>However, the cure is neither fast nor simple nor cheap for bed bugs.

There have been a couple of interesting articles recently about an old folk cure for bed bugs: bean leaves.

The bug's legs get trapped by the leaves almost like a natural velcro.

NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/science/earth/how-a-leafy-...

Smithsonian: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/bean-leaves-don...