Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Interpretive Summary: Dogs trained to detect bed bugs and their eggs are often used to detect bed bug infestations. The chemicals that dogs detect in immature and adult bed bugs are known, but not the chemical from eggs. We have currently demonstrated that developing bed bug eggs produce a different chemical from that produced by immature and adult bed bugs. This information will be used by scent detection companies interested in training their bed bug-sniffing dogs on chemicals, instead of viable eggs and live bed bugs, to detect infestations.
Technical Abstract: To determine if volatiles from bed bug eggs were similar to nymphs and adults, volatiles from eggs of the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) were collected by aeration, daily until hatch, and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We now report that while no (E)-2-hexenal or (E)-2-octenal were detected from the viable eggs, eucalyptol (1,8-epoxy-p-menthane) was identified from all egg samples. Control samples containing no eggs had no evidence of eucalyptol. Positive control, containing nymphs, adults, and fecal deposits showed the presence of (E)-2 hexenal and (E)-2-octenal, but no eucalyptol. The lack of detectable (E)-2 hexenal and (E)-2-octenal in viable egg samples and the detection of eucalyptol is discussed in relation to canine detection of bed bugs.