Episode #83
Bed Bug Treatment: Are We Getting It Wrong? | Leah Darby
Are we thinking about bed bug treatment in the right way? In this episode of Pest Perspectives , Shaun Muller is joined by Leah Darby from Complete Bed Bug Solutions for an in-depth conversation about specialist bed bug management and why successful control requires far more than simply choosing an insecticide and treating a room. Leah discusses how her approach to bed bugs has developed through experience, specialist training and a greater understanding of bed bug behaviour . We explore why knowing where bed bugs harbour, how they move and how they interact with a treatment can be just as important as the product being used. Pasted text We also discuss the limitations of steam treatment . Steam can be extremely useful, but as Leah explains, it works on contact and provides no residual effect. That makes inspection, access to harbourages and the wider treatment strategy critical. Pasted text The conversation moves into desiccant dusts, ChinChex and alternative approaches to insecticide-led bed bug control , including Shaun's own previous scepticism about ChinChex and why his view has changed. One of the most striking examples discussed involves a resident who Leah says had received 21 insecticide treatments over 14 months while bed bug problems continued across a block of flats. This leads into a wider discussion about recognising when a treatment strategy isn't working, investigating why it is failing, reinfestation from neighbouring properties and the importance of reconsidering the approach rather than simply repeating the same treatment. Pasted text The episode also looks at insecticide resistance , training and why being qualified to use pest-control products does not automatically make somebody a bed bug specialist. Pasted text Leah explains her own treatment process, which typically involves three to four visits , beginning with a detailed treatment involving inspection, dismantling beds where required, vacuuming, steaming and dust application, followed by further treatment and monitoring visits to look for new evidence of activity. Pasted text • What does it actually mean to specialise in bed bugs? • Detailed bed bug surveys and inspections • Understanding bed bug behaviour • Why treatment failures happen • Steam treatment and its limitations • Desiccant dusts and ChinChex • Insecticide use and resistance • Alternative approaches to bed bug management • Monitoring after treatment • Multi-visit treatment programmes • Reinfestation and the wider environment • Training and specialist knowledge • Hotels and commercial bed bug management • And plenty more from Leah's experience in the field This is a conversation about moving beyond simply “treating bed bugs” and looking at the complete picture: inspection, behaviour, harbourage, treatment selection, resistance, monitoring and follow-up. Guest: Leah Darby — Complete Bed Bug Solutions Host: Shaun Muller — Pest Perspectives If you work in pest management, hospitality, housing or simply want a deeper understanding of professional bed bug control, this episode is well worth a watch. Subscribe to Pest Perspectives for more conversations with people working across professional pest management. #PestPerspectives #BedBugs #BedBugControl #PestControl #PestManagement #BedBugTreatment #BedBugSpecialist #IntegratedPestManagement Topics include: #AD Pest Perspectives Podcast is proudly sponsored by Powered Now, helping trade and service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, scheduling and reporting. https://powerednow.com/
