When they get hungry, they get crazy and will charge without warning at any hour of the day or night. If you don't manage to plug them right between the eyes with the first shot, you're a goner.
But seriously, when I use carpet-tape isolation, I never see bugs stuck to the tape, but I see a big reduction in bites. Of course, I tape the legs of my chairs as well, and/or put the legs in traps that have a glossy surface finish and steep sides, like disposable PETE cups.
I also use a drying strategy to kill them: I
- spread diatomaceous earth everywhere, with extra applied wherever water is or wherever I see them (scratches their waxy surface layer so that they dry out);
- use a dust mask to do this;
- keep the air bone-dry by putting trays spread with calcium chloride granules under the windows (which is where drinkable condensate will form first);
- mop up all moisture before each bedtime and seal anything moist in a polyethylene shoe box;
- seal anything moist bug-tight;
- put a carpet tape barrier all around the sides of my mattress with no gaps and sleep without blankets or pillow;
- and seal the mattress-top seams with masking tape and putty.
I used 400 g of diatomaceous earth in a 180 ft2 suite, Green Earth Homecare brand.
I also set out two commercial indicator traps so I know when I'm done: one on the floor closest to my head, and one taped securely to the mattress-top in a corner where I will not kick it.
I also set up a clothesline for all my clothes and footwear and trapped out the verticals.
I also put filters on all inlet and outlet air registers, puttied up all fixtures and baseboard cracks, and carpet taped all around the inside door frame.
No bugs now for two days.
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