Certain scents have unique effects on insects, rodents, wildlife, and humans. Many of these scents derive from plants, trees, flowers, fruits, and crops. Naturalists believe essential oils can help combat anxiety, restlessness, depression, symptoms associated with specific medical conditions, inflammation, mild pain, and nausea.
In the last decades, bed bug sightings increased significantly throughout the United States. Unfortunately, many of these sightings were never confirmed, leaving scientists scratching their heads. These experts believe in testing new techniques and products to determine how effective they are in extermination applications.
Essential oil scents, such as lavender is just one example. Lavender is believed to deter bed bugs from hitchhiking rides in travelers’ luggage. Peppermint and tea tree oil are two more bed bug deterrent examples. Whether or not these essential oil scents are effective bed bug deterrence solutions remains open. Until more research is available, validating these claims will be impossible.
A unique scent, believe it or not, originates from something other than the usual plant, tree, crop, and fruit. This scent is produced by no other than the bed bug nymph. Young bed bugs in the nymph life stage generate a pheromone that deters adult male bed bugs from seeking them out for mating purposes.
A study conducted by researchers at the US Department of Agriculture was to determine the effectiveness of paraffin and silicone oils as a bed bug deterrent. The results caused mixed feelings among the researchers because they failed to validate a connection between the essential oils and bed bugs. However, the study did show a slight change in the bed bug’s behavior when exposed to the aforementioned essential oils.
To determine how effective essential oils are as a bed bug deterrent more research would be needed.
If you are dealing with a Bed Bug Exterminator problem, do not hesitate to notify our local extermination team. We can dispatch an exterminator out to your home within 24 to 48 hours of your initial request.