What Scent Keeps Bed Bugs Away

Essential OilsPeople have been experimenting with scents and aromas for years now. This is something you likely already know. However, do you know exactly what they’ve been testing these scents for? Some people have been testing them for therapeutic purposes, some people have been testing them for relaxation purposes, and some people have even been toying with the idea that they might be effective at repelling specific pests. That being said, there are already a variety of over-the-counter pesticides that contain scents and aromas. And, when you look at the ingredients and know about them, it makes sense to utilize these scents. Take the nymph pheromones, for example. A whole slew of bed bug repellent manufacturers has started utilizing nymph pheromones to repel bed bugs. And, it’s proven quite effective. Here’s why: adult male bed bugs are prolific breeders and maters. They’ll mate any chance they get with any bug, including bed bug nymphs. Unfortunately, this is a process that can be deadly for the nymphs, and that’s why they secrete this pheromone. When adult male bugs try to mate with baby bed bugs they secrete this pheromone, deterring the adult males. You can see why this scent is so effective. However, it is only effective at repelling adult males. It will not affect females or other nymphs. This is why there is a lot of debate over the efficiency of products containing nymph pheromones. That being said, the United States Department of Agriculture has even been conducting some personal studies regarding specific scents and their efficiency at repelling these bedbugs. What they uncovered was pretty interesting. They discovered that there are specific scents that can be effective at repelling bed bugs. They also, however, have some effects on the bug’s bodies. While these scents have proven effective, some are more so than others. Blood orange, paraffin oil, silicone oil, and spearmint oil have proven to be some of the more effective options available today. One does need to keep in mind that the effectiveness of these oils is extremely limited. When tackling bed bugs, it is usually best to do so by utilizing several methods. This is something any pest management professional worth a grain of salt would tell you.