Does Uv Light Kill Bed Bugs

Ultraviolet light and light of any kind doesn t kill the bed bugs but it does aid in identifying the problem.

Does uv light kill bed bugs.

The first link below tells you how to build an effective bedbug trap using dry ice. There are passive means of detecting bed bugs which are easier and work better than manually searching. Bed bugs prefer the darkness and will go to great lengths to avoid light at all costs but there is no evidence to suggest that light will kill bed bugs. Ultraviolet light does kill insects as well and it s commonly used in quarantine labs to keep potentially dangerous insects from escaping into the environment.

Although uv light can be a beneficial tool in both repelling and detecting bed bugs you have to know that light in and off itself will not kill them. When a bed bug infestation occurs or is suspected homeowners immediately start looking for ways to kill the bugs. They usually scurry away from light. If the organism can t read the genetic code it can t go on living.

Uv light makes bed bugs more visible. It s also been investigated as a way to kill stored product pests without resorting to pesticides. Ultraviolet light doesn t kill bed bugs and neither does ordinary light. I don t think uv light would work for attracting them though it might detect their excrement.

But even if uv light does make bed bugs glow it isn t necessarily an effective strategy. There was a recent study that showed that c02 is the most effective attractant for bedbugs. Although a uv light will make detecting bed bugs assured you must understand that the light in and of itself will not kill them. The main reason is heat generation.

The best chance would be with ultraviolet uv light.