When battling the elusive and tiny habits and stature of bed bugs, the process can be frustrating due to the skilled hiding practices of the insects.
Pesticides and powders do a great job of eliminating the pests from the home; however, bed bugs can hide in cracks and crevices of the width of a credit card. Due to their propensity to hide, bed bugs typically will hide in any kinds of objects that have obscured crevices to house them.
This can be problematic for items such as books, tapes, ornaments, electronics, and luggage. Nuvan ProStrips contain a powerful, gaseous poison that kills bugs and eggs when placed inside of a sealed contraption where escape is impossible.
What are Nuvan ProStrips?
Nuvan ProStrips are an insecticide utilizing Dichlorvos poison that kills insects once the strip is activated in a sealed contraption. The strips attack the central nervous system of insects rendering paralysis and death.
Insecticides, dusts, and bed bug traps work wonders in eliminating the insects from your home, but the tricky aspect of bed bugs is that they do not exclusively remain only in the bed or underneath furniture.
Everyday household items can also become infested once the bugs go on the move to escape the poison. Bed bugs are known to branch out to electronics, such as alarm clocks, TVs, and even cell phones and cases to hide from detection.
Many of our household items can become damaged from spray insecticides or desiccant powders, which brings in the need for alternative options to treat these items. With a little bit of work, Nuvan ProStrips can effectively handle the treatment of miscellaneous items that are prone to infestation.
How Do Nuvan ProStrips Work?
Nuvan ProStrips are a fumigant insecticide that spreads dichlorvos inside of an enclosed space to actively kill insects and their eggs within 72 hours.
Dichlorvos (DDVP) is in a class of insecticides that mimic the effects of the powerful, yet dangerous iconic pesticide DDT. The chemical is released as a gas when the strip is pulled, and the enclosing of a space is crucial to keep the insects in with no way to escape the poison.
The strips can be hung in closets or rooms if all cracks and crevices such as door seals and windows are sealed. The most effective (and safe) way to utilize this powerful poison is to enclose insect infested items inside of contractor bags or large, sealable containers and leave them outside of the home for three to fourteen days. The gas attacks the central nervous system of insects causing paralysis and eventually death.
Activating Nuvan ProStrips
To activate the strips, simply peel off the top layer and either hang or place the strip upright inside of the closed-off space. The chemical is released as a fumigant and rapidly spreads throughout the closed space, penetrating deep into the items and objects inside of the space.
The strips can also be used inside of rooms and closets and will penetrate through walls, baseboards, and cracks and crevices overtime to reach every insect and egg casing. The strips will kill all insects within three days and if left for two to three weeks, all eggs as well. Â Â
How Long Do Nuvan ProStrips Last?
Nuvan ProStrips can last up to four months and the death rate for most insects is seventy-two hours once they are exposed to the poison with no escape.
Although the poison can last upwards of four months, it is important to remember that these strips contain a highly toxic chemical and if utilized inside of a home, the home must remain unoccupied for the entire four-month duration of the chemical.
The same rule applies to items treated inside of enclosed bags and containers. Although the poison will be less toxic when contained to items inside of a container as opposed to treating entire rooms inside of a home.
Is Dichlorvos Safe?
Dichlorvos is a powerfully potent and highly toxic pesticide. It must be understood that this insecticide is the real deal and is not generally safe for humans and pets. Nuvan ProStrips are not usually recommended to treat any frequently occupied living spaces.
If treating rooms inside of a home, leaving the residence for four months must be adhered to avoid toxic reactions. The fumigant can irritate the lungs and even cause adverse and potentially lethal reactions in people and pets. However, when the label instructions are applied correctly, the product is generally safe.
For this reason, the best method for using the strips is to treat items and belongings that have become infested with pests such as bed bugs. Exposure to the fumigant is not generally unsafe if a person or pet is exposed to the chemical under four hours. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid spreading this chemical inside of a home that you live in for long periods of time.
If you are exposed to the fumigant for longer than four hours, immediately seek medical help. Always thoroughly wash hands after applying the chemical and wear a respirator mask when tearing the strip to activate the poison.
What Are the Active Ingredients?
Nuvan ProStrips contain the chemical DDVP. Dichlorvos is an organophosphate type of insecticide, which are some of the most effective, yet dangerous insecticides on the market.
DDVP attacks the central nervous system of insects and unlike other insecticides, it does the exact same to both humans and other animals. DDVP is similar in potency to DDT; however, due to its suggested use for enclosed spaces only, the chemical can be controlled much better than control measures for DDT during its heyday.
How Do You Use Nuvan ProStrips?
Nuvan ProStrips come inside of an aluminum packet that contains one strip, one cartridge, and a hanging string if you choose to treat rooms.Â
Application of the product is easy as all you need to do is remove the foil and place the strip inside of a sealed container with infested items or hang the strip in the middle of a room.Â
The fumigant is immediately active, so it is advisable to wear gloves and a respirator mask to avoid touching or breathing in the poison. The chemical releases a sustained amount throughout the container or the room and continues to be active for up to four months.
When treating infested items inside of a container, you can tape the strip to the side or top of the container or place it directly on the top item. The container needs to be sealed and airtight to prevent the gas from escaping as well as the insects.Â
After three to fourteen days, simply remove the strip and dispose of it in an outside receptacle. If treating rooms, attics, crawl spaces, or closets, remove the strip after four months and apply a new one if the problem isn’t resolved.
Where Can You Use Them?
Nuvan ProStrips can be used in a variety of places. If you decide to use the strips inside of your home, simply apply the strips in the middle of rooms; the strips should never be applied in kitchens, bathrooms, or any living spaces unless you plan on leaving the residence for four months. If treating miscellaneous items for insects, place the items inside of a sealed contractor bag or container and then seal the strip inside of the container.
Do Nuvan ProStrips and Dichlorvos Kill Bed Bugs?
This chemical will kill both bed bugs and their eggs if used properly. Bed bugs are an incredibly elusive pest that uses hiding as their main defense mechanism against being destroyed. In large infestations or when traditional pesticides are used to begin the killing process, bed bugs will typically branch out to other items inside of the home to find hiding places.
DDPV is a great arsenal against these insects since their primary resistance adaptation is usually targeted at pyrethroid insecticides. When using these strips to treat items, it is important to fully enclose the items inside of containers that will trap the bugs with the poison.
What Other Pests Do They Kill?
This product lists a wide variety of target insects. Ants, bed bugs, beetles, cockroaches, earwigs, flies, mosquitoes, moths, silverfish, spiders, and wasps are some of the most commonly targeted pests with this product.
It is important to remember that each pest will typically utilize a different behavior pattern. For flying insects, the poison is best used when placed throughout rooms in the home for four months. DDVP is strong and toxic and is widely efficient in killing many different varieties of insects.
Are Nuvan ProStrips the Same as Other Pest Strips?
Nuvan ProStrips utilize dichlorvos as their main chemical for killing pests. There are similar brands that also utilize this chemical (see Hot Shot No Pest Strips). Nuvan is a trusted brand for DDVP utilization and the choice is easily up to you when deciding which product to purchase.
In Summary
Nuvan ProStrips are one of the best do-it-yourself fumigation remedies available within the insecticide market. By using the powerful chemical DDVP, trapped insects are helpless in trying to escape the central nervous system antagonizing properties of the chemical.
One of the most important points to remember when using this product is to enclose all items when treating belongings. This will prevent the insects from escaping the fumigant and prevent the chemical from seeping into the surrounding air. The strips can also be used to treat rooms within a dwelling; however, you must vacate the premises for four months to allow the poison to fully dissipate.
Nuvan ProStrips are generally safe if the label instructions are strictly followed. Failure to follow the instructions can expose your health to negative effects due to the potency of the product. It is important to wear protective clothing and a mask when applying the product.
This product is efficient in destroying a large variety of problem insects and each insect treated is powerless against the toxic effects of the chemical. For bed bugs, this product is the most effective at killing bugs that have infested items within the home; it works as the final solution in ridding the insects from inside your home and will make all of your belongings bed bug-free.