Canine Bed Bug
Detection:
Philip G. Koehler
Margie & Dempsey Sapp Endowed
Professor of Urban Pest Management
University of Florida
Department of Entomology and Nematology
Building 970
Gainesville, FL. 332611
Bed Bug Detection
• Visual detection difficult
• Early infestations go
unnoticed
• Early control more likely
to succeed, and these
infestations are less
likely to spread and are
cheaper to control
15 bed bug nymphs in
slots of drywall screw
Bed Bug Infestations
• Active
– Live bed bugs
– Eggs
• Inactive
–
–
–
–
Dead bed bugs
Blood spots
Fecal stains
Cast skins
Training Materials for a Detector
Dogs
(US Customs)
Training Steps
Basic Retrieve
Controlled Retrieve
Buried Hides
Food Reward
Station for Evaluating Canine
Scent Detection
PVC Cap with Hole
Bed Bugs
Inside Pill
Cup with
Perforated Lid
PVC Tube
Objectives
• Determine whether a dog can be trained to detect
the scent of Cimex lectularius with a method
giving food as a positive reward
• Determine whether dogs can differentiate
between:
-Other general household pests
-Active from an inactive infestation
• Determine if dogs can locate bed bugs in hotel
rooms
Materials and Methods
 Scent Vials
Materials and Methods
 Scent-detection stations
PVC Cap with Hole
PVC Tube
Scent Vial
Data
• Positive indications
• False positive indications
IACUC approval #
E732
General Household Pest Experiment
• 4 dogs, 20 replicates per dog
Ants
Roaches
~ 1 meter
Blank
Termites
5 Live Bed
Bugs
Bed Bug Detecting Canine
Differentiation Between General
Household Pests
100
% Indication
80
60
97.5
40
20
0
Bed Bugs
0
0
0
0
Ants
Roaches
Blank
Termites
Bed Bug Materials Experiment
• 3 dogs, 20 replicates per dog
Dead Bed
Bugs
Feces
~ 1 meter
Cast Skins
Live Bed
Bugs
Viable
Eggs
Live Insects
Blank
Differentiation Between Bed Bug
Materials
100
% Indication
80
60
100
40
90
20
3.33
0
0
0
Feces
Dead
Cast
Skins
Blank
0
Live Bed
Bugs
Viable
Eggs
Hotel Field Experiment
• 3 vials male adults only- 1, 5, and 10
• 3 vials female adults only- 1, 5, and 10
• 2 hotel rooms:
– One with only female vials
– One with only male vials
• Randomly hidden in 17 possible locations
• 3 dogs, 6 replicates per dog
Ability to Locate Bed Bugs in Hotel
Rooms
100
% Indication
80
60
100
40
88.9
100
100
100
100
20
Vials Containing Females
Vials Containing Males
0
1
5
10
1
5
10
Conclusions
• Dogs can be trained to detect the scent of Cimex
lectularius
• Dogs differentiated
– Bed bugs from other household pests
– Active from inactive infestations
• Determined that dogs could locate bed bugs hotel
rooms
Using a Bed Bug Dog