Most of us have heard of them, if not met them – these irritating blood sucking insects!

But where did the bed bug come from and how long has it been around?

Bed bugs have been known to appear as early as 400 BC in ancient Greece, in the 11th Century in Germany, 13th Century in France and 1583 in England where they remained until 1670.

In the United States, bed bugs were noticed in early 1700’s. It was believed that the sailing ships spread of bed bugs between countries as sailors complained of bed bug bites during the night. In the United States, bed bugs were very common until World War II. During the 1950 and after the development of DDT, an insect powder, bed bugs were nearly eradicated and became an occasional sighting! Although they were still commonly seen in shelters, cabins and prisons, but were eradicated from homes and hotels. In 1970’s, the use of DDT was banned and replaced with weaker pesticide; to which bed bugs developed a resistance.

During the 1990’s around the world, bed bugs were re-emerging. More bed bugs started to appear in homes and five-star hotels even to this day. Reports from London, state that infestations doubled each year during 1995 – 2001. Since 1999, bed bug infestations have been reported to increase by 5,000% here in Australia; and other countries such as: USA, UK, Germany, Spain, Canada, India and Israel.

And what are the reasons for this increase in bed bug infestation around the country and the world?  There are a number of reasons; major one being international travel.

There are many people travelling these days to and from various parts of the world. These blood sucking insects may also be found on airlines and cargo holds. We also receive many migrants coming from different parts of the world who may bring in these insects with them. Bed bugs have been known to be carried in luggage, clothes and on the person themselves!

Another reason for the rise in bed bugs is trade of second hand goods and furniture, such as beds, through markets and garage sales. Many people who live in shared, low income flats or homes may also harbor these nasty insects, which may have not yet been detected due to lack of awareness! The noticeable bites may not necessarily be linked to bed bugs and misidentification of insects can often occur.  The installation of air-conditioning has removed the variations of extreme temperatures which allowed the bed bug to adapt to in some countries.
 
Bed bugs also have changed their habits; in the fact that they move more within the one’s home and also appear during the day! People who may have suffered from bed bug bites may not necessarily recognise or know what these bites look like.

Over time, bed bugs have also developed resistance to insecticides which allows bed bug numbers to continuously rise. Let us not omit another possible reason that may contribute to the problem of bed bugs - the pest control industry itself. The industry has been moving towards use baits for specific insects and rodents, rather than sprays which benefits the bed bugs. Cockroach control for example, now relies heavily on toxic baits, rather than broadly acting surface insecticides, and thus bed bugs are no longer exposed to the toxins.

Another possible reason is the stigma that exists in the hospitality industry for reporting cases of bed bugs. The stigma associated with bed bugs is mostly unwarranted because infestation is not necessarily attributable to lack of hygiene. If an infestation is reported then the perception of the business is threatened and hence an infestation may be ignored or simple treatment may be attended.

Bed bugs have been around for thousands of years. These insects have a widespread history and came close to being completely eradicated. There are numerous reasons that explain why bed bugs have been making a comeback, not only in Australia but across the globe. Eradication of this pest is therefore highly reliant on understanding the bed bug biology – especially within the hospitality and pest control industry, so that proper advice and action can be taken.  People should become more aware about these pests and take appropriate actions to attend to regular checks of their living environment.

Some people may never learn and continue to share their bed with the pesky bed bug.