Why is it so hard to get rid of bed bugs? - Gale E. Ridge

Bedbugs: The Resurgence of an Ancient Pest

Key Concepts: Bedbugs, infestation, Cimex lectularius, feeding behavior, refugia, pheromones, DDT, pesticide resistance, heat treatment, vacuuming.

Bedbug Biology and Behavior

• Species: While there are approximately 100 species of bedbugs, only three feed on humans. They are chestnut brown, about half a centimeter long, and flat (unless recently fed).
• Feeding: Bedbugs locate hosts using biological signals like carbon dioxide, odor, and body heat. They inject a cocktail of proteins (including vasodilators and anesthetics) to facilitate feeding. This cocktail triggers an immune response in some people, leading to itchy, red lesions. Bites can appear anywhere on the body, not necessarily in rows or sets of three.
• Social Behavior: Bedbugs are not social insects like bees or ants, but they do cooperate. They form aggregations called refugia in cracks and furniture to conserve moisture and energy. They use pheromones to alert each other to threats and their feces contain volatile compounds that guide others back to the refugia.
• Survival: Bedbugs can survive weeks or months without feeding. In cool environments, they can enter a dormant state and survive over a year without feeding. They typically stay within 20 feet of their human host.

Historical Control Methods and the DDT Era

• Traditional Methods: Historically, people used various methods to control bedbugs, such as bean leaves (which trap bedbugs) and burning candles along bed frames. These methods were only occasionally effective.
• Central Heating Impact: The introduction of central heating in the early 1900s created more favorable conditions for bedbugs, leading to population booms.
• DDT Era: The introduction of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) in the 1940s, a neurotoxin that disrupts insects' nervous systems, nearly eradicated bedbugs globally. DDT was widely used for agricultural pest control and to combat insect-borne diseases.
• DDT Ban: Due to environmental and health concerns, many countries banned DDT in the 1970s.

Bedbug Resurgence and Modern Control

• Resurgence: Bedbugs reemerged in the early 2000s, facilitated by international trade.
• Pesticide Resistance: Many bedbug populations have developed pesticide resistance through mechanisms like thicker exoskeletons and enhanced ability to break down insecticide toxins.
• Modern Control Methods:
  • Heat Treatment: Bedbugs and their eggs cannot survive temperatures above 45° Celsius.
  • Vacuuming: Bedbugs are vulnerable to the suction of a vacuum cleaner.

Conclusion

Bedbugs, ancient pests that have plagued humans for millennia, experienced a near-eradication due to DDT but have since resurged with increased pesticide resistance. Modern control methods like heat treatment and vacuuming offer effective solutions, highlighting the ongoing battle against these resilient insects. The video contrasts the past reliance on other insects like cockroaches for pest control (as seen on the Chanticleer) with current, more targeted approaches.