There’s an aside in New Scientist this week (or the last couple of weeks, I’m a little behind!) about a study which showed that maggots will not feast on the corpse of a heavy smoker. Apparently the nicotine is deadly to them.
Which makes perfect sense. Why else would the plants have evolved this chemical, execept as protection against insects? I’ve used it myslef to quell a spider mite infestation on my Gardenias.
So that started me thinking about tipping points, and the bedbug explosion. Could the down-trend in habitual smoking and tobacco use be contributing to the resurgence of bedbug infestation?
Has anyone ever seen any research about bedbugs liking or disliking smokers?
I waffled about about where to put this. I am interested in hearing thoughts and opinions as well as empirical knowledge. I figure we’ll see which way the conversation wafts. . .
I’ve never met a maggot, and I’ve met many, who refused a free meal. And I’ve seen many a maggot ridden body in beds with overflowing ashtrays on the table next to. Hence, I question your source material.
Tobacco does contain a natural chemical that kills some bugs. However, tobacco farmers still use pesticides for the bugs that aren’t bothered by those natural chemicals.
Nicotine is a great insecticide, but that’s because it’s a surprisingly strong neurotoxin. Even if a person has developed a nicotine tolerance, I still don’t see how he or she would have enough nicotine in the system to do much to the maggot. I don’t think there’s enough difference between the toxicity to the two species. On the other hand, there’s no reason a some species or other of fly couldn’t be repelled by the smell of stale tobacco smoke. No reason to expect it, either.