Does ultrasound help against bedbugs?

Trying to get rid of bedbugs, many people turn to high technology, namely, ultrasonic repellers. This is done for a number of reasons:

Ultrasonic bedbug repellers are cheaper than a good insecticide.
Ultrasound is harmless to humans, unlike most insecticides, which can cause poisoning if handled incorrectly.
Ultrasound does not cause allergies.

Manufacturers of ultrasonic repellents claim that their products can repel and kill bedbugs, and some even claim that ultrasound prevents the insects from reproducing. However, does this product really help in the fight against bedbugs? This is exactly what this article will be about.

Bedbugs: getting to know the pest

The main difference between bedbugs and other insects is their oral cavity. The mouth of almost all insects is tripled so that the animal can bite, while the bug is not capable of biting anything. Its mouthparts can only suck. Bed bugs feed by sucking fluids from plants, but in most cases, bed bugs feed on blood.

The sucking part of the bug's mouth is called the proboscis and is significantly different in appearance from the mouth of other insects. This can be easily seen under a microscope. The mouth of bedbugs is more like a long beak and is used by the insect in much the same way as a person uses a straw when drinking milk or juice.

If you take a closer look at insects that, like bedbugs, have a proboscis, then in almost all of them it is removed. Insects such as a butterfly or bee may remove their proboscis while moving from one food source to another. Bedbugs have a much more rigid mouthparts that cannot be folded. But there is also a plus to this. Due to this rigidity, bedbugs are able to break through harder obstacles than plant leaves when searching for food.

How to use it correctly

The product is sold in the form of a concentrated liquid, which must be used to prepare a solution. The drug is accompanied by instructions for use, which provide information regarding the proportion for preparing the solution for each type of insect. Changing the proportions yourself is prohibited. To kill cockroaches, use the following proportions: 5 ml should be used per liter of water. facilities.

Remember that you will be working with a toxic chemical, so the use of protective equipment is required. All safety measures must be observed so as not to harm the health of people and animals living in the apartment.

At the first stage, it is necessary to prepare the premises. You always need to take into account the degree of contamination of the room. If the infection is severe, a full treatment of the entire room will be required; if the infection is minor, you can apply the product in the kitchen, toilet and bathroom.

Required:

Move the furniture away from the walls so that you can treat the baseboards and back walls of the furniture.
Hide all food products in sealed bags and containers.
Remove all dishes, kitchen utensils, towels and personal hygiene products.
Next, sweep, remove cobwebs and dust, and wet clean.

Treatment

The preparation of the solution, as well as the treatment itself, is carried out using protective equipment. It is necessary to wear protective overalls, you can use pants and a long-sleeved jacket. Choose shoes that can be easily washed off with water after the procedure. Rubber gloves, safety glasses and a respirator are also used. The substance must not be allowed to come into contact with the skin, mucous membranes or respiratory tract. When the solution is prepared, it is poured into a spray bottle.

It is necessary to apply the substance to those surfaces where the Prussians have been seen, as well as to those places where they are most likely to appear. Treat baseboards around the entire perimeter, the back and bottom of cabinets, behind the refrigerator, radiator; be sure to treat pipes, the bottom of the sink, and washbasin. In the bathroom and toilet we apply the substance to corners, pipes, and ventilation holes.

After the procedure, you need to remove protective equipment, change clothes, wash your hands with soap, and wash your face. The room must be left for at least 2 hours, with the windows closed.

Upon returning to the apartment, it is necessary to ventilate it well, it is better to create a draft. Next, prepare a soap solution and treat absolutely all surfaces with which a person comes into contact.

It is especially important to pay attention to cleaning when children and animals live in the apartment. Contact with the drug may cause serious consequences. The pesticide remains only in hard-to-reach places

The pesticide remains only in hard-to-reach places.

Preventive actions

After the procedure, it is imperative to pay maximum attention to preventive actions, as this will protect against the appearance of new pests. Do wet cleaning more often, wash dishes after each preparation and meal.

Keep the table and work surfaces clean and remove crumbs. Do not leave food on surfaces. Take out the trash daily and wash the trash can. After washing dishes, wipe the sink dry. Eliminate water leaks and seal all cracks. Use preventive measures, you can turn to traditional methods.

Scale of the problem

One of the main misconceptions people have about bedbugs is that the vast majority of people believe that bedbugs live on the object of their parasitism. In fact, this is far from the case.

Bed bugs do not live on a dog or cat; they live where the parasitizing object most often appears. And, alas, this is usually the home of the animal's owners. Bedbugs live and breed in tiny cracks in floors or carpets. With an average insect size of 1.5-2 millimeters, entire colonies of tiny bedbugs can live alongside people for decades. At the same time, people will never see them anywhere except in the fur of their pet.

Bedbugs do not live on animal fur; they jump on it from time to time to drink its blood. And one more very important point - if you look at the animal’s fur, it may seem that there are not so many bedbugs, but you need to understand that these are not all insects! This is only a tiny part of them, and all the rest are jumping somewhere around the house in search of food.

Instructions for use

In order to effectively deal with parasites, take a cylinder with “Insecticide” so that it is vertical. It is taken twenty centimeters away from the place where insects accumulate and spraying begins.

In order for the treatment to be effective, it is necessary to divide the entire surface into intended squares and thoroughly disinfect each of them for ten seconds.

This is interesting! It is better to fight insects in the warm season, since the greatest effectiveness of “Insecticide” is observed in the range from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. As soon as the temperature becomes significantly higher or lower, it is recommended to postpone treatment.

The room must be prepared for processing. You need to take toothbrushes, baby clothes and groceries out of reach. Clothes and bedding should be wrapped in airtight bags. Pet bowls should also be kept securely hidden.

It requires very careful inspection and careful processing:

beds;
mattresses;
sofas;
armchairs;
cracks in the floor;
spaces behind cabinets;
furniture;
baseboard;
the back of a floor or wall rug;
spaces behind the wallpaper;
electrical outlets;
batteries;
doorways, etc.

Then the windows, doors and vents are tightly closed for twenty minutes. Afterwards, the apartment must be well ventilated. It is best to create a draft so that all odors disappear.

Protective equipment

Then use a mixture of soap and soda to wipe all surfaces in the house.

Particular attention should be paid to door handles, tables, bedside tables, armrests or shelves. This cleaning is done to ensure that family members do not accidentally come into contact with the toxic substance.

The drug is quite toxic, so precautions must be taken. Before starting sanitization, you must put on thick rubber gloves on your hands and protect your face with a bandage.

Eyes must be covered with glasses.

After finishing disinfection, you need to wash or throw away the clothes you wore, take a shower and rinse your mouth thoroughly.

If you were unable to protect yourself and the substance got on your body, you should treat the areas in contact with it with soda.

What to do if bedbugs have declared war on you?

Bedbugs almost never attack humans. An exception may be cases when there was an animal in the house for a certain time, whose presence created the opportunity for bedbugs to live and reproduce. Then this pet disappeared from the house, and the bedbugs had no food left. In such a situation, they will have no choice but to find a new source of life support, and the bug will attack the person.

They will jump on your feet, bite and run away long before the person begins to feel itching on the skin. In such situations, socks and trousers will not help. These microscopic parasites will crawl through any tissue in search of food.

If this has already happened, then it is too late to bring a new cat into the house so that they start eating it. They will now only bite people. It makes no sense to hope to starve them by leaving the apartment for a few days. Experiments on bedbugs have shown that these parasites can live absolutely without food from two to eighteen months. And if this problem seems funny to someone, then they simply do not understand how tenacious these creatures are, and how incredibly difficult it is to get rid of them. If you do everything correctly, you can get rid of bedbugs with ultrasound. We will try to find out whether this is really so.

Natural repellers

In addition to electronic devices, natural plant components have been found to have an effective effect on bed bugs

It is very important that they emit a strong odor. Only in this case can you achieve a good result

Bedbugs really don't like the smell of some plants. These include tansy, wormwood, lavender, and bugs. They try to keep them away from the plants themselves, since their juice and enzymes are negatively perceived by insects.

However, if bloodsuckers are extremely hungry, they are willing to ignore their aversion to these odors. They will even be ready to climb into bed smoked with lavender. Therefore, fumigators with natural plant components can be used as a temporary repellent for bed bugs if it is not possible to use other means against parasites.

Of course, natural repellers will have absolutely no effect on egg laying that was laid in the owners’ house.

Therefore, you can use natural ingredients temporarily until the owners are ready to use chemicals or install electronic devices against insects.

Are bedbugs afraid of ultrasound?

According to data obtained from real experiments, almost all animals react to ultrasound and avoid it in all available ways. Each of them has its own sensitivity threshold. Ultrasound power is measured in kilohertz.

Small mammals such as dogs and cats respond to the 22-25 kHz range.
Rats and other rodents have a sensitivity threshold of 60-72 kHz.
Bedbugs, fleas, spiders, cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies and other small flying insects respond to readings of 38-44 kHz.
Lizards are exposed to ultrasound at 52-60 kHz.

So if anyone has a question whether ultrasound helps or not against bedbugs, the answer is, of course, yes. The only question that remains open is the power of the ultrasound source. If it is higher than 38 kHz, bedbugs won't stand a chance.

What is ultrasound

Humans have a limited hearing range. The human ear can perceive sound in the frequency range from 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz. Sound purity below 20 hertz is subtonal sound or infrasound, and above 20 kilohertz is ultrasound.

A person is not sensitive to such waves because the eardrum of his ear is not capable of vibrating as quickly as ultrasound. Sound above 20 kHz is at a very high frequency, so its waves are much more powerful than normal ones in terms of impact on objects.

Animals and ultrasound

Although the human ear is not affected by ultrasound, many animals can both hear and produce it. Many rodents, small mammals, insects, as well as bedbugs use ultrasound as a means of communication.

Bedbugs have hypersensitive hearing organs and therefore can perceive incredibly high frequencies. Cockroaches have "sensory antennae" that are used to sense ultrasound. Spiders, wasps, beetles and flies have a tympanic membrane to detect ultrasound. Male mosquitoes use such frequencies to attract females. Lizards also have the ability to perceive ultrasonic vibrations.

The effect of high frequencies on bedbugs

How do ultrasonic bedbug repellers affect their body? Bedbugs have ultrasonic sensors, and when frequencies of 38-44 kHz or higher are emitted by the repeller and reach these sensors, the bug begins to feel fear and confusion. The animal becomes completely disoriented, it feels a sharp pain, and in the first seconds it does not understand which direction the source is and where it needs to run.

Ultrasound creates severe stress in the animal’s nervous system. It completely suppresses his own ability to produce ultrasound. Exposure to such a high frequency can briefly numb the animal, after which it identifies the source and tries to move away from it as quickly as possible.

Ultrasound creates strong pressure on the eardrum of bedbugs, and therefore the insects run away. Does ultrasound help kill bedbugs? No. Ultrasound cannot kill an insect, but at the same time it creates such impossible conditions for the parasite that the latter has no choice but to flee from the affected area.

Operating principle

A modern electronic bed bug repeller operates on the basis of ultrasonic and magnetic waves. The most common models are with ultrasound. A special sensor generates high-frequency vibrations that are imperceptible to the human ear. With constant exposure to insects, they cause discomfort and disorientation in space. The normal functioning of bedbugs is disrupted, after which the insects begin to look for a new shelter and breeding sites.

The most effective are considered to be combined devices that generate ultrasonic and magnetic waves. Double exposure to the repeller allows you to get rid of bedbugs in the room much faster. At the same time, the device remains safe for humans. High-frequency vibrations affect the central nervous system of insects, causing discomfort. Parasites stop feeding, reproducing, and after a while they leave the apartment or house.

Interesting facts about ultrasound and mosquitoes

Male mosquitoes are the natural enemies of females of their species after breeding. Few people know that in fact, both males and females use plant sap rather than human blood as food. The mosquito has become man's worst enemy because females need protein from human blood to mature their eggs. Males never bite people, only females do this, and only after mating. This gives them the opportunity to obtain blood, which is vital for raising offspring.

And there is one more interesting feature. Females and males are at enmity with each other; more or less tolerable relations between them are possible only at the moment of mating. And therefore, after reproduction, females avoid males as best they can. The most important way to detect their presence is the 38 kHz ultrasound that males emit through their antennae. Working at this frequency, the ultrasonic repeller imitates the presence of a male for females, so they fly away.

Smartphone against bedbugs

Can a mobile application replace a full-fledged ultrasonic bedbug repeller? Is it true that a regular smartphone can help in the fight against mosquitoes or bedbugs? In phone app stores you can find many different programs for mobile devices that promise effective removal of bedbugs with ultrasound. Many scientists are very skeptical about such a statement.

Renowned entomologist Bart Knoles once experimented with a smartphone app to see if ultrasound worked on bedbugs. He downloaded it to his iPhone, turned it on full blast, and placed it in a box of bedbugs. Either the insects showed a truly Spartan character and did not allow themselves to be broken, or the phone application turned out to be a simple scam, but the bedbugs showed absolutely no reaction.

Review of popular repellers

There are many ultrasonic repellers on the market now, both professional and semi-professional. To choose the most effective device, you need to study its characteristics. The most popular and advertised are:

Electronic devices have different effectiveness, which depends not only on the characteristics of the device, but also on the manufacturer.

Many devices are similar in appearance to an adapter, which you just need to plug into a power outlet to start working. The sound volume during operation is minimal, but some reviews contain complaints that the device beeps. In order for the home to be completely protected, you need to choose the right place to install the device, set the volume to ensure complete destruction of insects and maintain the time specified in the instructions for which the ultrasound will be emitted.

You can buy the device in stores in large cities such as Moscow or order it online. Delivery is made to the most remote settlements of the country. The ultrasonic protector has different reviews, which can be found on the forums.

Electromagnetic waves in the fight against bedbugs

There are many available bedbug repellers on the market that use two methods to control pests: ultrasound and electromagnetic waves. Manufacturers claim that their devices are more effective. Scientists at the University of Colorado conducted a study with devices that combined ultrasound and electromagnetic waves. The results showed that the effect of such devices is indeed stronger than the effect of ultrasound against bedbugs without magnetic waves.

Many people believe that nowadays it is very difficult to avoid the harmful effects of various dangerous chemicals. However, their impact can be significantly minimized through the use of modern technologies. Of course, chemical repellents are much more effective than conventional ultrasonic bedbug repellers. But if high-frequency sound is used in combination with electromagnetic waves, such a device is practically in no way inferior in effectiveness to repellents. But in terms of the impact on the user’s health, the difference is huge.

Choosing an ultrasonic device

The average price on the market for such devices today is 1300-1500 rubles. For this money you can buy both a domestic device and an imported one: Bulgarian, Belarusian, Chinese, etc.

Among domestic manufacturers, the following brands can be distinguished:

Typhoon LS-500

The developers made the device in such a way that the sound frequency changes all the time. This is done so that the parasites are unable to develop protective mechanisms in constantly changing conditions and, accordingly, leave the territory unsuitable for life.

When using this device, it is necessary to free up space in front of it, as this prevents it from working.

Tornado Impact FP-003

Universal device against bedbugs. Its work is based on two types of influence: ultrasonic and electromagnetic. The device emits ultrasound, which negatively affects the well-being of insects, and electromagnetic radiation, which travels through the wiring throughout the apartment and creates vibrations that are unpleasant for bedbugs. Such comprehensive repelling of pests forces them to leave the premises in a short time.

Among the imported repellers, the following can be noted:

AR-130 Smart-Sensor

This is a Chinese-made device. The principle of its operation is exactly the same as that of similar devices. No better than our domestic devices against bedbugs. The only thing that can attract a buyer is its fairly low price. On average it is 1000 rubles.

Weitech WK-0600

This rodent, insect and bird repeller with a protected housing is a convenient and effective way to combat a wide variety of pests (including cockroaches, bedbugs, etc.). Made in a metal case of increased strength. According to the manufacturer, the device is not afraid of shocks and is designed for long-term operation. Creates ultrasonic noise, inaudible to humans, but unbearable to pests, as a result of which they will be forced to leave your territory.

On the Internet you can find a lot of different reviews about ultrasonic repellers. They all vary. In any case, it’s up to you to decide how to fight bed bugs and what methods to use for this!

Is it safe for people?

Ultrasonic repellers are widely used in homes, gardens and farms to successfully treat bed bugs. Commercial instruments are designed to operate in the range from 20 kHz to 100 kHz. Ultrasound above 20 kHz cannot be heard by adults, but children can hear sounds up to 30 kHz.

Almost every home has a lot of devices that emit ultrasound. A mobile phone, computer, or vacuum cleaner are sources of such a signal, but do not cause any harm to human health. Ultrasound is considered the safest way to examine pregnant women; it is this technology that the ultrasound machine uses. Ultrasound is also used in cardiac echocardiogram. According to scientific research, high frequencies cannot harm human health.

The most popular ultrasonic repellers and prices:

Thermacell Outdoor Electronic Repellent. Price: 1,600 rubles.

Thermacell Insect Repelling Lantern. Price: 1,340 rubles.

Pest Reject Ultrasonic Bug Repellent. Price: 2,680 rubles.

Home Sentinel Electromagnetic, Ionic & Ultrasonic Insect Repellent. Price: 800 rubles.

SOARING Ultrasonic Bug Repellent. Price: 1,270 rubles.

Clip-on Bug Repellent Fan, 2 Packs. Price: 1,000 rubles.

Principle of operation

The work of such repellers is to create magnetic resonance or ultrasonic pulses that affect bedbugs and other insects. The impulse only allows you to scare away the insect, but does not cause any harm. Almost all devices are universal, so they can be used against many pests.

Electromagnetic

In such devices, a magnetic resonance oscillation is created, it affects the parasite, and it leaves the area where it senses it.

Features of such devices:

It is worth considering that the radiation that the device creates affects not only insects, they have an effect on people and animals.
Also keep in mind that the egg laying remains unaffected, since the impulses do not affect them in any way, so you will need to turn on the device from time to time throughout the month.

Often, after the device is turned off, the parasites return to their territory. This situation arises because bedbugs are not the type of insect that travels long distances. Therefore, when they hear danger, they retreat to safe territory and wait until the path is open, and then return. There is another scenario: in the case of multi-storey buildings, they move to their neighbors, but this absolutely does not guarantee that they will not return to you again.

Ultrasonic

In this case, the device is designed to create ultrasound, which has an effect on the insect’s nervous system. He perceives such ultrasonic vibrations as danger and therefore leaves the territory. According to the manufacturers of such repellers, ultrasound operates in a certain range, which only affects insects, which is absolutely safe for people and animals.

Before purchasing a device, you should understand one important point. Speaking of a device that is ultra-modern, operates in a certain ultrasonic range, has a 100% effect on parasites and is absolutely safe for humans, it certainly cannot cost a few rubles. And often on our market there are models sold that are ineffective and have nothing to do with high-tech emitters. But at the same time, the fairly high price does not at all prove the quality of the devices.

When giving preference to ultrasonic devices, it is worth considering:

Waves can only affect adults, the larvae remain untouched, so repeated procedures will be required;
If the room is large enough, then you need to use several devices;
To achieve maximum effect, it is recommended to additionally treat the room with chemicals.

Ultrasound against bedbugs. Feedback about use

Let's see what those who have already used such devices say. The vast majority of reviews about the use of ultrasonic bedbug repellers are positive. If you purchase a working device and operate it correctly, you can forget about the problem of bedbugs. Having looked at the reviews on the use of ultrasound against bedbugs, we can come to the conclusion that most repellers do not demonstrate the best results due to the following reasons:

Converter output power. If it is too low, the efforts will have no effect. Although 38-44 kHz is sufficient for bedbugs, it is best to set the device to maximum.
Direction and angle of sound capture. Ultrasound typically travels at an angle of 45 degrees from the source. If there is an obstacle in the way, the waves will not pass through it, but will flow around the object. This may reduce efficiency due to reduced coverage area.
Number of bedbugs. If the parasite population is too large, one device may not be enough. Also of great importance is how far they are from the repeller. In most cases, judging by the reviews, one device is enough to get rid of bedbugs with ultrasound.
The ability of bedbugs to adapt to ultrasound. In the first days of use, the device will affect everyone without exception, but over time, some of them may adapt to the irritant.

How to use the repeller

The instructions for use are simple and banal. Remove the device from the packaging, connect it to a power source or insert batteries. Set the required mode and leave it on until the bedbugs disappear. It is recommended to turn it off periodically to avoid damage. It is necessary to use the device for a long time. Only at the end of the month can you notice a visible result

In addition, you should pay attention to the radius of influence of the repeller

You may have to install several pieces in one room at once.

Instructions for use:

remove from packaging;
plug into the socket;
set mode.

To prevent insects from becoming accustomed to constant ultrasound. Modes should be changed periodically.