There has been much talk over the past five years as to why there is such a huge resurgence of bed bugs in the United States. Some people have blamed the problem on the ease of international travel, some on the lack of effective pesticides available in the United States, some think it is because of the lack of education as to how bed bugs are spread, some believe it is because that bed bugs have made a comeback because DDT was pulled from public use so many years ago.
Bed bugs have been a common pest that is known for feasting on human blood. There is documented proof that bed bugs existed during the 17th century. These annoying bloodsuckers are believed to have hitchhiked a ride to North America when the colonists made their way across the Atlantic. American citizens endured constant attacks from bed bugs until just after World War II.
Up until the time of chemical intervention, people were “creative”, sometimes to their detriment, about ridding their homes of bed bugs. People learned to be on the look-out for bed bugs at all times. This diligent behavior, along with good cleaning habits, did help keep bed bug populations from spreading somewhat.
In America, humans finally gained the upper-hand on bed bug infestations when powerful pesticides were approved for mass usage. DDT was a crowd favorite and did prove effective on killing bed bugs. Because of the use of DDT, bed bug infestations dwindled significantly, but did not disappear completely. Bed bugs were no longer considered a major pest in the United States. DDT was eventually banned in 1972 and it would be many years before we started to hear word that the nighttime nibblers were back.
Fast forward to 2011…There’s no question that bed bug infestations are raging out-of-control throughout the United States, and many scientists are working to find ways to beat these bugs. The great news is that scientists at Ohio State University just completed a study about bed bugs which has unlocked their genetic code.
Hopefully the new study will ultimately help chemical manufacturers come up with new pesticides that will aid New Jersey pest control experts and those around the United States in eradicating bed bug infestations.
Next time: Bed Bug Gene Study