Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026

A Method for Evaluating Insecticide Efficacy against Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius, Eggs and First Instars
Published on: March 15, 2017
Efficacy of three different steamers for control of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.)
Desen Wang1,2, Changlu Wang2, Guohong Wang3
1Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Background:
Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., have become one of the most difficult urban pests to control. Steam treatment is reported to be an effective method to kill bed bugs and is considered to be an important component of bed bug integrated pest management (IPM). We evaluated and compared the efficacies of two affordable consumer-grade commercial steamers and a commonly used professional-grade steamer for killing bed bugs.
Results:
In laboratory experiments, the consumer-grade steamers at affordable prices achieved the same high control efficacy as the professional-grade steamer for treating bed bugs exposed on mattresses (100% bed bug mortality for all steamers), located beneath a fabric cover (>89% bed bug mortality for all steamers), or hiding in cracks (100% bed bug mortality for all steamers). Bed bugs located behind a leather cover did not suffer significant mortality from steam treatment regardless of the type of steamers used and the treatment duration.
Conclusion:
Proper use of steamers can kill all life stages of bed bugs. Affordable consumer-grade steamers are as effective as professional-grade steam machines for eliminating bed bugs resting on mattresses and hiding behind fabric materials or in cracks. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
Related Concept Videos
Capillary Beds
Capillaries connect arterioles, small branches of arteries, to venules,...
Self-Efficacy
Control System Problem
When forming a closed-loop system, issues can arise if the poles cross into the unstable region, leading to potential...
Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy
Combinatorial Gene Control
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...

