Characterizing repellency of benzoate compounds against the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius

The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., is a pest with a long history of being a household nuisance. Due to their affinity for linens, clothing, and luggage, and their ability to survive unfed for several months, they are easily transmitted and often difficult to detect. Once an infestation is present, extermination can be difficult, costly, and time consuming, making prevention measures a valuable investment. This experiment expands upon an earlier finding that the botanical compound, methyl benzoate, exhibits repellent properties against C. lectularius. Video tracking software was used to measure repellency of nine different benzoate compounds. Arenas were constructed by placing filter paper on the base of a petri dish. Four absorbent discs were then evenly spaced along the perimeter of the arena, one of the four discs was treated with a benzoate compound or acetone control, and a bed bug subject was released into the arena after a time delay ranging from immediate-release to several weeks. The subject was allowed to walk freely throughout the arena for 30 minutes, and tracking software was used to measure the amount of time the subject spent near each of the four discs. Results indicate that methyl 2-methoxybenzoate and methyl 3-methoxybenzoate exhibit high effect, long duration repellency, and thus make promising candidates for further research into bed bug prevention.