Scaring bedbugs to death
June 4, 2009
A new study in this month’s Journal of Medical Entomology discovered that by combining bedbug alarm pheromones with a desiccant dust used to kill them, exterminators may be able to trick the pests into moving around and through the deadly dust, resulting in a much more efficient execution.
Bedbugs are a growing problem in the United States, as many populations have begun to develop a resistance to the typical pyrethroid insecticides used to kill them. Just to throw out a few stats I learned last year while researching another article, bedbug incidents increased about 70 percent between 2000 and 2005, according to the National Pest Management Association, and New York City recorded a 1,900 percent increase in bedbug complaints since 2004.
This new study suggests that an old insect control agent with a new twist could be the solution. While it may seem a bit sadistic to use the bedbugs’ own pheromones against them, this could be the beginning of a whole new strategy in pest control. What other insect chemicals can we exploit for the purpose of protecting ourselves, our homes, and our gardens?
