History of the Bed Bug

The Bed Bug evolved from the Bat Bug which feed on Bats in caves. 100,000 years ago Neanderthal man lived in caves and was also fed upon by these bugs. Eventually, the bat bug evolved into a new species we call the Bed Bug. When humans left the cave life and settled into villages, towns and cities they brought the bugs with them. Bed bugs have plagued man ever since.

The early writings about bed bugs appeared in ancient Egypt around 400 BC and the oldest bed bug found is an Egyptian fossil from 3500 years ago. They were also reported in early Roman and Greek writings. Medieval Europeans were also plagued by bed bugs. Not only were the poor living with these blood sucking pests but even the kings and noblemen were infested with bed bugs. It was also common to be infested with blood sucking lice. The most feared pest however, was the rat.

The rat meant that the deadly Black Death or Plague was about to break out. Bed Bugs continued to live side by side with people throughout history. Then during World War II, a miracle chemical, DDT was developed. DDT was so effective against bed bugs that after WWII they were no longer considered a pest problem. From the 1950’s through the turn of the century, problems with bed bugs were virtually non-existent.

Hotel Room too Hot for Bed Bugs?

Hot hotel rooms and hot dorm rooms are part of the bed bug buzz at the Entomological Society of America (ESA) annual meetings. There are even indications that hot air remedies can work well in combination with other bed bug control methods, including pesticides and dogs that sniff out bedbugs.

More companies are getting into commercial heat treatments for bed bugs. It seems a matter of practical application of the scientific data that heat can kill bedbugs, if you can figure out how to get the heat to where the bed bugs are hiding. 

The Conflict With Humans and Bed Bugs

The conflict between humans and insect pests has raged for centuries, but few battles boast the sheer make-your-skin-crawl ick factor as the war between people and bed bugs. And the battle, once played out largely in hotels with high international traffic, has moved to the home front.

Nine out of 10 pest management professionals have treated single-family homes, apartments and condos for bed bug infestations in the past year, according to the 2011 Bugs Without Borders Survey by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the University of Kentucky. Infestations are occurring in homes, hotels, hospitals, day care centers, college dorms, schools, movie theaters, department stores and even public transportation in every state.

Don't think you're safe from the little blood-suckers just because you travel little or stay at only the best hotels, professionals say. Bed bug infestations have little to do with cleanliness or quality. Bed bugs are notoriously hardy and just a few of the hitch-hiking pests - which you can pick up virtually anywhere these days - are all it takes to ultimately establish an infestation in your home or apartment.

Trends in Bed Bug Numbers

Bed bugs are believed to have been around since the time of the caveman An increase in domestic and international travel is the likely cause of their resurgence over the last 10 years.

Other factors contributing to increased activity include the use of second-hand goods, and the movement of furniture and linens, changes in pest control procedures, and a generational lack of knowledge.

According to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), bed bug infestations have risen 71% since 2001 and are expected to climb.

Bed Bugs and Chicago

The City of Chicago admits that they have a bed bug problem and that infestations are increasing. In 2008, Chicago implemented the same policies as New York vs. Bed Bugs, a bed bug organization which supports the cause of educating the public on bed bugs and giving them advice on how to get rid of them. Other prominent cities like Boston and Cincinnati have bed bug advocacy groups which share valuable information with their citizens on how they can defend themselves against bed bugs and how to destroy them.

The City of Chicago believes that Bed bug infestations are similar to viruses, which spread easily from one person to another. Blame for the spread of these blood thirsty insects can’t be placed on any one class of people. Chicago is concerned for it’s citizens and their local economy. Chicago also believes it is crucial for certain individuals in the city to be trained and armed with bed bug control techniques. Some of these individuals would include landlords, school officials, hotel managers, health care professionals, and those who head public housing.

As stated earlier, one goal of Chicago vs. Bed Bugs is to give people information and guidance on how to eliminate bed bugs from their homes. One way is to use products containing diatomaceous earth, referred to as DE. It is an all natural substance that should be sprinkled along the traffic patterns of bed bugs in your home. It will essentially cut them up so badly that they will dehydrate and die. A great thing about this substance is how safe it is to use in your home, even among small children and animals.

Bed bugs are everywhere, but it is good to know that there are groups out there committed to educating the public on how to rid their homes or businesses of bed bugs.

The Real Cost of Extermination

When all of the factors are taken into consideration, the extermination can cost over $50,000 per building. Even after a thorough extermination, some bed bugs may remain, and quarantining a room is pointless, as the bed bugs can live for an entire year without a blood feeding. This means multiple exterminations may need to occur before the infestation is completely eradicated, and in buildings with lots intermittent visitors, such as hotels, the infestation can return very easily, as the bed bugs can transfer room articles of clothing and other personal belongings.

Although the cost of bed bug extermination can be estimated, the overall financial loss caused by these pests could be an immeasurable amount, as can be seen by the number of bed bug lawsuits within the past year. 

Bed Bugs Mental Illness

A recent NYU study indicates that a bed bugs mental illness related problems are real. An actual infestation or the chance that an infestation will occur can act as a trigger in individuals that already have a mental illness. It is not a cause of psychosis or mental illness, but a trigger. Patients report that bed bugs created stressors that can bring out a mental illness along with feelings of isolation, depression and hopelessness. In others, the belief that they have bed bugs or other insects crawling on their body can lead to a condition called delusory parasitosis, with the specific diagnosis often referred to as Ekbom Syndrome.

Delusory Parasitosis is the specific condition where a patient will complain of feeling insects on the body, when in fact, none exist. It is a common condition where an individual will even go so far as to call in an exterminator, when in fact, none is needed. The specific condition is called Ekbom syndrome (ES), a condition that effects approximately 100,000 people in the United States.

It is not unusual to believe that insects are crawling on the skin, it is a sensation that happens to most of us at some time. It is referred to as being "delusory" when there are no insects involved and that the individual believes that there are no other explanations for the problem.

This bed bugs mental illness condition usually occurs in older female adults. Associated behaviors include quitting work, throwing out or destroying furniture, abandoning homes, obsessive cleaning, over use of pesticides and the use of home remedies to remove insects.

When doctors are first approached with a description of a bed bugs mental illness such as insects under the skin, they assume a problem is scabies, since this involves microscopic mites burrowing under the first layer of skin.

Patients are often tempted to scratch a skin itch triggered by the belief that an insect is present, introducing infection into the skin and an actual skin problem.

Seeking a licensed and insured bed bug exterminators that specialize in bed bugs is paramount in this case and others. 855-855-Bugs of Chicago has the largest K-9 Bed Bug Detection Division in the Midwest!

Bed Bug Travel Tips

Many travelers worry that they are going to either sleep in a hotel or cruise ship room that is infested with bed bugs. Bed bugs have even been reported in public transportation, with reported incidents in Australia and Europe. Hotels probably are the most likely place you will find bed bugs, just based on the number of hotels around the world. Reports on cruise ships are infrequent, but possible.
 Here are our bed bug travel tips to help avoid sleeping in a room that has been infested and how to avoid accidentally bringing them home. Traveling without bedbugs doesn't have to be hard.

* When traveling, only bring clothes that can be washed when you get home. Select clothes which can be laundered in hot water and withstand 20 to 30 minutes in the dryer.

* Consider using luggage that doesn't have outside seams, such as hard sided luggage. Bed bugs will try and hide in crevices on the luggage and like to lay eggs on rough surfaces.

* Don't place your luggage inside the hotel room until you inspect the room for bed bugs.

* When entering the room place luggage on racks and away from the floor and if possible at least 10 feet away from the bed. Most bedbugs will be near the bed.

* Keep clothes in the luggage, not hotel room drawers. 

* Zip or close luggage after it is opened so that nothing can crawl inside.

Liability and Bed Bugs

Being proactive is one way to deal with any potential legal liability because of bed bugs. While it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine how a bed bug entered a space, that’s not stopping some people from filing lawsuits.

Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, but they can affect mental health and cause fatigue.

Let’s face it: ten years ago we didn’t have bed bugs in this country. We now do,” she said. “The bed bug is not a socioeconomic issue, not a hygiene issue. It’s a travel issue. If you move from one location to another you could be a carrier of bed bugs and not even know it. It could be on a shoe or a piece of luggage. You could have an infestation and totally clear it up - so you think - but they could come back again. This is an ongoing educational process on how to resolve the issue. Encasements is an important one, but it is only part of the solution.

Fight Back Against Bed Bugs!

Controlling a bed bug problem starts with discovering any infestations before guests do. Housekeepers are the first line of defense, and they should be trained to identify bed bugs and to regularly inspect mattresses and headboards for bugs or evidence of bugs. Spotting an infestation early also means a hotel can prevent a small problem from becoming a larger one.

The best way to treat bed bugs in the bedding is to place it in a dryer for about 30 minutes. Treating the mattress, carpet and other areas is more complicated. Managers can choose from a number of treatments, including chemical sprays, steaming and flash freezing. One of the frustrations is that bed bug chemicals only work when they hit a bug directly. There is no lingering or residual effect.

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