Changes

==History==

==History==

Bedbugs have been plaguing humans since ancient times, with the latest resurgence beginning in the late 1990's. Fossilized bed bugs have been unearthed from archeological digs have unearthed fossilized bed bugs dating back more than 3,500 years. Bed bugs spread throughout Europe and Asia, reaching Italy by 100 A.D., China by 600 A.D., and Germany and France in the 1200s and 1400s, and are mentioned in medieval European texts and in classical Greek writings back to the time of Aristotle. The earliest record of bedbugs in England is that of 1583 where they would become referred to simply to as “bugs.” Migrating with European explorers to America, infestations first arose in busy seaport towns, while appearing farther inland later on, a pattern that would be repeated in the late 1990s, with the reports of infestations first coming from such cities as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami. <ref>http://www.pctonline.com/Article.aspx?article_id=37608</ref>

Bedbugs have been plaguing humans since ancient times, with the latest resurgence beginning in the late 1990's. Archeological digs have unearthed fossilized bed bugs dating back more than 3,500 years. Bed bugs spread throughout Europe and Asia, reaching Italy by 100 A.D., China by 600 A.D., and Germany and France in the 1200s and 1400s, and are mentioned in medieval European texts and in classical Greek writings back to the time of Aristotle. The earliest record of bedbugs in England is that of 1583. Migrating with European explorers to America, infestations first arose in busy seaport towns, and  later on appearing farther inland. This pattern that was repeated in the late 1990s, with the reports of infestations first coming from such gateway cities as [[New York]], [[Los Angeles]], [[San Francisco]] and [[Miami]]. <ref>http://www.pctonline.com/Article.aspx?article_id=37608</ref>

In the 1800's, bedbugs were a significant pest in parts of both the ][United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]].  Government Entomologist  Dr. Riley, PhD, described the ubiquity of bed bugs in 1889:

In the 1800's, bedbugs were significant pest in parts of both the ][United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]].  Government Entomologist  Dr. Riley, PhD, described the ubiquity of bed bugs in 1889:

{{cquote|I have occasionally met with a favored individual who had never seen a bed bug; but such fortunate people are rare and there are very few housekeepers who have not, by accident perhaps, or through slovenly servants, made the intimate acquaintance of the ubiquitous pest…. It’s odor and the effects of its bites are universally known, and the word “bed buggy” has entered our literature as descriptive of a particular class of odors.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=j1Y7AAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA25&ots=b_vavYWYXE&dq=Entomologist%20%20Dr.%20Riley%2C%20PhD%20bed%20bugs&pg=PA25#v=onepage&q&f=false Good Housekeeping Journal], May 25. 1889, p. 25</ref>}}

{{cquote|I have occasionally met with a favored individual who had never seen a bed bug; but such fortunate people are rare and there are very few housekeepers who have not, by accident perhaps, or through slovenly servants, made the intimate acquaintance of the ubiquitous pest…. It’s odor and the effects of its bites are universally known, and the word “bed buggy” has entered our literature as descriptive of a particular class of odors.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=j1Y7AAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA25&ots=b_vavYWYXE&dq=Entomologist%20%20Dr.%20Riley%2C%20PhD%20bed%20bugs&pg=PA25#v=onepage&q&f=false Good Housekeeping Journal], May 25. 1889, p. 25</ref>}}

In the 1930s there were large sections of London where every house was infested, resulting in an investigation by the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Act of 1936 which required councils to take action. Toxic fumigation using sulfur dioxide (sulfur candles) or hydrogen cyanide, are reported to have helped reduce infestations by up to 80% in a town under study.  Before [[World War Two the primary treatment was either heat or fumigation, and barriers behind walls were even constructed to prevent bedbugs from crawling up, while harborage was encouraged using wire mesh below, which periodically would be burned with a blow torch. Some state laws once required that the furniture be tagged as fumigated before it could be resold. DDT became the primary insecticide beginning in 1945, and declining numbers overall continued from the late 30s through 1980s until the recent resurgence.

In the 1930s there were large sections of London where every house was infested, resulting in an investigation by the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Act of 1936 which required councils to take action. Toxic fumigation using sulfur dioxide (sulfur candles) or hydrogen cyanide, are reported to have helped reduce infestations by up to 80% in one town under study.  Before [[World War Two]] the primary treatment was either heat or fumigation, and barriers behind walls were even constructed to prevent bedbugs from crawling up, while harborage was encouraged using wire mesh below, which periodically would be burned with a blow torch. Some state laws once required that the furniture be tagged as fumigated before it could be resold. DDT became the primary insecticide beginning in 1945, and declining numbers overall continued from the late 30s through 1980s until the recent resurgence.

Diligence and use of the pesticide DDT in the 1950s and broadbased pesticides also resulted in a dramatic reduction of bedbugs overall in the United States, though significant reservoirs of bed bug infestation persisted

Diligence and use of the pesticide DDT in the 1950s and broadbased pesticides also resulted in a dramatic reduction of bedbugs overall in the United States, though significant reservoirs of bed bug infestation persisted

through this period, particularly in inner-city areas.  During the bed bug recession period of the 1950s, infestations were

through this period, particularly in inner-city areas.  During the bed bug recession period of the 1950s, infestations were

mainly found in homeless shelters, and prisons, while during in the period 1967-73, about 61% of infestations were found in domestic residential property, while about 25% were in institutional settings<ref> [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=15&ved=0CI8BEBYwDg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icup.org.uk%2Freports%255CICUP911.pdf&ei=_7fkTMOcM4X7lwfpgvC1Cw&usg=AFQjCNHAv-kTckL-i94tT9QVwttxl-L2YQ&sig2=nWe_LzSDoRelL73t_I6ljg  ''Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): An evidence-based analysis of the current situation,'' Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Urban Pests], p. 9, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.birc.org/MarApril2007.pdf ''Bed Bugs bounce back'', IPM Practitioner], March/April 2007</ref><ref>>http://www.faqs.org/periodicals/201006/2054573271.html</ref>  

mainly found in homeless shelters, and prisons, while during in the period 1967-73, about 61% of infestations were found in domestic residential property, while about 25% were in institutional setting.s<ref> [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=15&ved=0CI8BEBYwDg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icup.org.uk%2Freports%255CICUP911.pdf&ei=_7fkTMOcM4X7lwfpgvC1Cw&usg=AFQjCNHAv-kTckL-i94tT9QVwttxl-L2YQ&sig2=nWe_LzSDoRelL73t_I6ljg  ''Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): An evidence-based analysis of the current situation,'' Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Urban Pests], p. 9, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.birc.org/MarApril2007.pdf ''Bed Bugs bounce back'', IPM Practitioner], March/April 2007</ref><ref>>http://www.faqs.org/periodicals/201006/2054573271.html</ref>  

The current resurgence of bedbug infestations appears to have started almost synchronously in the late 1990’s in Europe, the United States, and in Australia. 2007 Data from a survey of pest control companies in the latter country indicated a 4500% increase over seven years.<ref>''Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): An evidence-based analysis of the current situation,'' Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Urban Pests, p. 1, 2008</ref><ref>Doggett S.L. and R.C. Russel, ''Bed bugs: Recent Trends and developments,'' Australian </ref>  

The current resurgence of bedbug infestations appears to have started almost synchronously in the late 1990’s in Europe, the United States, and in Australia. 2007 data from a survey of pest control companies in the latter country indicated a 4500% increase over a seven year period.<ref>''Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae): An evidence-based analysis of the current situation,'' Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Urban Pests, p. 1, 2008</ref><ref>Doggett S.L. and R.C. Russel, ''Bed bugs: Recent Trends and developments,'' Australian </ref>  

 

===Causes of resurgence ===

===Causes of resurgence ===

The prime causes of the increased bedbug infestations are yet debated. Social aspects such as  increased travel immigration and population density, clutter, etc. and even climate change (dismissed), have all been blamed, as well as changing pest control products and methods and the development of strains of bedbugs that are resistant to insecticides. As regards the latter, one theory for the cause of bedbug resurgence postulates that use of DDT and its successors ([[DDT ban|DDT was banned]], effective Jan 1, 1973) on household pests such as the German [[cockroach]] also killed bedbugs before they became established in a home. After roaches developed resistance to insecticides being used, hydramethylnon bait was introduced in the early 1980s, which provided superior effectiveness. This resulted in a switch from spraying and dusting and baseboard treatment which also controlled bedbug populations, to the use of baits and Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) in the early 1990s. In addition, besides DDT, many more pesticides, including broad spectrum residual chemicals, were banned or heavily restricted in the United States during the past few decades, and many developing countries have also banned many powerful pesticides, due to the danger of harmful effects to humans.<ref>[http://waronbedbugs.blogspot.com/2007/03/tracing-cause-of-bedbug-epidemic.html The War on Bedbugs]</ref>  

The prime causes of the increased bedbug infestations are yet debated. Social aspects such as  increased travel immigration and population density, clutter, etc. and even climate change (dismissed), have all been blamed, as well as changing pest control products and methods and the development of strains of bedbugs that are resistant to insecticides. As regards the latter, this theory for the cause of bedbug resurgence postulates that use of DDT and its successors ([[DDT ban|DDT was banned]], effective Jan 1, 1973) on household pests such as the German [[cockroach]] also killed bedbugs before they became established in a home. After roaches developed resistance to insecticides being used, hydramethylnon bait was introduced in the early 1980s, which provided superior effectiveness. This resulted in a switch from spraying and dusting and baseboard treatment which also controlled bedbug populations, to the use of baits and Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) in the early 1990s. In addition, many more pesticides besides DDT, including broad spectrum residual chemicals, were banned or heavily restricted in the United States during the past few decades, and many developing countries have also banned many powerful pesticides, due to the danger of harmful effects to humans.<ref>[http://waronbedbugs.blogspot.com/2007/03/tracing-cause-of-bedbug-epidemic.html The War on Bedbugs]</ref>  

Dr. Michael Potter, a  professor and urban entomologist at the University of Kentucky, stated, “What made this problem pretty much go away for decades was the availability of very effective, long-lasting insecticides that were cheap, affordable and available not only to pest control companies but to consumers over the counter,” he said. Having conducted a study comparing older pesticides to those used today, he found insecticides in two families, organophosphites and carbamates, are especially effective at eradicating bedbugs.  While some of these compounds can be found in insect traps or spot treatments, most are no longer permitted for use by pest-control professionals in North America.<ref>''FAQ about Bedbugs: Pesticide bans have led to a resurgence of the dreaded pest,'' National Post, August 7, 2010</ref>

Dr. Michael Potter, a  professor and urban entomologist at the University of Kentucky, stated, “What made this problem pretty much go away for decades was the availability of very effective, long-lasting insecticides that were cheap, affordable and available not only to pest control companies but to consumers over the counter,” he said. Having conducted a study comparing older pesticides to those used today, he found that insecticides in two families, organophosphites and carbamates, are especially effective at eradicating bedbugs.  While some of these compounds can be found in insect traps or spot treatments, most are no longer permitted for use by pest-control professionals in North America.<ref>''FAQ about Bedbugs: Pesticide bans have led to a resurgence of the dreaded pest,'' National Post, August 7, 2010</ref>

With many factors possibly contributing to the exponential rise in bedbug infestations, it is difficult to know what physically is the primary caused of the current bedbug epidemic. Potter also, stated, "The bottom line is it may be a convergence of all those factors, but none of that really explains the rapid increase in recent years," said  

With many factors possibly contributing to the exponential rise in bedbug infestations, it is difficult to know what physically is the primary caused of the current bedbug epidemic. Potter also, stated, "The bottom line is it may be a convergence of all those factors, but none of that really explains the rapid increase in recent years," said  

<ref>http://waronbedbugs.blogspot.com/2007/03/tracing-cause-of-bedbug-epidemic.html</ref>  

<ref>http://waronbedbugs.blogspot.com/2007/03/tracing-cause-of-bedbug-epidemic.html</ref>

 

==Life and behavior==

==Life and behavior==