What is bed bug resistance?

Bed bug resistance refers to the ability of bed bugs to survive exposure to pesticides that were once effective in controlling them. Bed bugs have developed resistance to most classes of chemicals used to eradicate them.

Natural variation in the bed bug genome makes some bed bugs more susceptible to a certain pesticide than others. By repeatedly using the same pesticide, more and more resistant individuals survive, leading to a decrease in the effectiveness of that pesticide.

This is one of the reasons for the increase in bed bugs in nearly all countries (increased travel is the other).

Control efforts should involve integrated pest management combining various treatments, especially non-chemical approaches like heat treatments along with mechanical treatments such as diatomaceous earth (DE) and active traps.