Assessment of some characteristics of pitfall-style traps in trapping the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).
Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
In the past 25 years, bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus (F.)) have resurged as common ectoparasites around the world. Effective monitoring is a key to effective bed bug management. Among the various methods used for monitoring bed bugs, installing pitfall-style traps is considered the most reliable. However, there is relatively little research on the characteristics of trap design associated with trapping effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated the effect of diameter, height, color, and anti-escape barrier treatment on trap efficiency for monitoring C. hemipterus. Inverted dog bowls were more effective than ClimbUp interceptors in trapping C. hemipterus. The higher the height of the dog bowl, the better the trapping efficiency for C. hemipterus. Inverted dog bowls covered with blue or red tape captured the most C. hemipterus, followed by those with black tape, and green or yellow tape, and the inverted dog bowls covered with white tape captured the least number of C. hemipterus. Fluoropolymer resin, talcum powder, and diatomaceous earth dust coated on the inner walls of the inverted dog bowl completely prevented bed bugs from escaping. Applying talcum powder and diatomaceous earth dust to the inner walls of traps also had a significant bed bug killing effect. The height and exterior wall's color, as well as the anti-escape barrier treatment coated on the inner walls, are key factors affecting the pitfall-style trap's effectiveness in trapping C. he
Abstract
In the past 25 years, bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus (F.)) have resurged as common ectoparasites around the world. Effective monitoring is a key to effective bed bug management. Among the various methods used for monitoring bed bugs, installing pitfall-style traps is considered the most reliable. However, there is relatively little research on the characteristics of trap design associated with trapping effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated the effect of diameter, height, color, and anti-escape barrier treatment on trap efficiency for monitoring C. hemipterus. Inverted dog bowls were more effective than ClimbUp interceptors in trapping C. hemipterus. The higher the height of the dog bowl, the better the trapping efficiency for C. hemipterus. Inverted dog bowls covered with blue or red tape captured the most C. hemipterus, followed by those with black tape, and green or yellow tape, and the inverted dog bowls covered with white tape captured the least number of C. hemipterus. Fluoropolymer resin, talcum powder, and diatomaceous earth dust coated on the inner walls of the inverted dog bowl completely prevented bed bugs from escaping. Applying talcum powder and diatomaceous earth dust to the inner walls of traps also had a significant bed bug killing effect. The height and exterior wall's color, as well as the anti-escape barrier treatment coated on the inner walls, are key factors affecting the pitfall-style trap's effectiveness in trapping C. hemipterus. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.