Dynamics of bed bug infestations in three low‐income housing communities with various bed bug management programs

BACKGROUND Infestations of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., have become common in low‐income communities in the USA over the last 15 years. We evaluated community‐based integrated pest management (IPM) programs for reducing bed bug infestations. Two housing authorities (Bayonne and Hackensack) implemented bed bug IPM programs. A third housing authority (Paterson) was used as the control site. Building‐wide surveys were conducted in all communities, three times, to evaluate the effectiveness of the IPM programs. RESULTS From 0 to 24 months, the infestation rate at Bayonne, Hackensack, and Paterson decreased by 49, 64, and 26%, respectively. The two sites that adopted IPM achieved faster bed bug elimination than the control site. The bed bug introduction rate over a 24‐month period at Bayonne, Hackensack, and Paterson was 7, 3, and 11%, respectively. The introduction rate was positively associated with the initial infestation rate. Residents from buildings enrolled in IPM programs were more satisfied with the bed bug control services than residents from the control site. CONCLUSION IPM programs were more effective in reducing bed bug infestations than traditional pest control services, but many factors contributed to the lower than desired level of reduction in infestation rate. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry We evaluated community‐based integrated pest management (IPM) programs for reducing bed bug infestations. IPM programs were more effective in reducing bed bug infestations than traditional pest control services.