History
Historic Perspective
Bed Bugs were first noticed in society by Americans in the early 1700’s. Many problems with bed bugs can be found in scripts and literature from this time period all throughout North America.
Many believe sail boats returning from Europe were found to be infested with bed bugs. And many of the sailors complained of being attacked by these bugs as they slept in their cabins.
Bed bugs have made a recent comeback. Some research indicates that up to 25% of residents in some cities have reported problems with them; usually in lower-class, urban areas. For these residents, bed bugs are not only a nuisance, but a problem bordering on epidemic levels.
The world saw a marked decrease in the numbers of bed bugs when DDT was introduced in the 1950s. The use of DDT as a pesticide was banned in the 1970’s and hardy bed bugs seemingly welcomed the news. In the past few years, levels of bed bug infestations have been on par with what was known previous to the mid century mark and they continue to rise.
With increased world travel, bed bugs are again making their presence felt as they are removed from one country and introduced to another through international transport on clothing, luggage and the human body. Bed bugs can be found on airlines and in cargo holds. Bed bugs can also be transferred from an overnight stay in a hotels, motels and Inns.