Photo: Brittany Campbell, UF/IFAS
A tropical bed bug (Cimex hemipterus) has been confirmed in Florida for the first time in 60 years, according to a news release from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Brittany Campbell, a UF/IFAS doctoral student in entomology, says that a family in Brevard County reported tropical bed bugs in their home in 2015. UF/IFAS scientists confirmed the finding, which is the only confirmed case in Florida. Other than its geographic tropical and sub-tropical climate preference, the tropical bed bug is similar to the common bed bug (C. lectularius), Campbell’s co-authored journal article in Florida Entomologist states.
“I have been asking people to send bed bug samples to our laboratory so that I can properly identify the species,” Campbell says in the news release. “If they do have a bed bug infestation, because they are so difficult to control, I ask that people consult a pest control company for a professional service. There isn’t as much research available on tropical bed bugs as common bed bugs, but hypothetically they should be able to be controlled the same way as the common bed bug species because their biology/behavior are similar.”
UF/IFAS also says that research suggests the tropical species can develop faster than the common bed bug.
“This could mean that this species would develop more quickly, possibly cause an infestation problem sooner and also could spread more rapidly,” Campbell says. “However, no studies have been conducted directly comparing both species at the same times and temperatures.
“Also, because we have so much failure with bed bug control, it’s important to note what species you have in order to determine whether control efforts should be changed according to species, and to determine if control failures are due to the species and not the chemicals and methods used. The first step to any integrated pest management program or control program is to properly identify the insect you are working with.”
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