Bed Bugs Develop Resistance To Previously Effective Insecticides

Saying "don't let the bed bugs bite" could be something we start saying ironically because the prime thing we use to kill them isn't working anymore.

Researchers have found that bed bugs in Cincinnati and Michigan have developed "dramatic levels" of immunity to the regular amount of chemicals we use to kill them. Turns out, these resistant blood-suckers need concentrations that are 1000 times larger than non-resistant bed bugs.

The study urges us to stop relying on chemicals because chemical resistance will just happen again.

Bed bugs live by sucking on the blood of animals which leaves behind itchy, red weals and bite marks all over victims' bodies. 

You compulsively scratching everywhere?

How about now? Google bed bug bites to see how bad it can get — actually maybe don't.

While, bed bugs do most of their bloodsucking at night, they actually can live a year without eating. But all it takes is for one fertilized female to infest an entire apartment building. 

In other words, once they've found their way into homes and offices, they're a massive pain to get rid of. And that's with the chemicals we use to carpet bomb the insects with now.

Bed bugs have gotten stronger...

Back in 2012, researchers collected bed bugs from Cincinnati and Michigan and doused them with four different neonicotinoids. Then, they compared the effects to a bed bug colony from 30 years ago and found that a stronger concentration of chemicals were needed to kill the bugs of today.

In fact, the bed bugs which weren't exposed to neonicotinoids 30 years ago could easily develop enzymes which breaks down the chemicals making them useless. 

Dr. Alvaro Romero, the lead author from New Mexico State University, says the way we're killing bed bugs has to change.

"We need to emphasis that we need to use different tools - we can't depend totally on chemicals we need to incorporate other alternatives"

Bed bug resistance has happened before...

In the 1940s and '50s, we used a powerful insecticide called DDT to hold off bed bugs from spreading. But it stopped working because the bed bugs developed immunity by the 1960s. Then we went onto the next chemical, pyrethroids and started mixing it with neonicotinoids.

But recently, we've found out those have a massive detrimental effect on the environment, its bees and other wildlife. 




Main image via BBC News | Alvaro Romero

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