Bed bugs have lived with humans since ancient times. They are mentioned in plays pre-dating 335 B.C. Fossilized bed bugs have been found during excavations of ancient Egypt. Pliny, the roman philosopher, wrote about bed bugs as a cure for snake bites around 77A.D. Early American colonist wrote about their plight with bed bugs.

Bed bugs were practically eradicated from the United States near the end of World War II. Pesticides like DDT were responsible for getting rid of bed bugs. Shortly after bed bug eradication, the environmental impact of products like DDT was discovered. DDT was causing damage to the eagle population due to run off into the water supplies which affected the eggs causing a decrease in birth rates.

This led to the introduction of the FIFRA act. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) provides for federal regulation of pesticide distribution, sale, and use. All pesticides distributed or sold in the United States must be registered (licensed) by EPA. Before EPA may register a pesticide under FIFRA, the applicant must show, among other things that using the pesticide according to specifications “will not generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment.’’

Bed bugs were re-introduced to the United States back around 2002 and have since reached nearly pandemic levels of infestation, especially in larger cities and urban populations. Bed bugs are also becoming a major problem in more rural communities.

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You may be curious about how you get bed bugs. There are many ways homes and businesses can end up with bed bugs. One bed bug myth is that you have to be nasty, dirty, filthy, or have bad hygiene to get bed bugs. This is not true. We have encountered bed bugs in the best of places as well as the worst. Bed bugs don’t care what class you are in. You can be wealthy or poor, white collar or blue, upper class or middle class. The only thing a bed bug cares about is blood to feed on.

Ways Bed Bugs Travel Into Your Home

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Have you ever heard the phrase, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite?” I remember hearing it as a youngster when my mother would tuck me in for the night. Growing up in my generation (the 30’s+) many don’t even know that one of the bed bug signs are bed bug bites. Bed bug bites are a clear indication that you have these nuisance pests.

Here's What to Look for in Your Home

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