Scientists have for the first time sequenced the genome of New York City bed bugs, a project that could one day offer a way to contain one of the world’s most hated insects. One group of researchers, in a Nature Communications study, found that genes in the bedbug, Cimex lectularius, are expressed the most after it feeds on blood for the first time. The group, led by the American Museum of Natural History’s Jeffrey Rosenfeld, also compared bed bug DNA from every New York subway station and found those from different parts of the city had different genetic makeups. Related: Destructive tussock moth outbreak threatens pine tree supply Another group of scientists, also writing in Nature Communications, found 187 potential genes that allow these parasites to repeatedly feed on their host without causing pain. They also identify genes associated with insecticide resistance, including proteins in the animals’ cuticle that prevent insecticide penetration and enzymes that can detoxify the chemicals.
“Bedbugs are one of New York City’s most iconic living fossils, along with cockroaches, meaning that their outward appearance has hardly changed throughout their long lineage,” said one of the paper’s corresponding authors George Amato, director of the Museum’s Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics. “But despite their static look, we know that they continue to evolve, mostly in ways that make it harder for humans to dissociate with them. This work gives us the genetic basis to explore the bedbug’s basic biology and its adaptation to dense human environments.” The bed bug is a parasite that feeds on exclusively on blood and has been associated with humans for thousands of years. Global infestations of bed bugs came about with the rise of heated homes and international travel, a problem that has only exacerbated by the evolution of insecticide resistance over the past 20 years. Related: Venomous caterpillar packs a punch The hope now is that the sequenced genome – featuring more than 38,000 genes - could lead to better insecticides for bed bugs and also help to better identify allergens associated with their infestation.
For example, the researchers found that bedbugs are likely most vulnerable during the first nymph stage, potentially making it a good target for exterminators in the future. Researchers also found that the bedbug microbiome contains more than 1,500 genes that map to more than 400 different species of bacteria, indicating that bed bugs harbor a rich suite of endosymbionts that are likely essential for their growth and reproduction. As a result, antibiotics that attack bacteria beneficial to bed bugs -but non-essential to humans - could be another weapon to control of the insects. “Having this resources opens up a lot of potential new rounds of research in dealing with bed bugs,” said the University of Cincinnati’s Joshua Benoit, who was a co-author on the second paper and is part of the International Bed Bug Genome Project Collaboration, said in a statement. “In a year or two, we might actually develop better ways to control bed bugs.” Related: Wasp DNA produces genetically modified butterflies
Researchers extracted DNA and RNA from preserved and living collections, including samples from a population that was first collected in 1973 and has been maintained by American Museum of Natural History. RNA was sampled from males and females representing each of the bug’s six life stages, before and after blood meals, in order to paint a full picture of the bedbug genome. “It’s not enough to just sequence a genome, because by itself it does not tell the full story,” said Mark Siddall, one of the paper’s corresponding authors and a curator in the Museum’s Division of Invertebrate Zoology and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics. “In addition to the DNA, you want to get the RNA, or the expressed genes, and you want that not just from a single bedbug, but from both males and females at each part of the life cycle. Then you can really start asking questions about how certain genes relate to blood-feeding, insecticide resistance, and other vital functions.”
Researchers not only found that the bedbugs are more closely related to their subway neighbors but also other insects – showing close relationships to the kissing bug (Rhodnius prolixus), one of several vectors for Chagas disease, and the body louse (Pediculus humanus), which both have tight associations with humans.Here is a Bulletproof method for getting rid of bed bugs yourself:The items you will need are CimeXa (ASG Dust), a pest control duster, small paint brush with fine bristles, screw driver, dust mask and a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter.1. Lightly treat the entire floor or carpet with ASG dust. Note: You will be keeping a very light dusting of this stuff on the floor or carpet for the next few weeks. You can vacuum or clean as often as you like and then reapply the ASG dust when you’re finished.2. Pull furniture and other items away from the walls and then take everything apart. All furniture must be turned upside down to allow treatment of all areas, and all drawers must be emptied and removed.
Isolate all contents into a suitable bed bug-proof bag or container.3. Gather all clothes, bedding and other washable items in sealed contractor bags. Wash all items with hot water and dry with high heat.4. Beds, couches and upholstered furniture will need to be treated carefully. Remove cushions and dust every crack and crevice possible except for the surfaces that people will sit on. Attention to detail is required here. Use your paint brush and duster to meticulously coat zippers, seams, tucks, folds, buttons, and so forth. Continue to use your furniture the same way you always did. Once you have completed this step, your bed/furniture is now a killing station for bed bugs, and you are the bait. 5. Once a piece of furniture has been treated, you can place bed bug climb up interceptors under the legs to isolate it and protect if from being infested again.6. Loosen electrical outlet and switch plate covers. Beg bugs love to hide inside of these. Apply ASG dust to the insides, preferably with a pest control duster, then tighten them.7.
Apply ASG dust to all remaining cracks, crevices, and voids. Don’t neglect to apply the dust behind appliances and other stationary items. ASG dust will remain effective for ten years if left undisturbed, so I recommend applying a thin coating to all most areas in your home, such as behind cabinets, inside wall voids, around door frames (if there is no caulk under the door trim), and the like. ASG dust will also protect against other common pests such as ants, cockroaches, silverfish, and so on.8. If you see live bed bugs, castings, or eggs, use a vacuum cleaner, steamer, or ASG dust, depending on the surface area.9. Maintain the integrity of the containment areas and continue to monitor for bed bug activity. There are many different types of monitoring options available.Source: Breaking Bed Bugs: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs without Losing your Mind, Money & DignityMartin Jambon offers good advice on this question, but it's hidden in one of the comments.They are very hard to get rid of -- The exterminators of course.
They are the ones who make your life difficult. Bedbugs are just bugs. They don't spray chemicals, they don't ask for money, they don't insist on coming back each week indefinitely until the bedbugs are hopefully gone.Bedbugs can't fly and can't climb metal, plastic or glass. They should are actually much easier to get rid of than mosquitoes if you get the right advice, typically not from a professional./: : SafeRest Hypoallergenic Waterproof Certified Bed Bug Proof Box Spring Encasement With Exclusive Micro Zipper 9" - Twin Extra Long (XL) Size: : SafeRest Premium Hypoallergenic Bed Bug Proof Zippered Waterproof Pillow Protector (1) Standard Size: Home & Kitchenhot wash every clothes/towel/... that might have been in contact with them (if you don't do that, eggs will stay and get ready for another infestation in a few weeks)call professional extermination (might have to do several)replace the mattress, and potentially and other infected furnitures such as sofa or chairremove all clothes that might touch the floormake sure the bed doesn't touch any wallthe cooler the temperature, the betterTechnically, once you've been bitten, you can't turn back the clock.
Hence, you can't get rid of the bite. Ok, semantics aside, the questioner obviously seeks relief from the lesion that resulted from an encounter with a bed bug. Doing nothing is probably the best strategy. The swelling, redness and itching will subside in time. For some, that may be hours, but for others it may require days or even weeks to resolve. My suggestion - to do nothing - is in earnest. That includes the admonition not to scratch. Although scratching will provide immediate gratification for the itching, it will also tend to exacerbate the intensity of the reaction and prolong the irritation. As others have suggested, you may find some relief by using antihistamines or corticosteroids. I'd also encourage sufferers to seek a medical opinion. Because some proportion of presumed 'bed bug bites' (or mosquito bites for that matter) are merely masquerading as such. Some are, instead, injuries, reactions to foreign bodies (splinters), irritations (as with an ingrown hair) or an infection.
The latter is potentially far more significant from a health perspective. I'd dissuade folk from pursuing so-called 'natural' or 'alternative' treatments, as those may delay proper assessments and more effective treatments. So, keep the site clean, don't scratch, then learn what you might do to battle the bugs. See more of my guidance here: BED BUGS - Cimex lectularius (Cimicidae)I had this idea: If there was a glue trap that emitted heat in the temperature range of a human body, it could attract bed bugs to their death.Looks like this similar technology already exists:Nightwatch Bed Bug MonitorHere is a list of other products that might be useful:Bedbug Product Review and InfoHere is an idea that I you could try:First do the math to determine how many heaters you would need to raise the temperature of your home to over about 125 degrees. Obtain them and set them up in your house. Route some kind of kill switch outside so you can turn them off without having to go into the hot zone.