What Scent Keeps Bed Bugs Away?

You probably know that many insects are repelled by many different scents. Just the same as cats, dogs, and even humans. That’s right, there are specific smells that you don’t like smelling and keep you out of an area. Some people have a dislike so great for onions or garlic that they don’t even like to be in the same room with these products. Well, the same can be said for specific insects like bed bugs. And, these scents can be used to deter bed bugs. Peppermint, tea tree oil, and lavender are just to name a few. That being said, there is also a lot of misinformation out there surrounding bed bugs. You’ll find that some people or forums say that bed bugs are repelled by specific scents that don’t keep them away. When battling an infestation the last thing you want to be running around trying a bunch of different ineffective products and scents. This is why it pays to know the facts along with the data that backs those facts. One known scent that has been used effectively for years and years to deter specific bed bugs is pheromones. That’s right, the pheromones secreted by baby bed bugs are strong enough to drive away male bed bugs. How and why? Male bed bugs are notorious maters. When it comes to mating, they’ll mate with anything and everything, including baby bed bugs, which can be detrimental to the bug. It’ll even kill them and this is why their bodies are designed to secret this specific pheromone. It deters the males, but only the males. While nymph pheromones are extremely effective at repelling male bed bugs, they will do nothing to females. Females will continue to invade areas with the scent. Regardless, there are a lot of bed bug repellents available on the market today that utilize this scent. Bed bug repellents have long been a major discussion amongst many. The United States Department of Agriculture even conducted its own study regarding the subject and whether or not specific essential oils were effective at deterring bed bugs. The results were no doubt interesting, to say the least. What was uncovered was, these insects are not repelled totally by essential oils in all situations. Some bugs will be deterred while some will keep right on coming. That being said, it was revealed that the oils do affect the bug’s body. All that aside, it was also proven that some essential oils were more effective than others at repelling bed bugs. Such oils would be blood orange oil, paraffin oil, silicone oil, and spearmint oil. While the effectiveness of these oils is limited, they are an excellent starting point. Combine this information with the fact that these scents offer a wide range of other relaxing and meditative benefits, and it only makes sense to use them as an effective means to deter bed bugs. However, if you want to effectively and wholly remove bugs from the structure, you’ll likely need the assistance of a certified, trained, and qualified Findlay, OH pest management professional.