Perhaps you have unanswered questions about bed bugs. Where did they come from? Why did they disappear for some time? Why did they reappear afterwards? What is their current status? And what is their future? To try and answer your questions, below is a brief history of the ever evolving bed bug.
The ancient period
It is believed that they might have originated in the Middle East in the caves which were inhabited by human beings and bats. As early as 400 BC, they were mentioned by the history of ancient Greece and later by Aristotle.
A publication in Rome titled ‘Phiny’s Natural History ‘made a claim that bed bugs could treat ailments such as ear infection and snake bites. Bed bugs were also recommended for the treatment of hysteria. This was in 77 AD.
In Germany, they were first mentioned in the 11th Century while in France they were mentioned in the 13th century. As in the case of England they were rare until 1670 where it believed that they were brought by the wood supplies meant to rebuild the city of London. In this ancient period, traditional methods such as use of plants, fungi and insects were used to kill or repel the bed bugs.
The 19th century
The 19th century saw an improvement in the methods used to control bed bugs. Smoke which was from peat fires was a recommended method to fight them.
Dusts from dolomite, lime, plant ash and certain types of soils were used to repel the pests from grain storage facilities. Basket-work panels were put around beds and they would be shaken in the morning. This was common in the UK and France. Bean leaves were used to trap bed bugs in Eastern Europe. The trichomes found on the leaves would trap the pests.
Another method was scattering leaves of plants which had microscopic hooked hairs at night around the bed and then sweep and burn them in the morning. This technique was a common practice among the Balkans.
The early 20th century
Bed bugs were very common in the early 20th century. This increase was attributed to continued use of electric heating which would allow bed bugs to survive throughout the year. They were a serious problem during the Second World War in the U.S. military bases. The problem was initially solved by fumigation and later by DDT.
The mid-20th century
This period was marked by a decline in bed bug population. This was contributed by the many pesticides that were made available. The was also an increase in public awareness of bed bugs and slum clearance programs which involved pesticide use, relocation of slum dwellers, steam disinfection and follow up inspections.
Late 20th century
The late 20th century marked the resurgence of bed bugs. They were common in the urban areas with high cases of infestations reported in hotels and low-income housing facilities.
The 21st century
The 21st has seen more and more populations of bed bugs. This has been associated by: the increased resistance of pesticides by bed bugs; frequent domestic and international travel; lack of knowledge on bed bug control techniques; international bans on pesticides and the continued elimination and decline of pest control programs by public health agencies and states.
Bed bugs have been reported in areas such as South America where there were no cases of bed bugs before. They are in every part of the world. Investigators have also linked the high populations of bed bugs to poultry facilities. Poultry workers may be increasing the spread of bedbugs by carrying them from their work places to their areas or residence and other places. The poultry facilities in Arkansas, is a good example where this has happened.
This period has seen development of new technologies to address the issue. It has also seen new pesticides which are continually been introduced every day. New products are released to the market with most of them considered effective.
We can still minimize bed bug infestations by introducing an effective partnership program which would encompass:
• Pest control professionals inspecting, making required recommendations and treating homes to avoid continued reproduction of bed bugs.
• Adherence by home owners to the recommended measures to avoid re-infestations of bed bugs back to their areas of residence.
• Implementation of preventive controls measures to prevent bed bugs infestations.
Have your questions been answered? Probably yes! Even with the high infestations of bedbugs, all is not is lost. Remember that bed bug control is the first step towards seeing the free bed bug world that we all dream of. Bed Bugs can be eliminated through the use professional bed bug extermination services. Contact us to speak with our experts about your bed bugs problem. Our specialists have extensive experience in this industry and our services are offered at affordable rates.