Do natural products offer solution against the bed bug problem? Limitations and keys

Cimex lectularius L., popularly known bed bug, is a hematophagous pest that feeds upon human blood. Generally considered nocturnal, hiding in cracks, crevices, folding of furniture making its detection & control difficult. The most practical way to control bed bugs is to eliminate it. Pyrethroids in the market offer both contact & residual controls, but come with their own limitations, resistance factor is one. Natural products (NPs) are the complex mixtures of compounds inducing toxicity as pesticides but unlocking their complexity is the biggest challenge. Major & minor compounds behave differently with each & one another in binary-tertiary mixtures. Essential oils ‘EOs’ are one kind of the NPs known to induce toxicity as ‘pesticide’, but its usefulness is limited by its stability once sprayed. These are considered generally safer in terms of human toxicity. We profiled toxicity of several essential oils either sourced commercially or extracted in the lab. Insecticidal activity was profiled against susceptible’ Ft. Dix’ and pyrethroid resistant strain ‘Bayonne’ using various delivery methods, topical, residual, fumigation & feeding. Deltamethrin & DDVP used as positive controls. Some of these oils & compounds showed potent insecticidal activity against both the strains. The EOs were then grouped based on their insecticidal activity followed by evaluating their major & minor compounds, their lethality (LDs), binary & tertiary mixtures in respective delivery method. The data was subjected to statistical equations to detect possible synergism. The findings will be presented at the conference.