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When bed bugs are not hunting you for their next meal, they are tucked away in tight spaces Owing to their sheer volume and tiny size, bed bugs can be notoriously difficult to detect. They often hang around in electrical outlets, baseboards and trick even the most experienced bed bug exterminator.
In order to confirm the reality of a bed bug infestation, most pest control professionals use an active bed bug monitor. These devices become even more crucial in unoccupied rooms where a bug bite can’t signal you towards an infestation. These monitoring devices imitate a sleeping person in the room which draws the bugs out of their hiding and traps them into a specific location which you can regularly check.
Today we are reviewing one of the best professional bed bug monitors on the market: the Nightwatch.
Nightwatch Bed Bug Trap & Monitor – UPDATED 2020
As the first professional grade bed bug monitor, Nightwatch has been on the market for years and is still the best at what it does. It takes less than 5 minutes to set up and it efficiently detects whether you have an infestation or not. If you do, Nightwatch kills them extremely fast too.
All you need to do is, place the device in a room and it immediately starts releasing heat, carbon dioxide, and pheromones, which creates an environment of an actual person sleeping in. These components draw out bed bugs from their hidden location and straight into this device. Once inside, the bugs are trapped and killed.
Nightwatch Bed Bugs Review – A Complete Guide
Nightwatch is an unmatched winner due to its 3 way luring system which combines-
- Heat that releases from a human body in a sleeping state.
- A slow release of carbon dioxide that mimics human breathing.
- An artificial pheromone lure known as kairomone.
Kairomone is an artificial chemical substance produced in the laboratory. This combination works in tandem to signal the hidden bed bugs that a food source is nearby. You will find two removable pitfalls on either side of the device in which the bugs get trapped on their way to the lure. The device is completely non-toxic and can be safely used in rooms with pets and children.
The Nightwatch comes in a few basic pieces:
- A power cord.
- 2 pitfall traps, one for each side of the monitor.
- 3 packs of kairomone (pheromone).
- Top cover to hide the kairomone.
- Part of the radiator.
Everything except for a CO2 bottle is included in the package. You can easily order the CO2 bottle separately online and get it filled in for a few bucks at your nearest sports shop. Look for CO2 bottles between 18 to 24 ounces in capacity.
Coming back to the Nightwatch, it features a digital clock which strategically releases CO2 between 10 PM to 6 am because that’s when bed bugs are most active. Once you plug in the Nightwatch, you will have to set the appropriate sleeping time using the “Time Set” button. The CO2 bottle needs to be refilled or replaced every 3 to 4 nights while the kairomone pack should be replaced every 7 days. You can easily find kairomone refillable packs online.
CO2 Machine For Bed Bugs – What You Should Know?
CO2 is the most powerful attractant for bed bugs as they locate their suspect from exhaled CO2. These little vampires settle down in areas with a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Since humans have minimal movement at night, the exhaled CO2 is trapped around them like a cloud and that’s when bed bugs bite the most. The presence of human beings is much more attractive to the bugs than CO2 alone, and that’s why CO2 machines use human warmth along with a slow release of carbon dioxide to lure them in.
CO2 machines release carbon dioxide every 5 seconds imitating the breath of a 70 pound child. Next, a thermal lure heats up producing a signal of blood near the surface of the skin. The thermal heat replicates the body temperature of a baby animal. The skin temperature on the CO2 device is generally higher than actual skin temperatures.
Bed bugs follow the lead of CO2 until they detect the thermal lure. As they attempt to reach the thermal lure by climbing up the felt covered ramp, they get trapped in the pitfall located on either side. When they reach the top of the pitfall, they meet a slippery surface that levels up at first but quickly descends into the pit.
By the time they attempt to turn around, it’s too late and they have reached a point of no return. They have fallen into a pit with smooth vertical slides. It’s warm and comfortable inside the pitfall and the gentle warmth slowly dries them out overnight.
Conclusion
Overall, Nightwatch is a top notch quality device to kill bed bugs fast and safely. It’s designed to be convenient and intuitive. The usage of multiple different lures is what separates Nightwatch from its competitors. Unlike intercepting traps, Nightwatch does not require a human bait to be present. Some people have completely wiped out infestation from Nightwatch alone.
Even if you are using chemical sprays to control bugs, Nightwatch can make sure bed bugs are out in the open and come in contact with the treatment that has been applied. Whether you need a monitor for prevention or a bed bug trap for treatment, there is no better all in one machine on the market than Nightwatch.
The only drawback to this device is its price which may be slightly over budget for some. While the price is much higher than let’s say insect spray and other chemicals, do keep in mind that Nightwatch can trap bed bugs again and again for an infinite number of times which actually makes it cost effective in the long run. It is complete value for money given that you are protected from future infestations.
