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My understanding is that diatomaceous earth [1] works in a similar way. YAA: After a business trip, my dogs and I started having early symptoms of bedbugs. I
by yaddayadda 14y ago
My understanding is that diatomaceous earth [1] works in a similar way.
YAA: After a business trip, my dogs and I started having early symptoms of bedbugs. I tried spraying rubbing alcohol in key spots, with no apparent bug elimination. Then I dusted my bedding, living room furniture, and floors with diatomaceous earth (leaving everything very, very dusty). We got bites for a few more days, and then, no more bits. Since I never caught one of the bugs, I can't say with certainty that it was bedbugs. But I can say with certainty that diatomaceous earth exterminated whatever it was I picked up from that nasty hotel room.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth#Pest_control https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth#Pest_contro...
- masklinn 14y ago> works in a similar way. I don't believe they work in a similar way at all: in this case, the trichomes act as "hooks" going through the bug feed and keeping them stuck (but not killing them outside of leaving them to starve), diatomaceous earth "removes" the hydrophobic coating of chitin (absorbs the lipid/waxy layer making chitin more porous), dehydrating the bugs to death. So diatomaceous earth kills the bugs pretty much directly.
- astrodust 14y agoI really hope that stuff gives the bugs angry sores all over their body.
- yaddayadda 14y agoThank you for explaining the differences in mechanisms! When originally reading about diatomaceous earth, I had read something about it acting like razor blades cutting through the exoskeleton. So I was erroneously equating the hooks and razor analogies. Do you know whether there have there been any commercial products that try to replicate the diatomaceous/razor like mechanism?