Evaluation Of Insecticide Resistance And Alternatives For Bed Bug Control

Resistance to insecticides is one of the multiple factors related to sudden bed bug reemergence. In this work, we evaluated synthetic repellents and the attractant role of cuticular compounds as potential alternatives to conventional strategies used in pest control management. On the one hand, we found DEET and δ-dodecalactone had a significant and variable repellency among bed bug colonies, while IR3535 did not elicit repellence significantly. On the other hand, we studied cuticular hydrocarbons and their role in conspecific communication. The n- alkanes with 26 to 36 C atoms (linear and monomethylbranched) were the most abundant cuticular compounds. Finally, bed bugs were affected by chemical stimuli derived from cuticle
extracts of males and females. However, the major cuticle components (straight-chain alkanes of 29 and 31 Carbons) delivered a significant response only in male bed bugs. Repellents and attractants compounds need further attention before incorporating into resistance management programs. Also, improving the design of controlled release systems and new formulations allows increasing the efficacy of bed bug control infestations.