Bed bugs' thicker skins resulting in greater resistance to insecticides
Bed bugs have a long history of being a nuisance. They also have a reputation of developing resistance to insecticides time and time again.
A team of researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia believes it has figured out how the pests continue to stay one step ahead of those who want them gone -- thicker skin.
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They measured the cuticle thicknesses of bed bugs known to be largely immune to insecticides and those more apt to succumb to the poisons.
They found the specimens with enhanced survival abilities also had heftier outer coverings.
David Lilly, the study's co-author posits that the increase in cuticle matter is one way the bugs battle against being annihilated by chemicals.
He noted, "If we understand the biological mechanisms bedbugs use to beat insecticides, we may be able to spot a chink in their armor that we can exploit with new strategies."
