TROPICAL BED BUG (CIMEX HEMIPTERUS) IN MALAYSIA: SURVEY ON PEST CONTROL OPERATORS MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL STRATEGIES (HEMIPTERA: CIMICIDAE)

Abstract

Bed bugs cases have been at alarming rate in most foreign
countries compared to Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia.
Lack of morphological understanding and ways to control
among the society and professionals have become factors of
their resurgence. An online survey was conducted among Pest
Control Operators (PCO) from different pest control companies
in nine states of Malaysia to investigate the commonly used
technique in treating bed bugs. The forms were distributed via
online to all pest control companies but only 48 of them have
responded. Other preferences such astype of premises, number
of cases, number of successful treatment and resistance in bed
bugs after residual treatment were also included in the
questionnaires. It was found that most Pest Control companies
preferred chemical and spray method for treatment (66.7%) especially in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor which also had the highest infestation of bed bugs in their premises such as hotels, motels and residential houses. Most companies prefer RM500-1000 as charging cost per treatment site. Although professionals hardly find resistance bed bugs in their treatment cases (75%), the number of complete eradication per site has been very low (41.7%). Therefore, improvements in treating bed bugs should be investigated in details to prevent widespread of bed bugs throughout Malaysia.