Have you ever wondered where bed bugs came from? History suggests that they have been around since as early as 400 B.C. The ancient philosopher Aristotle talked about them in his writing. To date, there is much we know about bed bugs, but there is still a lot we have yet to learn. Today, we will be bringing you up to date on bed bugs, what we know, what we don’t, and what we are trying to figure out.
Tracking Bed Bugs Through The Centuries
Although talked about in ancient times, bed bugs were not really studied until 77 AD in Rome. In a book titled Pliny’s Natural History, bed bugs were claimed to have medicinal value to treat ailments such as snake bites and ear infections. Through the ages, more civilizations such as France, England, and Germany also studied the potential medical uses for bed bugs. Today, we understand that bed bugs are not the solution to our health problems. In fact, recent studies are showing that bed bugs may be a threat to spread sickness rather than cure it.
Back before modern technology, people dealing with bed bug infestations would use various plants, fungi, and even extracts from other insects to try to deter bed bugs. Not all methods worked as hoped.
In the early 1900s, there were many areas of the UK rampant with bed bug activity. Some neighborhoods didn’t have a single home without some level of bed bug infestation. This became even worse during World War II, to the point where bed bugs were considered “the greatest nuisance insect problem … at bases in the U.S.”
With bed bug problems being so high, America demanded a solution. This solution came in 1940 and was called DDT. This pest control product was so effective and used so widely among American homes that by 1950, bed bugs practically didn’t exist within the States. That is until 1972 when DDT was banned for being dangerous to humans. Since then, bed bugs have been on the rise, and, thanks to years surviving DDT, more resistant than ever. Luckily, new treatment methods have arisen that do not require chemicals at all, completely negating bed bugs newly found resistances.
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are parasitic pests that need to feed on blood to survive. Although they can feed on animal blood, they much prefer ours. This drives them to homes where they can hide during the day and feed at night. To get into homes, bed bugs use a method we call hitchhiking. No, they don’t hold their little thumbs up on the side of the road for us to pick them up. Rather, they crawl on items we carry without our permission. Leave your backpack on the ground of a busy airport for too long or buy a used couch with bed bugs hiding in it, and you could come home with a new problem.
What To Do If Your Home Has Bed Bugs
If you are having trouble sleeping at night and finding lines or clusters of bites on your skin when you wake up, you may be dealing with a bed bug infestation. To find out for certain, call for help. Here at Biotherm Green Solutions, Inc, we have K-9 inspectors that can sniff out bed bugs in your home with 98% accuracy. If bed bugs are found, our state-of-the-art heat treatment technology will make sure they are gone as soon as possible. All you have to do is leave your Florida home to us for a day, and we will make sure it is bed bug-free by the time you get back.