A Novel Leaf-Derived Trapping Material Is More Effective at Capturing Common Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) than Selected Commercial Monitoring Devices

Bed bugs (<i>Cimex lectularius</i>) have become established as common and significant commensal pests throughout the world. Effective bed bug monitoring and control programs remain challenging goals within the urban pest management industry. Pitfall "interceptor" traps and sticky "glue board" traps are the most commonly utilized devices for bed bug monitoring and detection in various settings. This study compares a novel leaf-derived trapping material (LDTM) and several selected pitfall and sticky traps for their capture efficacy of bed bugs. The LDTM employs a piercing-trapping mechanism in which trichomes physically impale bed bugs as they traverse the surface, preventing their further movement. Our results indicate that the LDTM captured bed bugs more effectively than three of the four selected commercial devices. Furthermore, our results reveal that the LDTM consistently trapped more bed bug nymphs than three of the four selected commercial traps. These findings underscore the potential of the LDTM as a valuable tool for enhancing monitoring and early detection strategies in bed bug integrated pest management (IPM) programs.