Published in PLOS ONE: Common bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) have developed a thicker cuticle and according to research from the University of Sydney (USYD) this enables them to survive exposure to commonly used insecticides.
Using scanning electron microscopy, the study compared the cuticle thickness from specimen resistant to insecticides and from those more easily killed by those same insecticides.
This revealed that bed bugs with a thicker cuticle were more capable to survive exposure to commonly used insecticides.
The thickening of the insect exoskeleton is a known mechanism of resistance to insecticides.
And as the USYD researcher show this mechansims may also underlie a global resurgance of the blood suckers over the past two decades, which is causing significant financial heartache in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
The findings may also unlock new pathways to developing more effective insecticides for bed bug control.