14 farmers' bulletin 754. 



The old-fashioned household remedies referred to below arc effec- 

 tive enough, though at a greater cost of time and personal effort. 

 They will, however, be often of much service in the case of slight or 

 recent infestations, or where the emplo}mient of more poisonous and 

 troublesome gases is objected to or is impracticable. Of these simple 

 methods of control perhaps the most efficient is in very liberal appli- 

 cations of benzine or kerosene, or any other of the fighter petroleum 

 oils, introduced with smaU brushes or feathers, or by injecting with 

 syringes into aU crevices of beds, furniture, or walls where the insects 

 may have concealed themselves. Corrosive sublimate is also of value, 

 and oil of turpentine may be used in the same way. The liberal use 

 of hot water, wherever it may be employed without danger to furni- 

 ture, etc., is also an effectual method of destroying both eggs and 

 active, bugs.^ 



Various bedbug remedies and mixtures are for sale, most of them 

 containing one or another of the ingredients mentioned, and these 

 are fre(iuently of value. The great desideratum, however, in a case 

 of this kind, is a daily inspection of beds and bedding, particularly 

 the seams and tufting of mattresses, and of all crevices and locations 

 about the premises where these vermin may have gone for conceal- 

 ment. A vigorous campaign should, in the course of a week or so 

 at the outside, result in the extermination of this very obnoxious 

 and end)arrassing pest. 



Teinperature control. — Tlie possibility of temperature control is 

 indicated in the discussion elsewhere of the effect of temperature 

 on this insect. A temperature maintained below freezing for 10 or 



15 days destroys the eggs, and this temperature continued for 

 15 days to a month will destroy the newly hatched young. It 

 may be, therefore, that if infested houses in cold climates should be 

 opened up and allowed to remain at a temperature well below freez- 



1 A remedy for the bedbug has been devised by Mr. R. H. Pettit ("Notes on two insecticidal agents," 

 in 10th Kpt. Mich. Acad. Sci., p. 159-160, 1908) as a substitute for hydrocyanic-acid gas and sulphur, and 

 is reported to liave proved very successful. The preparation of this insecticide and its application is 

 described as follows: 



Alcohol is drawn through pyrethruni in a funnel until the powder is well washed and a large part of 

 the resinous prmciple extracted. To do this, the powder is placed in a large funnel with filter-plate and 

 a layer of cotton wool at the bottom. An aspirator is attached and the alcohol is at first .slowly and later 

 rapidly sucked tlirough six or eight times, during wliich operation it becomes highly colored. To this 

 liquid'as a l)asis, are added several oils to give pprinaiu'iuc t o the application. Both alcohol and pyrethruni 

 evaporate so quickly that it was thought bei^t to carry in some neavier volatile oils whose ellects would 

 last several days or even weeks. The formula when ((iniiileted stands as follows: 

 To the extract made by washing 40() grams of pyrethruni with 2,000 c. c. of strong alcohol, are added — 

 .')0 grams gum camphor. 

 150 c. c. cedar wood oil. 

 25 grams oil citronella. 

 25 grams oil lavender. 

 The application is best made with a large sized atomizer, one holding a pint or more and working with 

 a piston instead of a rubber bulb. * * * to obtain the bast results, repeat the. treatment after about 

 two weeks. \\ e have tried this mixture repeatedly, and with uniformly gratifving results Usuallv 

 one application, if thoroughly made, put a period to the complaints, about eight or ten ounces being 

 re(jUirod in an average sleeping-room. The odor remains some little time in aroom, but is not disagree- 

 able to the average person. 



This remedy can be readily prepared by a pharmacist in any drug store. 



