Spatial distribution, monitoring, and integrated pest management of bed bugs and house mice: implications for improved management strategies
Creators: name: Sked, Shannon Leif
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2022

description: The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.), and the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus (Schwarz and Schwarz) are two major urban pests that cause significant economic loss and health impacts to residents and the general public. Pest monitoring and targeted pest management using effective materials is critically important for minimizing pest infestations, deleterious aspects of pesticide use, and the public health risks caused by urban pests. Yet common pest management practices often depend on unreliable monitoring systems, reactive tactics, and calendar-based control strategies. There is little information on the spatial distribution patterns of these two pests in multi-unit dwellings or office environments. The objectives of this dissertations are: 1) examine the spatial distribution of bed bugs and least toxic methods for controlling bed bugs in an office environment; 2) evaluate the effectiveness of mattress encasement and types of mattress encasement on bed bug distribution and management; 3) evaluate a building-wide house mouse monitoring and control program in apartment buildings, 4) investigate house mouse spatial distribution patterns in apartment buildings, and 5) evaluate a novel remote house mouse monitoring tool. To accomplish this, a series of studies were conducted looking at the distribution patterns of bed bugs and house mice in laboratory settings, low-income multifamily dwellings and an office environment. A unique project regarding bed bugs in an office environment was presented to the research team in which the distribution and low-impact management tactics were evaluated. There is no information in the peer-reviewed literature on bed bug behavioral ecology in an office building. I then investigated aspects the impact of mattress encasements on bed bug distribution in a laboratory experiment and in multifamily environments. House mouse distribution patterns in multifamily housing were evaluated in terms of how distribution impacts house mouse monitoring and IPM programs. Finally, a field study was performed to assess the detection accuracy of a novel remote monitoring technology used for house mouse monitoring programs. In each of these research projects, the distributions were evaluated to find potential improvements of existing management programs.The results found demonstrated that distribution is an important factor to consider in bed bug and house mouse monitoring and management programs. Bed bugs exhibited a highly aggregated distribution pattern in an office environment. Intensive trapping plus limited insecticide dust treatments effectively detected and eliminated bed bugs. The bed bug infestation was eliminated on 69 days after initial installation of interceptors. A laboratory experiment shows the proportion of bed bugs on mini box springs with fabric or vinyl encasements was significantly lower than that without encasement. The proportion of bed bugs on mini mattresses with vinyl encasements was significantly lower than those with fabric encasements or without encasement. Under field conditions, installing encasements caused significantly lower proportion of bed bugs on the bed complex. However, there was no significant difference in the proportion of bed bugs found on the bed complex between apartments with vinyl and fabric encasement. Installing encasements (vinyl or fabric) did not have detectable effect on the reduction of bed bugs after implementing an integrated pest management program. The bed bug count reduction in apartments with vinyl encasements, fabric encasement, and no encasement were 83 ± 14, 88 ± 6, and 23 ± 73%, respectively after 19 weeks. Regarding house mouse management, buildings with sound exclusionary construction in place positively supported house mouse management practices. The floor that an apartment resides is closely associated with the risk of house mouse infestations, with the lower three floors in high rise apartments being at higher risk. Additionally, the infestation status of neighboring apartments is positively correlated with the likelihood that an apartment has an infestation of house mice. A house mouse control program conducted in two high-rise apartment buildings resulted in an average 87% reduction in the number of infested apartments after three months. After another 9 months after the control program ceased, the number of infestations decreased by 94% in one building but increased by 26% in the second building. Considering new technologies to support house mouse monitoring programs, ActiveSenseTM remote sensors attached to mouse bait stations and multi-catch traps were 94% accurate in correctly detecting house mice activity.These findings demonstrate that using effective monitoring tools and methods is critical in managing house mouse and bed bug infestations. Using vinyl mattress encasements can potentially reduce cost and improve the detection of bed bugs by visual inspections. Understanding the house mouse and bed bug distribution patterns help design more targeted monitoring and management plans. Following a “one-size-fits-all” management system is insufficient in eliminating building-wide pest activity based on the results of the research offered in this dissertation. Rather, understanding the attributes of building construction, neighboring infestation status, and high-risk areas of buildings is necessary to properly develop urban integrated pest management programs. Beside using effective rodenticides and traps, house mouse exclusion or “rodent proofing” along the exterior the building is also very important for building-wide house mouse control. Using remote monitoring technology can potentially reduce house mouse damage and expedite the house mouse elimination in buildings. Key words: House mouse, bed bug, monitoring, pest control, rodenticide, mattress encasement, remote monitoring