Exploring and Mitigating Insecticide Resistance in Urban Pests with New Synergists and Insecticides

Abstract

Simple Summary Urban pest control provides great benefits to human societies through improved hygiene, prevention of vector-borne diseases, and reduced structural damage to buildings. The continued evolution of chemical control to safer and more selective compounds, as well as more targeted applications, has improved pest control efficiency while reducing environmental contamination and exposure to non-target species. However, selection for resistance in urban pest populations threatens the effectiveness of several chemical compound classes across broad geographical areas and especially for major pest species, such as mosquitoes, houseflies, cockroaches, and bed bugs. In this review, we find that the literature on insecticide resistance mechanisms in urban pests portrays a complex landscape that highlights the importance of using a broad range of collaborative efforts to combat these challenges effectively. New technologies and approaches for integrated resistance management in response to these issues are also discussed, with emphasis on improved chemical control measures.