Bed Bug History
Bed bugs have been documented entering the United States since the 17th century. Just before WW II, bed bugs became common resulting in the widespread use of synthetic insecticides such as DDT to greatly reduce their numbers. Insecticides like DDT are now forbidden to use due to health risks.
In the past decade, bed bugs have been making a significant comeback to the United States. International travel and commerce are thought to grow the spread of these insects which are readily transportable in luggage and clothing. Bed bugs are found everywhere but more common locations include hotels, motels, dormitories, shelters, apartment complexes, and prisons due to their high turnover in occupancy. Bed bug infestation in a particular location is not generally a reflection of poor hygiene or bad housekeeping as they do not discriminate where they will nest. An old motel or a 5 star hotel are equally as nice to a bed bug!
There has been a significant outbreak of bed bugs in North America, parts of Western Europe, and in Australia. There were over 9200 complaints filed with the New York City Department of Health in 2008 alone. It is safe to assume that many complaints go unfiled to avoid the negative publicity that a hotel, for instance, may receive if their infestation became public.
Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and hide in mattresses, clothing, furniture, carpets, and other household items. Female bed bugs lay 200-500 eggs during their lifetime at a rate of 3-4 per day. They emerge at night to feed on unsuspecting warm-blooded hosts for 3-8 minutes. A single feeding can sustain a bed bug for months before feeding again. Bed bugs are not known to carry disease but their bites result in skin irritations similar to mosquitoes or fleas. The bites can take a psychological toll on people who may not sleep well for months after being bitten. Businesses and hotels can suffer financially from loss of business if an infestaion is not elliminated properly.
Click on a link below to watch a sampling of media coverage regarding bed bugs
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