Biological control of Cimex lectularius with Beauveria bassiana: Effects of substrate, dosage, application strategy, and bed bug physiology.

Background: Cimex lectularius L. (bed bug) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) is a serious indoor pest worldwide, and this nuisance needs to be controlled using different methods in integrated pest management (IPM). Beauveria bassiana (Bals.

Procurement Competence and Framework Agreements for Upgraded Bed Bug Control [Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)].

The prevalence of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) is increasing worldwide. Due to this increase, low-income housing owners and managers need an efficient method for controlling the pests without excessive resource use.

Spatiotemporal elements in a poisoned bait strategy against the long-tailed silverfish (Lepismatidae: Zygentoma).

The long-tailed silverfish Ctenolepisma longicaudatum (Lepismatidae: Zygentoma) is a nuisance problem in buildings and a major concern in museums, libraries and archives where it cause damage to historical and priceless items. We used laboratory bioassays and two field studies of infested buildings to evaluate spatial and temporal elements of a poisoned bait strategy. In both laboratory experiments and field studies, the efficiency of poisoned bait with indoxacarb as the active ingredient was significantly improved by placing many small bait droplets evenly distributed along all edges of the treated area compared to more clustered distributions.

Development of a Poisoned Bait Strategy against the Silverfish (Escherich, 1905).

Pest management strives to be an efficient, yet healthy and environmentally safe control method, and the use of poisoned bait often fulfils these criteria. In the present study, we show that bait with indoxacarb as the active ingredient is highly efficient for controlling (Escherich, 1905) and two of its relatives, (Linnaeus, 1758) and (Ritter, 1910). Applying small bait droplets (size ~10 mg) along the walls of several types of buildings, at no more than 0.

Long-Tailed Silverfish () Control; Bait Choice Based on Primary and Secondary Poisoning.

The long-tailed silverfish ( has recently made its appearance and demonstrated a tremendous proliferation in Norway, where it is currently considered a major indoor nuisance pest in modern buildings. To reduce the risk of human pesticide exposure, several baits with indoxacarb, clothianidin, fipronil or imidacloprid as the active ingredient were investigated to provide knowledge regarding their potential for integrated pest management solutions. Primary and secondary poisoning, as well as the durability of baits, were experimentally evaluated in bioassays.

A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays.

Olfaction is the most important sensory mechanism by which many insects interact with their environment and a wind tunnel is an excellent tool to study insect chemical ecology. Insects can locate point sources in a three-dimensional environment through the sensory interaction and sophisticated behavior. The quantification of this behavior is a key element in the development of new tools for pest control and decision support.

Insect pathogenic fungi and bed bugs: behaviour, horizontal transfer and the potential contribution to IPM solutions.

The increasing problem of bed bugs requires the development of new control strategies, and insect pathogenic fungi can contribute towards management. We used laboratory bioassays with , and to evaluate their virulence to the bed bug. Only significantly affected bed bug survival and was dependent on dose and formulation.

Temperature stress deteriorates bed bug (Cimex lectularius) populations through decreased survival, fecundity and offspring success.

Sublethal heat stress may weaken bed bug infestations to potentially ease control. In the present study, experimental populations exposed to 34, 36 or 38°C for 2 or 3 weeks suffered significant mortality during exposure. Among survivors, egg production, egg hatching, moulting success and offspring proliferation decreased significantly in the subsequent 7 week recovery period at 22°C.

Desiccant dust and the use of CO gas as a mobility stimulant for bed bugs: a potential control solution?

The common bed bug ( Hemiptera; Cimicidae) infests homes and service industries, and the number of infestations has greatly increased over the past 20 years. At present, no cost-effective control methods are available, and eradication programs are expensive and laborious. We investigated the control potential of desiccant dust in combination with CO as a bed bug activity stimulant.

Mortality, fecundity and development among bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) exposed to prolonged, intermediate cold stress.

Background: Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) have returned as a nuisance pest worldwide. Their ability to withstand different types of environmental stress should be explored in order potentially to increase the efficiency of control methods.

Questing activity in bed bug populations: male and female responses to host signals.

A large-arena bioassay is used to examine sex differences in spatiotemporal patterns of bed bug L. behavioural responses to either a human host or CO gas. After release in the centre of the arena, 90% of newly-fed bed bugs move to hiding places in the corners within 24 h.

Mortality, temporary sterilization, and maternal effects of sublethal heat in bed bugs.

Adult bed bugs were exposed to the sublethal temperatures 34.0°C, 35.5°C, 37.

Efficient mass trapping: catching the pest, Calliphora vicina, (Diptera, Calliphoridae), of Norwegian stockfish production.

Attracting high numbers of adult females, extensive trapping prior to damage, and a pest species with a predominantly univoltine lifecycle, are important factors contributing to the success of mass-trapping programs. We conducted a mass-trapping experiment over 4 years, using yellow sticky traps and odor-baited funnel traps for control of the blowfly Calliphora vicina in stockfish production areas in Loften, Norway. Blowfly-related damage to fish in five mass-trapping sites was compared with damage at five control sites.