiding in a suitcase using a portable heating chamber (ThermalStrike Expedition). The minimum time required to kill bed bugs is affected by the tightness of the materials packed in the suitcase. Loosely placing items in the heat chamber is recommended for faster kill of bed bugs. This is the first study showing using protable heat chambers is a safe and cost-effective method for disinfecting bed bug infested materials. 4.Develop and implement cost-effective Integrated Pest Management(IPM) programs for various urban settings. Many pest problems occur in homes. Among them, cockroaches is themost frequently reported pest. Cockroaches contaminate food and product allergens that are asthma triggers.Historically, conventional insecticide spray treatments caused development of insecticide resistance among cockroach populations. In spite that highly effective cockroach management tools and methods are available, German cockroach infestations remain prevalent in apartment buildings. To develop more effective cockroach management strategies,we investigated the prevalence of pests and evaluated a community-wide integrated pest management program (IPM) in a low-income community over 7 months period. The community-wide cockroach IPM program reduced cockroach counts by 96% at the 4th visit (7 weeks after initial treatment), which is similar to previous studies in low income communities. By providing effective extermination, the percentage of residents who used pesticides reduced by 79% (from 91 to 19%). Bed bugs resurged as a common urban pest in the U.S. since the late 1990s. To cope with the challenges in the bed bug resurgence, weexamined bed bug infestation patternsin 2,372 low-income apartments within 43 buildings in four New Jersey cities. We also developed a cost-effective bed bug monitoring protocol which involves a combination of resident interviews, brief visual inspections, and monitoring with bed bug monitors.Infestation rates ranged from 3.8 to 29.5% among the buildings, with an overall infestation rate of 12.3%. Within each apartment, the bed area trapped significantly more bed bugs per trap than the sofa (or upholstered chair) area. African American residents had a proportionally higher number of bed bug infestations than white residents. Women were more likely to report bed bug bite symptoms than men. Only 68% of the residents who experienced bed bug infestations reported symptoms after being bitten. Among those with self-reported symptoms, the frequency of the reported symptoms was: pain 90%, itchiness 20%, welts 13%, and insomnia 8%. Fifty nine percent of the residents who experienced bed bug infestations applied insecticides to control bed bugs. Climbup interceptors detected 89% and brief visual inspections detected 72% of the infestations.Assuming $50 per hour labor rate, the average per apartment cost for the building-wide bed bug monitoring protocol was $12 per apartment. Forty-nine percent of the infestations detected by the protocol were in apartments whose residents were unaware of the bed bug activity. The study confirmed low-income communities experienced a resurgence of bed bug infestations and had high bed bug infestation rates. Results suggest an urgent need to suppress bed bug infestations in these communities and reduce further bed bug dispersal among communities. Adopting the monitoring protocol proposed in this study will save at least 36% labor cost and 94% material cost than relying on using monitors alone.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, and R. Cooper. 2015. Post-treatment feeding affects mortality of bed bugs exposed to insecticides. Journal of Economic Entomology DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov293.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, D. Wang, R. Cooper, C. Zha. 2016. Comparative efficacy of selected dust insecticides for controlling Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology Doi: 10.1093/jee/tow129
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, D., C. Wang, N. Singh, R. Cooper, C. Zha, and A. Eiden. 2016. Effect of mating status and age on the male mate choice and mating competency in the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology Doi: 10.1093/jee/tow077.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, C., N. Singh, C. Zha, and R. Cooper. 2016. Bed bugs: prevalence in low-income communities, residents reactions, and implementation of a low-cost inspection protocol. Journal of Medical Entomology Doi: 10.1093/jme/tjw018
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, C., N. Singh, C. Zha, and R. Cooper 2016. Efficacy of selected insecticide sprays and aerosols against the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Insects 7, 5.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Cooper, R. A. 2016. Behavioral ecology and control of bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., in multi-family housing communities. PhD dissertation. Rutgers University.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Chen, Z., C. Wang, D. Wang, and A. Eiden. 2016. Community-wide IPM can conquer cockroaches in apartments. Pest Control Technology 44 (7): 30, 32, 33, 34, 50, 98.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, C., and R. Cooper. 2016. Research update: portable heat chambers. Pest Control Technology 44 (3): 56, 58-61.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Wang, C., and R. Cooper 2015. Cost-effective and money-wasting bed bug control methods. Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets 1251.


Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Health workers, social workers, building staff, educators, pest management professionals, and residents. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We presented the findings to pest control technicians, housing management staff, and researchers at meetings at Knoxville (TN), New Brunswick (NJ), and Minneapolis (MN). A online webinar was presented to > 90 audiences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Conduct additional laboratory and field studies on bed bug behavior, management. 2. Conduct laboratory and field studies on cockroach control 3. Evaluate new and improved pest management tools and methods

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. We evaluated various natural products and detergents for bed bug control. Laboratory studies show that among >11 products tested, only two products: EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol showed good potential for controlling bed bug infestations. We further evaluated the efficacy of one of the most effective essential oil product (EcoRaider) in apartments. There were no significant differencesin the bed bug reduction among the three treatments: EcoRaider, EcoRaider + Temprid (an organic insecticide mixture), and Temprid. We also found that the essential oil based products must be applied directly to bed bugs in order to achieve high efficacy. Dry residue has no or little effect onbed bugs and is less effective than organic insecticides. 2. In recent years, trained dogs became popular for detecting bed bug infestations. However, their accuracy is unknown. We evaluated the accuracy of 11 canine detection teams in naturally infested apartments for bed bug detection. All handlers believed their dogs could detect infestations at a very high rate (95%). In three separate experiments, the mean (min, max) detection rate was 44 (10-100)% and mean false-positive rate was 15 (0-57)%. The false-positive rate was positively correlated with the detection rate. The probability of a bed bug infestation being detected by trained canines was not associated with the level of bed bug infestations. Four canine detection teams evaluated on multiple days were inconsistent in their ability to detect bed bugs and exhibited significant variance in accuracy of detection between inspections on different days. There was no significant relationship between the team's experience or certification status of teams and the detection rates. These data suggest that more research is needed to understand factors affecting the accuracy of canine teams for bed bug detection in naturally infested apartments. 3. To help understand how bed bugs find hosts and design better bed bug monitoring devices, we investigated the role ofbed bug vision in host finding. We found bed bugs preferred black and red paper harboragescompared to yellow, green, blue, and white harborages. A bed bug trapping device with a black or red exterior surface was significantly more attractive to bed bugs than that with a white exterior surface. Bed bugs exhibited strong orientation behavior toward vertical objects.Bed bugs could differentiate color and detect vertical objects at very low background light conditions, but not in complete darkness. Bed bug preference to different substrate textures (mechanoreception) was also explored. The results revealed that substrate color, presence of vertical objects, and substrate texture affect host-seeking and harborage-searching behavior of bed bugs. 4. Three insecticide mixture products designed for bed bug controlbecome available on the market in recent years. We evaluated three integrated bed bug management strategies in apartments, each using the same non-chemical control methods and one of the three insecticide mixture products: Tandem, Temprid, and Transport Mikron. No insecticides were applied in the Control apartments. In all apartments, we installed vinyl mattress encasements (if not already present) and applied steam to beds and other infested upholstered furniture. Insecticide sprays were applied in the three treatments. Each treatment and the Control included 8-10 occupied apartments. Re-treatment was conducted during biweekly inspections if necessary. After eight weeks, the meanbed bug count reduction in the Tandem, Temprid, Transport Mikron, and Control was 89, 87, 98, and 23%, respectively. Only Tandem and Transport Mikron treatments resulted in significantly higher population reduction than the Control at eight weeks. There were no significant differences in mean percent reduction among the three treatments (Tandem, Temprid Transport Mikron) at eight weeks. Tandem spray caused significantly faster bed bug reduction than Temprid spray and Transport Mikron spray. 5. Effective bed bug monitors have been actively sought in the past few years to help detect bed bugs and measure the effectiveness of treatments. Most of the available active monitors are either expensive or ineffective. We designed a simple and affordable active bed bug monitor that uses sugar-yeast fermentation and an experimental chemical lure to detect bed bugs. The sugar-yeast mixture released carbon dioxide at a similar rate (average 405.1 ml/min) as dry ice (average 397.0 ml/min) during the first 8 hours after activation. In naturally infested apartments, the sugar-yeast monitor containing an experimental chemical lure was equally effective as the dry ice monitor containing the same lure in trapping bed bugs. Placing one sugar-yeast monitor per apartment for one day was equally effective as 11 day placement of 6-18 Climbup insect interceptors (a commonly used bed bug monitor) under furniture legs for trapping bed bugs. When carbon dioxide was present, pair-wise comparisons showed the experimental lure increased trap catch by 7.2 times. This sugar-yeast monitor with a chemical lure is an affordable and effective tool for monitoringbed bugs. This monitor is especially useful for monitoring bed bugs where a human host is not present. 6. Understanding movement and dispersal of the common bed bug under field conditions is important in the control of infestations and for managing the spread of bed bugs to new locations. We investigated bed bug movement within and between apartments using mark-release-recapture (m-r-r) technique combined with apartment-wide monitoring using pitfall-style interceptors. Bed bugs were collected, marked, and released in six apartments. The distribution of marked and unmarked bed bugs in these apartments and their 24 neighboring units were monitored over 32 days. Extensive movement of marked bed bugs within and between apartments occurred regardless of the number of bed bugs released or presence/absence of a host. Comparison of marked and unmarked bed bug distributions confirms that the extensive bed bug activity observed was not an artifact of the m-r-r technique used. Marked bed bugs were recovered in apartments neighboring five of six m-r-r apartments. Their dispersal rates at 14 or 15 d were 0.0-5.0%.Longevity of bed bugs in the absence of a host was recorded in a vacant apartment.Unfed small nymphs (1st- 2nd instar) were recovered up to 134 days; large nymphs and adults were still found at 155 days when the study ended. Our findings provide important insight into the behavioral ecology of bed bugs in infested apartments and have significant implications in regards to eradication programs and managing the spread of bed bugs within multi-occupancy dwellings.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wang, C., N. Singh, and R. Cooper. 2014. Efficacy of an essential oil-based pesticide for controlling bed bug (Cimex lectularius) infestations in apartment buildings. Insects 5: 849-859
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, and R. Cooper. 2014. Potential of essential oil-based pesticides and detergents for bed bug control. Journal of Economic Entomology 107: 2163-2170.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Cooper, R., C. Wang, and N. Singh. 2014. Accuracy of trained canines for detecting bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 107: 2171-2181.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, and R. Cooper. 2015. Role of vision and mechanoreception in bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. behavior. Plos One 10(3): e0118855.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Wang, C., N. Singh, and R. Cooper. 2015. Field study of the comparative efficacy of three pyrethroid/neonicotinoid mixture products for the control of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Insects 6: 197-205.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Cooper, R., C. Wang, and N. Singh. 2015. Evaluation of a model community-wide bed bug management program in affordable housing. Pest Management Science 71. DOI 10.1002/ps.3982
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Singh, N., C. Wang, and R. Cooper. 2015. Effectiveness of a sugar-yeast monitor and a chemical lure for detecting bed bugs. Journal of Economic Entomology 108. DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov061.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Cooper, R., C. Wang, and N. Singh. 2015. Mark-release-recapture reveals extensive movement of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) within and between apartments. PloS One 10(9): e0136462. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0136462


Progress 10/31/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Health workers, social workers, building staff, educators, pest management professionals, and residents. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Two Ph.D. graduate students How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We held 8 seminars to interested groups. The results were published in peer-reviewed and trade journals. We also presented findings in two professional meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1. Analyze the field data collected in 2014 to compare various bed bug control strategies 2. Conduct field surveys to evalute the effectiveness of the bed bug IPM programs 3. Conduct laboratory experiment to evaluate bed bug behavior and new control methods and materials 4. Present findings and education to peers and the public.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A. Bed bug research. 1) A sugar-yeast based bed bug monitor was developed to monitor bed bugs. This monitor is safe, convenient, and highly effective for detecting bed bugs.2). A threshold-based bed bug management program was devloped and tested. It saves time and significantly reduces insecticide use, compared to current treatment programs. B. A new bed bug lure is become commercially available. This technology was developed by us and was transfered to a company (Bed Bug Central) for commercialization.

Publications

  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Buczkowski, G., and C. Wang. 2014. Products and strategies for nuisance urban ant management. In P. Dhang (ed.), Urban Insect Pests: Sustainable Management Strategies. CABI International. Pp. 99-113.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: 3. Phillips, T. W., M. J. Aikins, E. Thomas, J. Demark, and C. Wang. 2014. Fumigation of bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): effective application rates for sulfuryl fluoride. Journal of Economic Entomology 107(4): 1582-1589. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC13471.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wang, C., N. Singh, R. Cooper. 2014. What causes bed bug control failure - the resident factor. Pest Control Technology 42(8): 86-95.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wang, C., K. Saltzman, A. Gondhalekar, T. Gibb, G. Bennett. 2014. Building-wide bed bug management. Pest Control Technology 42(3): 70-74.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wang, C. 2014. How to control bed bugs (in Chinese). FS1223.http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS1223
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Wang, C. 2014. How to select a pest control contractor (in Chinese). FS 1224. http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS1224