Information from the abstract
ABSTRACT Traumatic insemination is a reproductive strategy in cimicids that enhances male success but imposes physiological costs on females. Despite the global resurgence of bed bugs, comparative studies between the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius , and the tropical bed bug, C. hemipterus , remain limited. We examined reproductive parameters and mating frequency effects in field‐collected populations maintained under controlled laboratory conditions using artificial membrane feeding with human blood. Virgin females failed to oviposit or produced only sterile eggs, confirming the absence of parthenogenesis. Comparative assays confirmed C. lectularius had longer oviposition periods and higher fecundity than C. hemipterus ( p < 0.05), consistent with previous laboratory and field studies. Mating frequency assays revealed divergent survival costs: none‐ and single‐pairing sustained survival with limited reproduction, repeated‐pairing increased fecundity ( C. lectularius : 14.8 ± 6.7; C. hemipterus : 5.5 ± 3.1 eggs) with moderated mortality in C. hemipterus (20% by the fourth cycle), and continuous‐pairing caused lethal outcomes in C. hemipterus females (60% mortality by the third cycle, 100% by the fourth), whereas C. lectularius maintained oviposition with zero mortality. Natural mortality was excluded by virgin and single‐pairing controls, confirming excess mortality was attributable to mating stress. These findings highlight species‐specific reproductive strategies, with tropical bed bugs facing lethal mating pressures that may promote female dispersal and explain their rapid invasion into nontropical regions. Reproductive suppression approaches may be effective in reducing invasion risk of C. hemipterus .
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Related topics: Dermatological diseases and infestations · Insects and Parasite Interactions · Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
Thai researcher and institutional participation
Pranita Sukha · Natthaset Khunhom · Dae‐Yun Kim · Kasetsart University
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