Data from: Bed bug preferences for host odor or aggregation odor are differentially modulated by physiological state in various odorscapes

Bed bugs live in an ecologically and spatially restricted indoor habitat
comprised of overlapping aggregation and host odors, and they traverse
relatively short distances between blood-hosts and aggregation sites.
Although many studies demonstrated aggregation or host odor preference
respectively, the modulation of their preferences between these divergent
odors is poorly understood. Given the recurrent transitions of bed bugs
between replete and hungry states, we evaluated the effects of six
odorscapes containing aggregation and host skin odors on bed bug
preferences. Hunger state modulated odor preference for aggregation and
foraging in all tested odorscapes. Aggregation odor attracted both fed and
unfed bed bugs. Host skin odor attracted unfed bed bugs but repelled
recently fed bed bugs and the addition of carbon dioxide to host odor
enhanced the behavioral responses. These findings suggest that orientation
to aggregation sites in fed bed bugs is driven by two distinct odor
processing mechanisms for attractant and aversive odors. Unfed bed bugs
discriminate two attractive odors – aggregation and host odors – but host
odor predominates over aggregation odor in driving their orientation
behavior. Understanding the dynamic switching of odor preferences during
the blood digestion cycle will guide the implementation of chemical lures
in IPM. Host odors alone and their co-emission with aggregation pheromone
repelled fed bed bugs from traps. Conversely, unfed bed bugs had a strong
preference for host odor emitted either alone or with aggregation odors.
Therefore, the independent use of either host or aggregation odor lures
and their co-emission from the same trap should be carefully considered.