Why Are Bed Bugs Resistant to Pesticides?
WouterTo find out why bedbugs are resistant to pesticides, researchers have sifted through the bedbug’s genome to determine what causes this resistance. The bedbug’s genome contains a set of genes, including a genetic variant that allows it to produce large amounts of cytochrome p450. The other potential cause is a mutation that the bedbug has in a protein on the surface of its nerve cells. Many common insecticides target this protein, which causes the bug’s nerve cells to fire constantly, killing the bedbug quickly. The researchers found that the resistant bedbugs carried a mutation in the ion channel.
The researchers at Ohio State University looked into this resistance, and found that the insects’ ability to resist insecticides was not limited to a single gene. Each population developed multiple ways to avoid the toxins. This explains why the population of bedbugs in a given area can be resistant to a single pesticide.
Overreliance on pesticides pushed the bedbugs to develop resistance to the chemicals that are used to control their population. The bugs developed resistance to these chemicals due to exposure to treated bed linens and bed nets. The resistance has become more widespread and is now a major problem for the pest control industry.
The emergence of resistance to pyrethroid-based insecticides has led to the development of a new generation of pesticides that are more effective at preventing bedbug infestations. These products include the l-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, carbaryl, imidacloprid, dizinon, and cyhalothrin.
