Bed bug management in IPM typically integrates several approaches.

Bed bug management in IPM typically integrates several approaches.

• A. Combine sanitation, heat or cold treatment, mattress encasements, and targeted insecticides when needed; minimize chemical exposure.
• B. Rely solely on chemical fogging of entire rooms.
• C. Use only heat treatment and disregard sanitation.
• D. Remove the bed and stop treatment.

Answer: (A)

Integrated pest management for bed bugs relies on combining sanitation, temperature-based treatments, encasements, and targeted insecticides to control all life stages and hiding places while minimizing chemical exposure. Cleaning and decluttering reduce harborage and make inspections more effective, while heat or cold treatments physically kill bed bugs throughout cracks, crevices, and furniture. Mattress encasements seal the mattress and box spring, trapping any remaining bugs and simplifying monitoring. Targeted insecticides are used only where needed to finish the job, limiting overall chemical use. This integrated approach is more reliable than relying on a single method, because bed bugs can hide well and have shown resistance to some chemicals. Relying solely on chemical fogging misses hidden insects and can promote resistance, ignoring sanitation leaves ongoing harborage, and removing the bed while stopping treatment ends the effort without solving the infestation.

Integrated pest management for bed bugs relies on combining sanitation, temperature-based treatments, encasements, and targeted insecticides to control all life stages and hiding places while minimizing chemical exposure. Cleaning and decluttering reduce harborage and make inspections more effective, while heat or cold treatments physically kill bed bugs throughout cracks, crevices, and furniture. Mattress encasements seal the mattress and box spring, trapping any remaining bugs and simplifying monitoring. Targeted insecticides are used only where needed to finish the job, limiting overall chemical use. This integrated approach is more reliable than relying on a single method, because bed bugs can hide well and have shown resistance to some chemicals. Relying solely on chemical fogging misses hidden insects and can promote resistance, ignoring sanitation leaves ongoing harborage, and removing the bed while stopping treatment ends the effort without solving the infestation.