How does traumatic insemination in bedbugs affect female survival and reproductive success?

Traumatic insemination is a specialized reproductive strategy found in certain insects, including bedbugs. Unlike standard internal fertilization where sperm is deposited into the female reproductive tract, males in these species use an intromittent organ to pierce the female's body wall and inject sperm directly into the hemocoel (the body cavity).1

This process is inherently damaging to the female, as it creates wounds that must heal, potentially increasing the risk of infection and energy expenditure. Research indicates that this behavior can negatively impact female survival by reducing her overall lifespan due to the physical trauma sustained during mating. Regarding reproductive success, while the sperm eventually migrate to the ovaries to fertilize eggs, the costs associated with the injury can limit the female's long-term fecundity. The evolutionary persistence of such a costly behavior remains a subject of study, as it represents a significant conflict of interest between the sexes in reproductive behaviour.