Assessing the Ability of Various Plant Essential Oils and Sesquiterpenoids to Repel Bed Bugs

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2017-04-11
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Crystal, Kylie
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Bed bugs are hematophagous insects in the family Cimicidae and are considerable pests in communities throughout the world, in both developing and developed nations. Due to the recent resurgence of insecticide-resistant populations, they have become harder and harder to control and eradicate. The principal objective of this research is to study the repellent effects of a variety of sesquiterpenoids to bed bugs. Sesquiterpenoids are a class of chemicals isolated from plants that are capable of repelling a variety of insect pests, including a number of other hematophagous insect species. However, their repellent effects have not been classified in bed bugs. By identifying numerous molecules that are repellent to bed bugs, we may be able to identify new chemistry that can be used to better control bed bug populations in areas that are prone to infestation. For this study, we will utilize a treated-filter paper assay and expose individual bed bugs to a variety of sesquiterpenoid compounds isolated from plants. This research will identify which sesquiterpenoid molecules are the most repellent to bed bugs and also identify which chemical properties lead to high levels of repellency. Conducting this research will potentially lead to the discovery of a compound that effectively repels bed bugs in a real-world setting and better characterize the potential of sesquiterpenoids to repel bed bugs.

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