Near Elimination of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs had infested many homes before World War II. After tremendous efforts, a miracle pesticide DDT was believed to wipe out many insects including ants, cockroaches, bed bugs and mosquitoes. The insecticide was quite effective in nearing a complete extinction of bed bugs. Meanwhile, health department issued warnings against the use of DDT. Use of DDT is linked to several types of cancer, and it turned out to be fatal to the existence of wildlife, environment and the human race. Therefore, the use of this pesticide has been banned since 1970.
The Return of the Bed Bugs
Ineffective Pesticides
After the ban of DDT, many pest-control companies are preparing formulations to control cockroaches, ants, mosquitoes and bed bugs. However, though the compositions are quite strong in curbing many of the pests, it has not been effective in inhibiting the bedbugs’ menace. The bed bugs are increasingly resistant to a number of pesticides and insecticides. This means the use of pyrethroids fail to curb the bed bugs, which continue to feed on the human blood. This is one of the prime reasons for the widespread growth of bed bugs.
Pest Management Routines
Changes to the pest management practices are one of the contributing factors for the successful resurgence of bed bugs. Public accommodation such as hotels and motels, in the past, scheduled the regular treatment of all the rooms with residual pesticides or insecticides. However, this practice has seen a shift with using baits that are beneficial in controlling ants, cockroaches and mosquitoes. The use of non-residual applications gives bed bugs yet another scope to grow and infest.
Increased Travel
Rapid economic development calls for an increase travel all over the world. This provides many opportunities for the bed bugs to spread from a swarming location to an un-infested destination. Overnight stay in public accommodation such as a hotel or a motel encourages the migration of the beg bugs easily and safely through clothes, luggage and baggage. Bedding, furniture, cupboards are other favorite shelters of bed bugs. Airplanes, hotel rooms, trains, ships are other means through which bed bugs easily find a free ride to another destination.
Need for Public Awareness
Symptoms of a bed bug bite up to fourteen days to surface. People do not feel the bed bug bites since the bites are painless. People often mistake bug bites to be an allergic reaction, flea bite, mosquito bite, etc. This gives sufficient time for the beg bugs to settle, reproduce and develop into an infestation. It is quite common for infestation to go unnoticed for several months.
Additionally, purchasing infested furniture, mattress, etc. contributes to the widespread growth of the bed bugs. Box springs, bed frames, tufts, folds of mattress, headboard make a cozy den for the bed bugs. They thus easily travel and spread the infestation between apartments, hospitals, hotels and other public community locations.
Clutter
Cluttered location provides many hideaways for the bed bug to grow and expand into an infestation.
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