They’re stealthy, creepy, and crawly and love to bite. Bed bugs are way more common than most people like to think. What we know about the history of bed bugs is that they have been around for thousands of years (over 3,000) and date back to ancient Egyptian times. Initially, they inhabited caves and fed off bats. Still, when humans began to inhabit caves, they latched on to a new (and preferred) food source.

Bed bug infestations were first recorded in England in the 1500s, and traveling on ships with European explorers made it to America. As civilization grew and people continued to travel and explore, bed bugs found more places to hide and hitch a ride.

By the early 20th century, bed bugs were everywhere, infesting homes, hotels, and other heavily populated dwellings. They were nearly eradicated in developed countries when DDT was first introduced in the 1950s, but by 1972, the EPA had banned the use of DDT because research had shown that it was harmful to humans and animals.

Why Bed Bugs Are Back

Bed bugs are back for quite a few reasons. The 1990s saw a resurgence of bed bugs as they began popping up in port cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. As international travel began to grow, bed bugs appeared more often in hotels, motels, apartment dwellings, homes, hospitals, and nursing homes.

This resurgence has led to bed bugs making their way worldwide, reaching epidemic levels in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Africa. The constant use of chemical pesticides has caused bed bugs to evolve with thicker skin and survive long enough to keep reproducing, creating the perfect storm for more and more challenges to get rid of infestations.

The Bed Bug Industry

With bed bugs on the rise and making big headlines globally, an entire industry has grown, from pest management companies that specialize in treating bed bugs to companies producing heating devices and machines specifically designed to kill bed bugs, to specialized bed bug-resistant luggage, mattress encasement, pesticides, and much more, including cities creating bed bug advisory boards.

What You Can Do To Avoid Bed Bugs

Be mindful of when and where you travel. Always take the appropriate steps to check your hotel room, and do not be afraid to ask for a new room in a different wing of the hotel until you make other arrangements. You can also pack a travel-sized bed bug spray to treat your luggage before returning home to ensure you don’t have any stragglers taking advantage of a free trip to your home.

Our natural, plant-based Bed Bug Patrol Killer Spray provides an all-natural solution to infestations of bed bugs, as well as fleas, spiders, and other common indoor bugs. Our 100% natural solution is made in the USA. It relies on the power of natural ingredients like citric acid, clove oil, and peppermint oil to naturally deter these bugs from living in your furnishings and upholstery. Just spray our solution on affected surfaces twice per day, and it will get to work on exterminating your bed bugs and preventing their return. To keep you safe from bed bugs on your travels, arm yourself with our Bed Bug Blasting Travel Spray, which comes in a handy, TSA-approved travel-size bottle for your convenience.