Table 1.
A comparison of active and passive monitors for bed bug detection
| Device | Active or passive (principle behind the technology) | Approximate cost | Duration of use | Training and ease of use | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catchmaster Bedbug Detection System (BBEDS) | Passive: Mimics harborages, traps bed bugs in adhesive | $0.70–1.00 | 30–90 days | Portable, discreet, uses adhesive. No special training. Requires handling dead bugs. | http://www.catchmaster.com/bbeds/bbeds.php |
| BuggyBeds | Passive: Textured, clear plastic tray; glue trap purportedly “lures bedbugs into the trap,” although no specific attractant is named | $11.99 for a 4-pack; $28.99 for a 12-pack | “After a bed bug or other insect is found or after six months of use” | Portable, discreet, non-toxic glue trap. No special training. Requires handling dead bugs. Independent verification lacking. | http://www.buggybeds.com/ |
| Trapper Monitor Insect Trap TM2600 by Bell Laboratories | Passive: Glue trap for monitoring bed bugs and other domestic pests | $0.25–0.50 | Unknown | Portable, 7″ × 3.5″ cardboard trap adheres to surfaces. Not specific to bed bugs. | http://www.belllabs.com/product_details/south-africa-trapper-monitor-and-insect-trap |
| ClimbUp Insect Interceptor | Passive: coaster trap coated with talcum powder is placed under the legs of furniture; can be converted to an active monitor by adding dry ice | $34.00–80.00 for a pack of 12 | Minimum of 7 days; may be left indefinitely | No chemicals; may require lifting heavy furniture; needs to be serviced periodically. Likelihood of handling live bugs might be objectionable. | http://www.insect-interceptor.com/ |
| Bed Bug Alert (BB ALERT) | Passive: Small crevices mimic harborages; white border reveals fecal droplets | $21.08 | Up to 1 year | No moving parts or consumables. No special training; must be able to identify bed bug fecal droplets. | http://www.bedbugsalert.com |
| Active: Warmth and CO2 emission | $29.96 | Two nights over a 3- to 5-day period | Should be used overnight, between 6 and 9 p.m. Requires visual inspection of live bugs or their feces. | http://www.bedbugsalert.com | |
| CDC3000 (no longer produced) | Active: Uses 45-g cartridges of CO2, warmth, and a “synthetic attractant chemistry blend of pheromones and other bed bug attractants” | $999.00 (includes the device, three single-use CO2 cartridges, and three single-use capture slides) | One CO2 cartridge lasts 10 hours | About the size of a suitcase. Requires separate purchase of a “capture slide” or plastic insert with adhesive. The capture slide must be discarded after every use. Trapped bed bugs are contained within the unit; must open the device to see the bed bugs. | http://www.sternenvironmental.com/products/cdc-3000.php |
| NightWatch (no longer produced) | Active: Pitfall trap design combining CO2 and a “patented thermal heat source” | $400.00–600.00 (includes the device, reusable pitfall traps, and four chemical lures); must purchase CO2 cylinder separately | 10 hours per day for up to 1 week | Bed bugs are captured and visible in wells attached to outside of the device. | http://www.biosensory.com/nightWatch-bedbug-monitor.cfm |
| Bed Bug Beacon by PackTite | Active: Pitfall trap with CO2 and mineral oil to trap the bugs | $50.00 | 5 days | Must run monitor for at least 5 days or it will not attract recently fed bed bugs. Recommended not to sleep in the room while using this monitor. Three units recommended for an average-sized bedroom. | http://www.sternenvironmental.com/bedbugs/bedbug-beacon.php |
| FMC Verifi | Active: CO2, kairomone, and aggregation pheromone | $30.00; replacement cartridges $7.00 | 90 days | Nontoxic, portable, discreet, silent. One technician, no tools required. | http://www.fmcprosolutions.com/BedBugs/Home.aspx |