How to Kill Red Bugs

Tiny red bugs aka red bugs become a real nuisance when you get bitten by them. Red bug bites are usually not very dangerous but very itchy, sometimes even painful. To get rid of red bugs in your yard, clean up overgrown weeds, spot “hot spots,” and spray with a chemical or natural insecticide. To prevent red bugs from clinging to people, you should wear clothes that cover your limbs, apply insect repellent to be safe, shower and wash clothes as soon as you get home.

Table of Contents

Outdoor red bug control

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Trim your lawn regularly and cut tall weeds short. Bushes, weeds and tall grass are favorite hiding places for red bugs. Weeding and lawn mowing are a simple yet effective way to get rid of red bugs that live in your yard. ^{[1] X EDIS Trusted Source Go to Source}

Regularly prune trees and shrubs to reduce moisture around the plants and allow sunlight to come in.
These measures help reduce the shade and humidity that red bugs love. They especially hate dry, sunny and well-ventilated areas.
Maintain these jobs year round. The hibernating red bugs will wake up when the weather warms up.

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Prevent red bug hosts from entering the yard. Reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals are all favorite hosts for red bugs. If you can prevent these animals from loitering around the house, you can also make the red bugs go away because they will follow the food supply. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Eliminate both water sources that attract reptiles and amphibians.
Prune trees and bushes so small animals don’t have hidden places to hide.
Close trash cans and fences around the garden or yard.

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Identify areas where red bugs congregate in the yard for proper targeting. When using chemical or natural insecticides to kill red bugs, you should address the “hot spots” rather than spraying the entire area. This will be less expensive, faster, and generally more efficient. However, to do this, you first need to find the red bugs! ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Find hot spots by placing small black cardboard boxes around the yard, especially in shady and humid areas with lots of trees. After 15-30 minutes, you should be able to find the tiny yellow or pink bugs on the cardboard box – they are red beetle larvae!
Another way is to place small dishes of water in key positions. Red beetle larvae will be attracted to places with high humidity.
Keep track of the hot spots you discover to “hit the mark”.

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Spread diatomaceous earth over areas where red bugs often congregate in the yard. Diatomaceous earth, a natural organic insecticide that can help you get rid of red bugs and other pests in your garden and on your lawn. Wear gloves, glasses, and a mask to sprinkle the diatomaceous earth by hand, or use a lawn seeder to spread. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Diatomaceous earth is a natural product made of small fossilized organisms called diatoms. This product comes in the form of a fine white or off-white powder.
Spread diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your yard and over areas that could be ideal habitats for red bugs. Focus on tall weeds and bushes.
If red beetles eat diatomaceous earth, they will die from dehydration. The sharp particles of diatomaceous earth can also cut through red bugs as they crawl and kill them.

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Spray appropriate insecticide on hot spots. Look for an insecticide that contains bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, esfenvalerate, chlorpyrifos, diazinon bifenthrin, carbaryl, cyhalothrin, or permethrin. Pesticides containing these chemicals are often effective against red beetles. However, you need to read the packaging carefully to see if the product is formulated to kill ticks and/or red bugs. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Follow the instructions on the package for safe use. Wear protective clothing to prevent pesticide contact with skin or eyes when spraying.
Treat again after 2-3 weeks if you have a large number of red bugs in your yard.
Insecticide sprays are often more effective at killing red bugs than granular insecticides. However, if you choose a granular insecticide, you should look for a product that contains bifenthrin.

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Call pest control services if the red beetle infestation is severe. If you have tried preventive measures, natural remedies, and household chemicals without success, contact a pest control service. Licensed pest control professionals use harsh chemicals, which can be more toxic but more effective. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

For example, an exterminator may use propoxur, cyfluthrin, or fluvalinate to get rid of red bugs.
Stay away from red bug treatment areas until the medication is dry. Do not let children and pets in during the recommended time.
Even when using harsh chemicals, you may still need to re-treat after 2-3 weeks in a severe infestation.

Remove red bugs on skin and clothes

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Brush bare skin every 15-30 minutes while outdoors. Red bugs are not necessarily attached as soon as they touch human skin. Occasionally brushing bare skin on your hands and feet is also a way to get rid of red bugs that jump on you. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Similarly, you can also brush your clothes to get rid of red bugs clinging to the fabric.
Use a towel or soft brush to brush.

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Take a hot and soapy shower when entering the house from the outdoors. If you’ve just been in an area where red bugs are likely, take a hot bath or shower as soon as you get home. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to wash off and kill any red bugs before they have a chance to attach themselves to the skin. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

To be sure to kill the red bugs, you need to soap, rinse and repeat a few times in the shower. Shower water from very warm to hot, not just lukewarm.
Scrub a little vigorously with a washcloth to dislodge any red bugs that may have adhered to the skin.

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Wash clothes in hot water. If you may have come into contact with red bugs outside, kill any lurking ones by washing your clothes in hot, soapy water. The water must reach a minimum temperature of 52 degrees Celsius for the red bugs to not be able to survive. In addition, the washing cycle must also be 30 minutes or more to ensure that all red bugs are eliminated. ^{[9] X Research Source}

After washing, dry the clothes in the dryer or in the sun.
Do not wear clothes contaminated with red bugs before washing. Also, don’t use cool water to wash your clothes, as that won’t kill the red bugs.

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Relieves itching from red bug bites instead of scratching. If the red bug is attached to the skin, you will have to deal with the itchy bites for a few hours. Apply benzocaine ointment, hydrocortisone cream, and calamine lotion to relieve the itching of the red bug bite. You can also soothe the itch with petroleum jelly (Vaseline cream), baby oil, or baking soda and water.

Don’t scratch the bites no matter how itchy! If you scratch, you can tear the skin and lead to an infection.
If you feel heat at the bite site and there is discharge, contact your doctor.

Preventing red bugs from clinging to people

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Cover the skin with tightly woven fabric to prevent red bugs. If you go into an area with red bugs or where there are tall plants, prevent red bugs from clinging to you by covering your skin as tightly as possible. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, long socks and high boots. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Choose clothing made with tight weaves instead of loose fabrics. Red bugs are so small that they can get through the openings between the fibers of the loose weave, but they will have a hard time getting through the tightly woven fabric.

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Seal gaps in clothing. Red bugs can find their way to your skin by jumping on your clothes and crawling under. To prevent this, seal the openings leading to the skin as tight as possible. Pay special attention to the areas from the waist down, as red beetles often migrate from the tall grass to your lower body. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Tuck your socks into your pants or tuck your pant legs into your socks to seal the skin in between.
Put you clothe in your pants. Red bugs love to bite into thin areas of skin, such as the intimate area – ouch!
If you’re venturing through tall grass, use an elastic band or ribbon to fasten your cuffs.
If possible, you should wear a button-down shirt instead of a button-down shirt.

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Sprinkle sulfur powder on socks and shoes. Some strong-smelling substances like sulfur powder are very effective at repelling red bugs. Sprinkle fine sulfur powder on your shoes and/or socks to repel red bugs hiding in the grass as you walk through. ^{[12] X Research Source}

For even better protection, you might consider sprinkling a thin layer of sulfur on the inside of the garment.
Don’t forget that sulfur has a strong odor, so it may not be the ideal solution if you’re sensitive to odors. Furthermore, there is not much reliable evidence that this method actually works.

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Use an insect repellent containing diethyltpuamide (DEET). DEET is one of the most effective repellents for red bugs and other ticks. Apply insect repellent to exposed skin, especially hands, arms, and legs. You can also spray it on clothes (but don’t spray on the skin underneath the clothes). ^{[13] X Research Source}

DEET insect repellent can be effective for 2-3 hours, after which you will have to reapply.
Do not spray DEET near eyes or mouth.
Do not spray DEET on skin under clothing to avoid skin irritation.
Follow the instructions for use on the product label carefully. Some insect repellents can damage clothing, plastics, nail polish, and painted or varnished surfaces.

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Try spraying an insect repellent containing permethrin on your clothes. Similar to DEET, the insect repellent permethrin (0.5%) is also useful in repelling red bugs. However, this product should only be used on clothing and should not be applied directly to the skin. ^{[14] X Research Source}

The effect of permethrin insect repellent can last for several days after being sprayed on clothes and remains effective after 1-2 washes. In fact, you should spray on clothes a day before wearing.
Spray on both sides of the fabric, focusing on open areas like the cuffs, collar, and waist. Wait for the medicine to dry completely before getting dressed.
Carefully follow the product instructions on the medication label. As with insect repellents containing DEET, some products containing permethrin can damage clothing, plastics, nail polish, and painted or varnished surfaces.

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Avoid going into tall grass whenever possible. When you’re walking in a park, camping area, or other location where you can’t control the height of the grass, be sure to follow the trails. Consider that any area with tall grass is home to red bugs, especially in shady and humid places. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Stay away from unharvested fields and go between the beds to avoid hitting tall plants.
Red beetles need plants with plenty of shade and moisture to thrive. Tall weeds are a favorable habitat for red beetles.

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Do not sit or lie on the ground, especially in places where red bugs might congregate. Although red beetles do not usually hide in low grass, they can still be present if there are tall weeds nearby. If red bugs move to low grass, they can bite and attach to your bare skin on your hands, neck, or head. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Warning

Don’t wear flea collars around your wrists or ankles to combat red bugs. You should also not wear a cow’s ear tag. These products are not intended for human consumption, furthermore you may be exposed to harmful toxins or chemical burns.

Things you need

Lawnmower
Weed cutting tools
Diatomaceous earth
Long pants, long sleeve shirt, high boots
Sulfur powder
Soap
Hot water
Washing machine
Insect repellent containing DEET
Insect repellent containing permethrin
Pesticides

Steps

Outdoor red bug control

Remove red bugs on skin and clothes

Preventing red bugs from clinging to people

Warning

Things you need

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