Why Are Bed Bugs Making a Comeback?
Why Are Bed Bugs Making a Comeback?Answer: For centuries, bed bugs were a common pest wherever humans lived. According to Susan C. Jones, Assistant Professor of Entomology at Ohio State University, bed bugs traveled to North America with the colonists. From the 17th century until World War II, people slept with these bloodthirsty parasites biting them. Just after World War II, strong pesticides like DDT and chlordane came into widespread use. Bed bugs nearly disappeared completely over several decades of heavy pesticide use. Bed bug infestations were limited, and bed bugs were no longer considered a major pest. Eventually, these pesticides were proven harmful to people’s health and the environment. The U.S. banned DDT in 1972, when it was shown to contribute to the decline of birds like the bald eagle. A total ban on chlordane followed in 1988. People’s attitudes about pesticides also changed. Knowing these chemicals could harm us, we lost our enthusiasm for fumigating every last bug i
