Semiochemicals modulating bed bug behaviour

Abstract

The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Cimicidae, Hemiptera), is obligate haematophagous and can carry pathogens but is not known to transmit diseases to humans in natural settings. Bed bugs are activated and guided by semiochemicals and heat by potential hosts, as well as by an aggregation pheromone when searching for food and home. No sexual pheromone has been detected in bed bugs, which mate through traumatic insemination. First, after mounting, males are able to distinguish between large nymphs, other males, and females. To avoid unwanted traumatic inseminations, nymphs and adults emit an alarm pheromone. The olfactory system of bed bugs has relatively few odorant and ionotropic receptors, which likely reflects the simple environment that bed bugs live in, and use to search for hosts and conspecifics.