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. RESULTS: Immediate and long‐term effects of exposure to temperatures from 0 to −10 °C for 1, 2 and 3 weeks are reported. Fifth‐instar nymphs and adults were exposed to constant or fluctuating temperatures. Increased cold and extended time yielded higher mortality; nymphs were more resilient than adults at the shorter durations of exposure. At intermediate temperatures, mortality was higher at constant compared with fluctuating temperatures, whereas all individuals died after 3 weeks of exposure to −7 °C. The success among survivors after cold treatment was also affected in terms of reduced egg production, hatching success and the ability of fifth‐instar nymphs to advance into the adult stage; however, nymphs produced after cold treatment developed normally. CONCLUSIONS: Detrimental effects of prolonged exposure to low temperatures were seen in bed bugs both during and after cold treatment. The results suggest that temperatures below −7 °C can be applied by laymen to control this pest in small items if available treatment time is of less concern. © 2016 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.