{"id":{"repo_id":"uiuc","oai_identifier":"oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/130045"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uiuc/oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/130045","repository":{"repo_id":"uiuc","name":"University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign","base_url":"https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh"},"display":{"title":"Evaluating behavioral avoidance and horizontal transmission of Beauveria bassiana in bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) across spatially complex environments","abstract":"Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-08-01","abstract_html":"Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-08-01","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Basnet, Vinisha Singh"],"institution":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","degree_name":"M.S.","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Entomology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Schneider, Daniel W.","Schneider, Daniel W","Allan, Brian F","Stone, Christopher M."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-07-18","date_published":"2025-07-18","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:06Z","subjects":["Entomopathogenic Fungus","Aprehend","Four-way Arena Choice","Complex Environment."],"languages":["en","eng"],"rights":["Copyright 2025 Vinisha Basnet"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130045","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Schneider, Daniel W.","Schneider, Daniel W","Allan, Brian F","Stone, Christopher M."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Basnet, Vinisha Singh"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2025-07-18","2025-08"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Entomology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.S."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Entomopathogenic Fungus","Aprehend","Four-way Arena Choice","Complex Environment."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en","eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2025 Vinisha Basnet"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130045"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-08-01","The student, Vinisha Basnet, accepted the attached license on 2025-07-16 at 11:38.","The student, Vinisha Basnet, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-07-16 at 11:40.","This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-07-18 at 15:47.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22579 on 2025-10-21 at 10:06:07","The resurgence of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) since 1990’s has led to an increased dependence on chemical insecticides like pyrethroids and neonicotinoids for control. The use of such pesticides has further led to an evolved biological resistance among bed bug strains. As a result, the entomopathogenic fungus like Beauveria bassiana, in the form of commercial biopesticide Aprehend, is gaining attention as an alternative control measure. Laboratory studies confirm the efficacy and potential for horizontal transmission of Beauveria bassiana between bed bugs. However, we lack empirical studies that examine: (1) the extent to which bed bugs behaviorally avoid fungal spores; and (2) how spatially complex or cluttered environments affect fungal transmission in real-world situations. In this study, I conducted behavioral assays to understand if bed bugs avoid Aprehend-treated areas and if horizontal transmission decreases in spatially complex arenas and higher densities. My results showed no significant avoidance, as bed bugs chose treated and control zones at similar rates. Horizontal transmission was high across all spatially complex arenas and densities. However, survival results showed that while spatially complex arenas had no significant impact, density did affect the survival time of bed bugs exposed to Aprehend. Bed bugs in high density arenas survived longer, which could be due to some form of social protection. These findings shows that Aprehend is effective even in highly complex or cluttered environments and that density plays an important role in influencing survival time within bed bug colonies."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Evaluating behavioral avoidance and horizontal transmission of Beauveria bassiana in bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) across spatially complex environments"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Schneider, Daniel W.","Schneider, Daniel W","Allan, Brian F","Stone, Christopher M."],"dc:creator":["Basnet, Vinisha Singh"],"dc:date":["2025-07-18","2025-08"],"dc:description":["Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-08-01","The student, Vinisha Basnet, accepted the attached license on 2025-07-16 at 11:38.","The student, Vinisha Basnet, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-07-16 at 11:40.","This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-07-18 at 15:47.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22579 on 2025-10-21 at 10:06:07","The resurgence of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) since 1990’s has led to an increased dependence on chemical insecticides like pyrethroids and neonicotinoids for control. The use of such pesticides has further led to an evolved biological resistance among bed bug strains. As a result, the entomopathogenic fungus like Beauveria bassiana, in the form of commercial biopesticide Aprehend, is gaining attention as an alternative control measure. Laboratory studies confirm the efficacy and potential for horizontal transmission of Beauveria bassiana between bed bugs. However, we lack empirical studies that examine: (1) the extent to which bed bugs behaviorally avoid fungal spores; and (2) how spatially complex or cluttered environments affect fungal transmission in real-world situations. In this study, I conducted behavioral assays to understand if bed bugs avoid Aprehend-treated areas and if horizontal transmission decreases in spatially complex arenas and higher densities. My results showed no significant avoidance, as bed bugs chose treated and control zones at similar rates. Horizontal transmission was high across all spatially complex arenas and densities. However, survival results showed that while spatially complex arenas had no significant impact, density did affect the survival time of bed bugs exposed to Aprehend. Bed bugs in high density arenas survived longer, which could be due to some form of social protection. These findings shows that Aprehend is effective even in highly complex or cluttered environments and that density plays an important role in influencing survival time within bed bug colonies."],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130045"],"dc:language":["en","eng"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2025 Vinisha Basnet"],"dc:subject":["Entomopathogenic Fungus","Aprehend","Four-way Arena Choice","Complex Environment."],"dc:title":["Evaluating behavioral avoidance and horizontal transmission of Beauveria bassiana in bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) across spatially complex environments"],"dc:type":["text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Entomology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.S."],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:06Z"}