Lewis and Clark camped on the edge of the Columbia River, in what is now Pasco Washington. Little did they know that in 200 years it would be home to 65,000 people. Pasco is also home to a little creature that makes its campsite beside our beds each night. The little monster sneaks out at dark and feasts on human blood.
In the time of Lewis and Clark, bed bugs were common. Most homes were infested. In the mid-20th century, bed bug populations dropped to record lows. Pesticides such as DDT annihilated most bed bugs in the US. Though DDT was effective at killing insects, it came with problems. Bioaccumulation in fat cells caused environmental problems and birds began to die off in large numbers. The use of DDT was banned in 1972.
Bed Bugs bounce back
Since the ban, bed bug numbers have rebounded. Each year their numbers swell. According to a 2011 National Pest Management Association survey, one in five Americans now report they have had a bedbug infestation or know someone who has encountered bed bugs at home or in a hotel. http://www.pestworld.org/all-things-bed-bugs/bed-bug-faq/
If you wake up covered in red welts each morning and your sheets are stained with little specks of red, it’s time to call the professionals. Bed bug infestations are difficult for homeowners to control. Bed bugs are tough. They will survive for several months without a blood meal. In cooler climates like Pasco, it has been reported that when bed bugs cannot find food, they enter a state of hibernation and can go an entire year without eating.
