UC Riverside

Despite detection of pyrethroids in the influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants, little is known about the sources and mechanisms responsible for down-the-drain transport of pyrethroids. It was hypothesized that total release foggers may serve as a source of pyrethroids entering wastewater through the deposition of the active ingredients and subsequent transfer from contaminated surfaces into the waste stream through cleaning activities. Experiments were conducted to determine floor deposition characteristics of total release foggers and the transfer from various surfaces and materials. We found that total release foggers can contribute to insecticide loading into the wastewater treatment system via several routes, such as contacting or cleaning exposed surfaces and washing contaminated clothing.Bed bugs produce volatile aldehydes that have alarm and aggregation functions. Using two synanthropic bed bug species, Cimex lectularius L. and C. hemipterus (Fabricius), developmental quantity changes were examined for (E)-2-hexenal, 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-octenal, and 4-oxo-(E)-2-octenal. The quantities and percent abundances of the aldehydes in the nymphal exuviae and the adults were significantly different between species. The behavioral response of these bed bug species to the conspecific or heterospecific nymphal aldehyde blends (exuviae or a synthetic blend) was examined. In both species, the adults settled preferentially on the treatment side when conspecific volatile aldehyde cues were provided. When tested with heterospecific volatile aldehyde cues, only adult C. lectularius preferentially responded to C. hemipterus volatile cues. Adult C. hemipterus was indifferent to the aldehyde blend of C. lectularius. The use of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana for bed bug control is a recent addition to bed bug management. Mortality was monitored following the exposure of bed bugs to commercial products containing B. bassiana when in the presence of an aldehyde source. The introduction of bed bug aldehydes significantly reduced the effectiveness of B. bassiana as a control method when the product is not formulated specifically for bed bugs. However, the addition of aldehydes only delayed mortality when bed bugs are exposed to a formulation designed for bed bugs. The addition of synthetic bed bug aldehydes delayed and reduced the growth of B. bassiana in culture.