October 14th, 2020 by Sarah Miles

Pests such as bed bugs, fleas, and dust mites are notoriously difficult to eradicate: they’re small, which means they’re difficult to see and they can get into the smallest nook and cranny, they adapt to become resistant to treatments, and if even just a few eggs survive it can lead to reinfestation even after treatment.

The most successful pest control strategies require a combination of measures to cover all bases. Surface sprays, smoke bombs, and dusting powders will all do a good job of killing bugs and between them should get into all crevices and folds where they might be lurking. However, these treatments will have very little impact on eggs, plus bed bugs have such strong survival instincts that some will even live long enough to lay eggs after treatment. These eggs will then go on to hatch and reinfestation will occur.

Disrupting the reproductive cycle

Pest control is about much more than poisoning and trapping; one of its most successful strategies is much more cunning – stopping the reproductive cycle in its tracks. Insect growth regulator (IGR) plays a slightly longer game, but it is one of the most effective tools in preventing reinfestation.

IGR, such as that found in Biopren spray, mimics hormones in young insects. When sprayed, most adult insects will survive but their reproductive capacity will become compromised. This can happen in several different ways:

• Their reproductive organs could be affected, rendering them sterile
• Any eggs they do lay may not hatch
• If they do hatch, the young insect may die soon afterwards
• Any young insects that do survive are unable to reach adult maturity, thus preventing them from reproducing.

Biopren 1 Litre Insect Growth Regulator Spray

Biopren spray is our most advanced insect spray as it stops the development and life cycle of bed bugs, fleas and moths, therefore stopping the next generation of pests reproducing.

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Therefore, while this treatment is not as instant as many others, it is very effective in ending the cycle of re-infestation.

This is why a combined approach works best: treatments to kill as many insects as possible and an insect growth regulator to render any survivors unable to reproduce. Remember to repeat the treatments so you can ensure that any insects that have hatched since the original treatment can be dealt with.