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ABSTRACT
We evaluated lethal temperatures and times for killing bed bugs in diverse covered and uncovered conditions simulating their natural habitats. A total of 5400 adult bed bugs were collected alive from 17 infested locations in Paris. They were morphologically identified in laboratory as Cimex lectularius. They were then distributed in multiple sets of 30 specimens to examine in covered (tissue, furniture, mattress or blanket) and uncovered (direct exposure) conditions and in diverse step-function temperatures (50, 55 and 60°C) and times (15, 30, 60 and 120 minutes), replicated three times. Effective mortality was observed in 1080 specimens exposed directly to 50°C for 60 minutes. In specimens covered by tissue (1080 specimens), furniture (1080) or mattress (1080), all were dead at 60°C within 60 minutes. The specimens covered by blanket (1080) at the same temperature were dead after 120 minutes. A 60-minutes delay in reaching to lethal temperature within blanket compared to uncovered thermometer was observed.
Acknowledgements
This study was partly carried out within the framework of a CIFRE grant co-financed by the Association Nationale pour la Recherche et la Technologie and the City of Paris. The authors are grateful to Sovelor (France) and Trotec (Germany) Companies who provided us the heating machines.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Author contributions
Conceptualization: A.I. and M.A.; Data collection, investigation, methodology: D.C., N.E., P.N., V.L., Y.V., A.B., J.J., A.I., and M.A., Original draft preparation: M.A., Review and critical editing: D.C., A.I., N.E., P.N, V.L., and M.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.