Bed Bugs: Where are they now?

After almost fifty years of bedbug-free living, make no mistake about it: bedbugs are back, and they’re back with a vengeance. The bedbug story goes back to before World War II, when they were a common pain in many households. However, after the insecticide properties of DDT (Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane) were discovered, this fierce pesticide was put to good use against bedbugs, practically eliminating them in North America throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

However, it wasn’t long before the less desirable side effects of DDT became known, such as its possible cancer-causing properties, and in 1972 its use was banned in the US as a precaution. But since then bedbugs have been slowly on the rise once again, only really gaining international attention since the turn of the century. In the last decade, the enormous rise in bedbug cases has meant that the problem can no longer be ignored. And without the use of the highly effective DDT, it seems that they are a problem that we are going to have to get used to.

Bedbugs Make a Return

Since the mid-1990s, bedbug numbers have been rising not just across the US, but across the globe. Most of the figures that we have on record come from pest control companies and reported outbreaks of bedbug infestations. Many people do not know that they have bedbugs, and even if they do know then it is often not reported. All of these factors lead to the possibility that the true scale of the problem may be a lot larger than official numbers suggest.

However, the one certainty is that bedbugs are once again creating sleepless nights across the world. People have been taken by surprise by the robust pests, and a great deal of ignorance on the effective ways to treat them has led to the problem intensifying, with cases rising rapidly across the US and the rest of the world. The question is, why have they suddenly reappeared in such numbers?

International Travel

The finger of blame for the rapid rise in bedbug infestations has been pointed firmly at the growing availability of international travel. As flights have become cheaper, and more destinations have become available, people from all walks of life have been taking advantage of the new opportunities presented to them. No one thought too much about the bedbugs that they found in their hotel rooms. Unpleasant and uncomfortable they may have been, but they were limited to a foreign menace that could be forgotten about on the return home.

What many did not realize then, and what a lot of people still don’t realize even now, is that bedbugs are more than happy to take advantage of a free ride across international borders in the luggage of an unsuspecting traveler. The increasing numbers of tourists in recent years have allowed more bedbugs to find their way back to the US and other countries that were officially bedbug free, where they have since caused havoc. It is no surprise that the worst affected areas have been large tourist hubs, such as New York and London, which have been hit badly by the recent increases in infestations. The more tourists there are passing through a place, the more chance there is that they will bring bedbugs with them.

Global Warming

These days, climate change is seen as responsible for many of the earth’s problems, and the recent rise in bedbugs is no exception. Many experts now claim that the rising CO2 in the atmosphere could at least be partly to blame for the rapid increases in their numbers, due to its insect-attracting qualities. In places such as the UK, where summers are becoming increasingly warmer, the temperature rises and the increasing numbers of bedbug cases are seen as directly linked.

Global Problem

The one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the rise in bedbugs is a truly global problem. Although much has been made of the epidemic that is currently affecting North America, the truth is that nearly every country is Europe has seen cases rise significantly since the turn of the century. The UK, Italy, and Germany have all been affected, and none have yet found a solution to the problem. It is a worrying fact that, despite the problems now being caused by bedbugs, the numbers of infestations are still continuing to rise.

Where to now?

Arguments rage about whether we should bring DDT back into use to wipe the bedbug problem out completely, with strong points of view on both sides of the debate. However, many believe that it is more a matter of education. As bedbugs continue to hit the headlines, maybe people will become more aware of the problems that they bring, and will learn more about how to deal with them, including how to spot them early, and how to prevent carrying them to new locations. The truth is, it looks like the period of bedbug-free living is over, and we are going to have to get used to the presence of these pests in our lives. It is up to everyone now to take the necessary precautions to prevent the problem getting even worse. Until a miracle cure comes along, at least, we will all just have to learn to become more vigilant.