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Combating Bed Bugs
Introduction
In recent months bed bugs have been in the news across the UK and Europe with outbreaks of infestations in locations from Paris to London becoming widely reported.
Media attention is putting additional pressure on Local Authorities to manage and eradicate infestations before there is public harm, adverse publicity or civil claims. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health reported that the UK has seen a 65% increase in the number of reported bed bug outbreaks in the last 12 months.
Bed bugs have been documented as human parasites for over 3,500 years. The first documented mention of bed bugs is in the ancient Egyptian Ebers Papyrus which has been dated back to 1550 BC. This ancient medical document describes remedies for bed bug bites. There are numerous other documents and books which mention bed bugs. One of the more famous quotes which is still used today by parents tucking their children into bed at night was from the 1886 book “Boating Trips” by Henry Parker Fellows, which mentions the famous words, “Good night, Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite”.
Throughout history, bed bugs have been a persistent problem. Bed bugs cause discomfort, sleepless nights, and even health issues. In medieval Europe, bed bugs were widespread; infesting homes, castles and even some of the finest houses. The introduction of improved hygiene practices and the use of certain insecticides helped to reduce their prevalence during the 20th century, but bed bugs have made a resurgence in recent years, becoming a global problem once again.
Bed bugs would have evolved naturally in environments where warm blooded animals slept and rested i.e. caves or dens. Over time bed bugs have adapted and moved with their hosts to new settings and locations. Today bed bugs can be seen to have used their ability to adapt to new environments and have taken advantage of our modern-day lifestyles. Bed bugs can now be found in any number of alternative locations around the world from beds in hotels, houses, cinemas, trains5, hospitals, offices and even libraries.
In modern society bed bugs continue to offer Local Authorities and even the Pest Control professional’s challenges. The bed bug’s elusive nature and ability to hide in small crevices makes them hard to detect. In addition to the ability to hide, their ability to reproduce quickly and develop resistance to insecticides has made them extremely difficult to eradicate.
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