EARTH.COM - Have you ever wondered if bed bugs are afraid of anything? These tiny blood-sucking insects cause stress in homes around the world. Once bed bugs enter a room, getting rid of them can feel almost impossible.
But new research from the University of California, Riverside has revealed something surprising. Bed bugs fear water.
A recent study shows that moisture and wet surfaces make bed bugs quickly turn away. This discovery could help scientists and pest control companies better understand how to deal with infestations.
Why bed bugs fear water
The shape of a bed bug’s body explains this fear. Bed bugs have very flat bodies. Small breathing holes called spiracles sit along the sides of the belly.
“If they physically contact a body of water, they’ll get stuck to its surface, blocking their respiratory openings,” said Professor Dong-Hwan Choe, an entomologist at the UC Riverside.