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→Causes of resurgence: more on resistance movement
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>
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>
In the light of colonies from all over the United States having a very high resistance to pyrethroid-type pesticides, some believe that these bugs likely came from a region where those pesticides are used extensively around beds. Entomologist Coby Schal believes that it is likely the bed bugs found in U.S. hotels, homes and apartments may be the progeny of bugs which came from areas of the world such as Africa, Southeast Asia or South America, in which bugs might have often encountered pyrethroid-treated bed nets, designed to prevent biting by malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and thus developed resistance to this class of insecticides.
An additional problem as a result of to minimal problems with bed bugs overall in the United States, was that research initiatives on bed bugs ceased in the 1950s.<ref>[http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/media-releases/bed-bugs-target-of-research-extension-efforts ''Bed bugs target of research, extension efforts''], N.C. State University </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