The house mouse,
, creates significant public health risks for residents in low-income multi-family dwellings (MFDs). This study was designed to evaluate the spatial distribution of house mice in ...MFDs. Four low-income high-rise apartment buildings in three cities in New Jersey were selected for building-wide monitoring on two occasions with approximately one year between the monitoring events. The presence of a house mouse infestation was determined by placing mouse bait stations with three different non-toxic baits for a one-week period in all accessible units as well as common areas. Permutation tests were conducted to evaluate house mouse infestation spatial patterns. All four analyzed buildings exhibited a significant correlation between apartments with house mouse infestations and whether they share a common wall or ceiling/floor at both sampling periods except one building during the second inspection, which contained a high number of isolated apartments. Foraging ranges, speed of locomotion, and dispersal behavior of house mice are relatively larger, faster, and more common, respectively, compared to common urban arthropod pests. This could lead to the conclusion that house mice are as likely to infest non-neighboring apartments as those that share a wall or floor/ceiling. However, these results demonstrate that house mouse infestations tend to occur among apartments that share common walls or ceilings/floors. This spatial distribution pattern can be utilized in rodent management plans to improve the efficiency of house mouse management programs in MFDs.
The house mouse,
, is a common pest in multi-family residential apartment buildings. This study was designed to gain insights into residents' impressions of house mice, develop more effective house ...mouse detection methods, and evaluate the effectiveness of building-wide house mouse management programs. Two high-rise apartment buildings in New Jersey were selected for this study during 2019-2020. Bait stations with three different non-toxic baits were used to detect house mouse activity. Two rodenticides (FirstStrike
-0.0025% difethialone and Contrac
-0.005% bromadiolone) were applied by researchers over a 63-day period and pest control operations were then returned to pest control contractors for rodent management. There were significant differences in the consumption rates of non-toxic baits and two toxic baits tested. A novel non-toxic bait, chocolate spread, was much more sensitive than the two commercial non-toxic baits for detecting mouse activity. The house mouse management programs resulted in an average 87% reduction in the number of infested apartments after three months. At 12 months, the number of infestations decreased by 94% in one building, but increased by 26% in the second building. Sustainable control of house mouse infestations requires the use of effective monitoring strategies and control programs coupled with preventative measures.
Pests are frequently found in homes, especially in apartment buildings in low-income communities. We investigated the prevalence and patterns of pest infestations in low-income communities in four ...cities (Jersey City, Linden, Paterson, Trenton) in New Jersey, USA. Resident interviews, visual inspections, and the placement of monitors were used to identify pest infestations. A total of 1,753 apartments from 19 buildings or building complexes were accessed. The infestation rates of cockroaches, bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.), and house mice (Mus musculus domesticus Schwarz and Schwarz) were 37, 9, and 20%, respectively. Among apartments with cockroaches, 97.8, 2.5, and 0.8% had German cockroach Blattella germanica (L.), American cockroach Periplaneta americana (L.), and Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis L.), respectively. The percentage of residents who were aware of the presence of cockroaches, bed bugs, and house mice was 70.8, 55.3, and 56.8%, respectively. The prevalence of pest infestation was associated with resident ethnicity and gender. Among 856 interview responses, 78% implemented methods themselves to control pests in their homes in the past six months. Chocolate spread detected 99% of house mouse infestations and was much more sensitive than three commercial blank baits. Significant differences were also observed in the feeding preference of the three commercial blank baits.
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.), and the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus (Schwarz and Schwarz) are two major urban pests that cause significant economic loss and health impacts to ...residents and the general public. Pest monitoring and targeted pest management using effective materials is critically important for minimizing pest infestations, deleterious aspects of pesticide use, and the public health risks caused by urban pests. Yet common pest management practices often depend on unreliable monitoring systems, reactive tactics, and calendar-based control strategies. There is little information on the spatial distribution patterns of these two pests in multi-unit dwellings or office environments. The objectives of this dissertations are: 1) examine the spatial distribution of bed bugs and least toxic methods for controlling bed bugs in an office environment; 2) evaluate the effectiveness of mattress encasement and types of mattress encasement on bed bug distribution and management; 3) evaluate a building-wide house mouse monitoring and control program in apartment buildings, 4) investigate house mouse spatial distribution patterns in apartment buildings, and 5) evaluate a novel remote house mouse monitoring tool. To accomplish this, a series of studies were conducted looking at the distribution patterns of bed bugs and house mice in laboratory settings, low-income multifamily dwellings and an office environment. A unique project regarding bed bugs in an office environment was presented to the research team in which the distribution and low-impact management tactics were evaluated. There is no information in the peer-reviewed literature on bed bug behavioral ecology in an office building. I then investigated aspects the impact of mattress encasements on bed bug distribution in a laboratory experiment and in multifamily environments. House mouse distribution patterns in multifamily housing were evaluated in terms of how distribution impacts house mouse monitoring and IPM programs. Finally, a field study was performed to assess the detection accuracy of a novel remote monitoring technology used for house mouse monitoring programs. In each of these research projects, the distributions were evaluated to find potential improvements of existing management programs. The results found demonstrated that distribution is an important factor to consider in bed bug and house mouse monitoring and management programs. Bed bugs exhibited a highly aggregated distribution pattern in an office environment. Intensive trapping plus limited insecticide dust treatments effectively detected and eliminated bed bugs. The bed bug infestation was eliminated on 69 days after initial installation of interceptors. A laboratory experiment shows the proportion of bed bugs on mini box springs with fabric or vinyl encasements was significantly lower than that without encasement. The proportion of bed bugs on mini mattresses with vinyl encasements was significantly lower than those with fabric encasements or without encasement. Under field conditions, installing encasements caused significantly lower proportion of bed bugs on the bed complex. However, there was no significant difference in the proportion of bed bugs found on the bed complex between apartments with vinyl and fabric encasement. Installing encasements (vinyl or fabric) did not have detectable effect on the reduction of bed bugs after implementing an integrated pest management program. The bed bug count reduction in apartments with vinyl encasements, fabric encasement, and no encasement were 83 ± 14, 88 ± 6, and 23 ± 73%, respectively after 19 weeks. Regarding house mouse management, buildings with sound exclusionary construction in place positively supported house mouse management practices. The floor that an apartment resides is closely associated with the risk of house mouse infestations, with the lower three floors in high rise apartments being at higher risk. Additionally, the infestation status of neighboring apartments is positively correlated with the likelihood that an apartment has an infestation of house mice. A house mouse control program conducted in two high-rise apartment buildings resulted in an average 87% reduction in the number of infested apartments after three months. After another 9 months after the control program ceased, the number of infestations decreased by 94% in one building but increased by 26% in the second building. Considering new technologies to support house mouse monitoring programs, ActiveSense™ remote sensors attached to mouse bait stations and multi-catch traps were 94% accurate in correctly detecting house mice activity. These findings demonstrate that using effective monitoring tools and methods is critical in managing house mouse and bed bug infestations. Using vinyl mattress encasements can potentially reduce cost and improve the detection of bed bugs by visual inspections. Understanding the house mouse and bed bug distribution patterns help design more targeted monitoring and management plans. Following a “one-size-fits-all” management system is insufficient in eliminating building-wide pest activity based on the results of the research offered in this dissertation. Rather, understanding the attributes of building construction, neighboring infestation status, and high-risk areas of buildings is necessary to properly develop urban integrated pest management programs. Beside using effective rodenticides and traps, house mouse exclusion or “rodent proofing” along the exterior the building is also very important for building-wide house mouse control. Using remote monitoring technology can potentially reduce house mouse damage and expedite the house mouse elimination in buildings.
Most field studies on Cimex lectularius are conducted in residential or hospitality industrial settings. Cimex lectularius infestations in office settings are reported, but are rarely studied. An ...office environment (~875 m2) consisting of 105 cubicles or pod-seating areas with persistent C. lectularius sightings over a 2-yr period was evaluated for 90 d through intensive trapping to determine C. lectularius distribution and to eliminate the infestation. The study area was partially occupied during the study period. Two treatments of amorphous silica dust (112.5 g dust in total) were applied 29 and 57 d after the first day of monitoring. A total of 32 C. lectularius were captured by interceptors over a period of 55 d. Dry ice traps captured eight additional C. lectularius. Visual inspections identified one chair with live C. lectularius and eggs. The infestation was eliminated on 69 d after initial installation of interceptors. Spatial analysis using Ripley's K and L functions showed a high level of aggregation up to a 15 meter scale. Dispersal of C. lectularius in office settings was limited. Intensive trapping plus limited insecticide dust treatments effectively detected and eliminated C. lectularius.
The seasonal occurrences of Macrocentrus cingulum Brischke and its host, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, were studied. Overwintering fifth-instar O. nubilalis were collected from the field in 1997, 1998, ...2001, and 2002 and reared under controlled laboratory conditions to determine pupation and adult eclosion periods for M. cingulum and O. nubilalis. In addition, pheromone and yellow sticky traps were established in the field in 2001 and 2002 to monitor adult activity of O. nubilalis and M. cingulum. Mathematical equations were constructed based on the laboratory and field data. The equations confirmed the temporal co-occurrence of M. cingulum and O. nubilalis adults. However, third- and fourth-instar O. nubilalis, the preferred host stages of M. cingulum, occur later in the growing season. The timing of M. cingulum adult life expectancy and the occurrences of its preferred host stages in the field were predicted using the equations, published degree-day requirements for O. nubilalis and information from the literature on adult M. cingulum longevity. When the predicted period of M. cingulum adult activity was compared with the predicted timing of third- and fourth-instar O. nubilalis, M. cingulum adult presence was synchronized with preferred host stages.
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