Bedbugs are parasites, also referred to as Cimex lectularius, that bite humans and animals to feed on blood. These bugs get their name from living in and around beds, in locations such as mattresses, box springs, carpets and behind wallpaper. The bugs are about the size and shape of an apple seed, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although bedbugs thrive in warm, tropical environments, they can invade any home--clean or dirty. Bedbugs leave behind red bites that cause extreme itching for the affected individual. Shortly after WWII, bedbugs seemed to be a thing of the past from most developed nations, but current trends brought the nocturnal creatures back.
Pest Control Changes
In the 1940s, an insecticide--called dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, or DDT--helped eradicate pests such as mosquitoes, lice and bedbugs. The U.S. banned the pesticide in 1972, due to the toxicity caused to nature and animals, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Chemical products available to treat bedbugs currently may not be as effective. The bedbugs also develop a resistance to insecticides, rendering them ineffective in killing the insects. Bedbug infestation increased over 500 percent in recent years (approximately 2008 to 2010) because of this lack of effective pesticides, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
International Travel
Bedbugs, once eradicated in the U.S., may migrate back into the country in the suitcases and clothing of immigrants and international travelers. The bedbugs live for long periods without food and may infest a suitcase. Placing suitcases on the floor of hotels in countries with high incidences of bedbugs may allow the bugs to crawl in with the traveler's belongings. Upon close inspection, an individual can see bedbugs, but the many eggs laid by female bedbugs are colorless and difficult to spot, according to the Mayo Clinic. These tiny eggs and the ability to hide in a crack or crevice make hitching a ride with a tourist easy.
Environments With High Turnover
Certain situations make bedbugs thrive and spread. A bed located in an area that receives frequent turnover rates has an increased risk of having and spreading bedbugs. These prime locations include hotel beds, dorm rooms, apartment complexes, shelters, barracks and dormitories. Inspecting the sheets, mattress and surrounding areas before sleeping may decrease the chance of transferring a bedbug infestation.
