Biological pest control is the newest, most advanced form of bed bug treatment. The product, Aprehend, has been on the market for professional pest applicators since the end of 2017 and has been nothing but successful. You can find professional companies using Aprehend by visiting their website.
An easy description of this product: Let me explain. Your professional pest applicator has in his sprayer the flu virus. This flu virus only effects a certain kind of biter: the ugly night-time crawler. This flu is applied to areas where bed bugs walk, talk, and breathe. Cough. Cough. A bed bug now has this theoretical flu. This bed bug goes to it’s hibernation spot, where more bed bugs are relaxing. Cough. Cough. Four bed bugs now have the flu. This process continues until every bed bug has this “flu”. Want to know the cool part? This flu will kill bed bugs within 3 to 7 days.
The pro: it is the most effective, guaranteed kill. The con: It’s a slow kill.
When Choosing a Professional Pest Company
There are only a few professional companies using this fungal product. Every company using this product has been trained to do so, and trained on how to apply this product correctly in homes and businesses. Just like the questions from our Chemical Treatment page, you’ll want to ask these questions for anyone you are planning on hiring:
- How long have you been in business/How many years of experience do you have?
- What type of treatment do you do for bed bugs and what does it entail?
- Do you treat per room or do you treat the whole structure?
- How long does the treatment take?
- How long is your guarantee?
- What is the prep work involved?
- How much would it cost?
A successful Aprehend treatment should be completed in a minimum of two steps: An initial treatment then another treatment 30-45 days later. The initial treatment is designed to eradicate all living bed bugs. This initial treatment also places a barrier down, spreading this theoretical flu for up to 90 days! That’s a long kill time! Then, 30-45 days after the initial treatment, as bed bugs are coming out of their hiding spots, the product should be reapplied, more as a spot treatment, to continue to kill for another 90 days! This kills bed bug adults. This kills bed bug babies. This kills the bratty bed bug teens. Sometimes, a bed bug will hang out in a deep crack for months before coming out to feed, so don’t be alarmed if you find a random bug crawling around. Aprehend stays applied and continues to kill for up to 90 days, as long as you don’t do any heavy-duty cleaning to wash away the product.
And FYI, same with the chemical treatments, treat your whole structure! What do you think happens if you only treat one room? The bed bugs are going to run to find a safe space, which means they are going to make a home in another room of your structure. That process will continue until the whole structure is treated! Some companies will tell you they can treat for a smaller amount of money by only treating one room or two. It does sound enticing, but it also can cost you more in the long run.
Length of Fungal Treatments
When a professional comes into your structure for your first biological treatment, it will take 1 to 3 hours to complete. They are treating baseboards, carpets, and every single piece of furniture, which includes flipping couches, sofas, love seats, and beds. At the second biological treatment, it is more of a spot treatment, and should take 1-2 hours to complete.
Some companies use direct steam along with Aprehend. If that’s the case, the length of time for a treatment will increase by an hour or so. This is the best way to go, honestly.
Prices of Fungal Treatments
How much Aprehend that must be applied to your structure depends on the amount of furniture you have and the size of your home. That amount of Aprehend, plus the specialized equipment that must be used to apply this product, plus your professional’s time, gas, and all other expenses it takes to complete your treatment: You’re looking around $1,100 or more for a complete treatment. And make sure you are getting your full treatment with a guarantee! I know how one local, family owned company does Aprehend treatments: An initial treatment, a 45 day second treatment, and a 90 day guarantee which starts at the initial treatment. So think about it: At $1,100 with that above treatment schedule, you’d be paying about $12.22 in a matter of 90 days ($1,100 divided by 90 days, if you wanted to know where my numbers came from).
Prepping for Professional Fungal Treatments
Just like a Chemical Treatment, you’ll be starting your Spring Cleaning early! These professionals need room to move around your structure and flip furniture! Don’t be alarmed when you are told to complete this prep list:
- Remove all clutter.
- Bedding, including pillows and dust ruffles, needs to be removed from beds and ran through the dryer (a minimum of 45 minutes on the highest heat setting.) When done, you must put in a sealed bag.
- All clothing, and we mean all clothing (on floors, chairs, in dressers, closets) must be ran through the dryer (a minimum of 45 minutes on the highest heat setting.) When done, you must put in a sealed bag.
- Curtains and stuffed animals: take down curtains and run them and the animals through the dryer, again, for a minimum of 45 minutes on the highest heat setting. Put that in a sealed bag as well. I mean, stuffed animals: Not living. Though the live animals do need a place to stay for several hours.
- With your pets, you will need to find a place to stay for several hours as well. All must be out of structure during treatment and a few hours after, to allow everything to dry.
- Cardboard: throw out.
- Vacuum, using crevice tool, around baseboards where floors and walls meet. Go ahead and vacuum all carpet areas while you’re at it.
- Do you have treasures under your beds? Those need cleaned up too.
If you want to go another route, let’s learn a little more about different treatment options for you by clicking one of the links below:
HEAT TREATMENTS
CHEMICAL TREATMENTS
SELF TREATMENTS