Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC Bedbugs Quite Impervious to Our Pitiful Little Pesticides
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 20, 2011
Modified Jan 20, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 20, 2011
Modified Jan 20, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A new study confirms our greatest fears once again: bedbugs have rapidly evolved to survive the insecticides most commonly used to combat them. And you've got to hand it to these buggers—their deft adaptation to our pitiful retaliation has been simply masterful. Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute believe that genetic changes may be also be "giving the insects sturdier hides that can keep these chemicals from penetrating their exoskeletons," the Wall Street Journal reports. And other studies suggest that resistance to insecticides can "become a permanent part of their genetic inheritance"—some bedbugs are still relatively immune to DDT even though it hasn't been used in decades (much to Howard Stern's chagrin). Is all hope lost?
Pretty much. Contemporary bedbugs can survive pesticide levels "a thousand times greater than the lethal dose of a decade ago." Here in NYC, bedbugs are now 250 times more resistant to the standard pesticide. There are few alternatives to the commonly used pesticides, and scant funding for research into new insecticides because bedbugs don't transmit any serious diseases. "These bugs have several back doors open to escape," evolutionary entomologist Klaus Reinhardt tells the Journal. "Simple spraying around of some pesticides may not [be enough] now or in the future."
The solution's obvious: we're the ones who need to evolve and make ourselves genetically impervious to bedbugs, by engineering thick, coarse, bedbug-resistant skin and foul-tasting, rancid blood. Until then, it's probably about time for a domesticated aardvark fad to sweep NYC.
Tagged
bedbug
bedbugs
mutant bedbugs
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bruce Blakeman spar over immigration, cost of living in debate
The Democratic incumbent repeatedly invoked President Donald Trump. The Republican challenger largely avoided bringing up New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
By
Jon Campbell
Published Oct 13, 2026 at 9:05 p.m. ET
Manhattan neurologist charged with sexually abusing 2 patients, DA says
Prosecutors say Dr. Tariq Lamki abused two patients during appointments at a medical practice near Stuyvesant Town.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Manhattan neurologist charged with sexually abusing 2 patients, DA says
Prosecutors say Dr. Tariq Lamki abused two patients during appointments at a medical practice near Stuyvesant Town.
By
Giulia Heyward
Years of bus headaches start Thursday as Port Authority advances Midtown terminal work
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
and
Carol Chen
ICE admits to using Roxbury, NJ warehouse site to process immigrants
By
Mike Hayes
Dolan's offer: Donations to Blakeman for Knicks tickets
By
Walter Wuthmann
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .