School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 East Pine Knoll Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
J Econ Entomol. 2012 Dec;105(6):2107-14. doi: 10.1603/ec12166.
Little is known about the potential for acoustic communication in bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), or the use of sound as cues in host location, although many hemipterans are known to communicate with sound. Most behavioral research has focused on bed bug pheromones that are used in aggregation and as alarm signals. We investigated the influence of sound as a deterrent and as an attractant, either of which could ultimately be used to monitor and control bed bugs. Female bed bugs were tested in two-choice tests with four different commercially available ultrasonic repellent devices. We found that female bed bugs were equally likely to occur in arenas with or without sound produced by ultrasonic devices. These devices did not repel or attract bed bugs during choice trials. However, more bed bugs preferred the middle corridor between the test (sound) and control (no sound) arenas when the sound devices were played. Bed bugs were also more likely to exit the middle corridor during control trials compared with treatment trials with ultrasonic devices. Our results confirm that commercial devices producing ultrasound are not a promising tool for repelling bed bugs.
对于床虱（Cimex lectularius L.）（半翅目：臭虫科）的声学通讯潜力，或者声音在宿主定位中的作用，人们知之甚少，尽管许多半翅目昆虫以声音进行通讯。大多数行为研究都集中在用于聚集和发出警报信号的床虱信息素上。我们研究了声音作为威慑和引诱剂的影响，这两者都可最终用于监测和控制床虱。在两项选择测试中，我们用四种不同的市售超声驱虫设备对雌性床虱进行了测试。我们发现，有或没有超声设备产生的声音的竞技场中，雌性床虱的出现频率相同。在选择试验中，这些设备既不驱赶也不吸引床虱。但是，当播放声音设备时，更多的床虱更喜欢在测试（有声音）和对照（无声音）区域之间的中间走廊。与使用超声设备的处理试验相比，在对照试验中，床虱更有可能从中间走廊中出来。我们的结果证实，产生超声波的商用设备并不是驱赶床虱的有希望的工具。
