Joint evaluation by researchers at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) and Bedoukian Research, Inc. published interesting results for those who aspire to travel the world….or just down the street to the local Holiday Inn.
Naturally occurring (or structurally related) compounds were tested for their effectiveness as bed bug repellents in experiments designed to mimic luggage containing used clothing.
The good news for travelers? Compounds provided relatively long-term protection. For example, propyl dihydrojasmonate, a synthetically produced molecule similar to materials made by plants, prevented bed bugs from seeking refuge in treated lunch bags for 27 days. Further, delta dodecalactone, commonly used in flavors and fragrance products, repelled bed bugs for up to 276 days when applied to cloth towels.
So, depending on if your travel plan is to hustle around the world in 80 days, or for a quick long weekend in Las Vegas, these repellents may be able to ease your anxiety of an encounter with bed bugs. Using these cost-effective and relatively long-lived repellents would greatly reduce risk of being bitten by bed bugs, reduce their inadvertent transport, and reduce anxiety of travelers staying overnight in hotel rooms.
Bedoukian Research, Inc. is working on EPA registration and hopes to bring product to market in the coming years. We are open to collaborations on additional research and/or commercialization of products.
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