DIY Bedbug Trap Tackles Infestations For $15 [DIY]

Bedbugs are more common than you might think, and the thought of these disgusting creatures biting into your flesh at night is enough to make anyone paranoid. This super cheap and easy DIY solution can bring you peace of mind.

The bedbugs are attracted to carbon dioxide, so you'll want to use something like dry ice to lure them out of your bed and into somewhere where you can confirm the infestation. All you need is an insulated 1/3 gallon jug, 2.5 pounds of dry ice pellets and a piece of paper. That's about $15 worth of equipment in total. And dry ice can be easily had at many supermarkets, ice cream stores, and the like. Wan-Tien Tsai of Rutgers University explains the setup, which uses the dry ice and a type of rigging to trap the bedbugs inside:

She stood the jug in a plastic cat food dish with a piece of paper taped on the outside of the dish as a ramp up to the rim. The bowl's steep, slippery inside, with an added dusting of talcum powder, kept bugs from crawling out again.

In tests in real apartments, the homemade setup detected bedbugs as well, or better, than did two brands of professional exterminating equipment

I'll tell you what, even if you don't suspect bedbugs at home, I wouldn't hesitate to use something like this at that seedy hotel you might find yourself staying at for the holidays. [Wired Image via WestchesterGov]



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