Why Are They Called Bed Bugs? Facts, Treatments & Long Term Prevention

They are called bed bugs because they are bugs that prefer to live on beds. However, they also nest in sofas, mattresses, clothing, and other furnishings near the bed. Bed bugs love dark places and often nest in the seams and folds of fabric. These tiny, blood-sucking pests have been the bane of humankind for centuries.

It’s time to dive into the fascinating, albeit a bit creepy, history of these nocturnal nuisances and discover how they earned their reputation as the stealthy vampires of the insect kingdom.

The Origins of Bed Bugs: A Historical Perspective

Bed bugs have been around for ages. Like, we’re talking back to ancient Egyptian times here. Archaeologists have found bed bug remains in tombs from over 3,000 years ago. Can you imagine dealing with bed bugs without modern pesticides or mattress covers? No thanks!

Old books and writings show that folks in ancient Greece, Rome, and medieval Europe also had to put up with these blood-sucking bugs. Anywhere people shacked up together in close quarters—like castles, army barracks, or inns—bed bugs would find a way to move in and chow down.

These hitchhikers spread by latching onto travellers’ belongings as they moved from place to place. Once they got into an area, bed bugs would set up home in beds, furniture, and anywhere else people slept. They’ve been the world’s most annoying roommate for thousands of years!

Understanding Bed Bugs: Habits and Habitats

Bed bugs hide throughout the daytime and stay away from places that are busy and bright at night. To find their hosts, they use carbon dioxide, heat, and humidity. Bed bugs like to feed on people’s faces, necks, arms, and hands, which are all open to the air.

Do you wonder why people are not bothered when bed bugs are sucking their blood? That is because bed bugs inject anticoagulants and anesthetics through their saliva. This causes an allergic response that shows up as a colourless wheal, welt, or lump where they bite you. Bed bugs leave behind semisolid and sticky waste that looks like reddish-black spots on pillows or furniture nearby after they poop. Spots and musky odours are significant signs that bed bugs are present.

The best places for bedbugs to live are paper, wood, and clothing, but they may also reside on metal, rock, or cement. In places where they are common, they can be found in mattress seams, coils, cracks in the bed frame, nightstands, wardrobes, boards, wood panelling, and in rooms close to where hosts sleep.

Bed bugs are very fast and can quickly spread to other areas in a house or workplace. They are capable of moving from one room to another in housing complexes, both up and down and side to side. Long-distance infestations happen when things that are already infested, like beds, furniture, or packing items, are moved to new places. Bed bugs can also be brought back and forth by visitors in their clothes, baggage, and laptop or iPad cases.

Oh, and these bugs can live for months between feedings. Once bed bugs infiltrate, they multiply quickly and spread throughout a home or building if left unchecked. Pretty soon, you’ve got a full-blown infestation on your hands.

The Etymology Behind the Name ‘Bed Bugs’

Now that we know where bed bugs like to congregate and hide out, it makes total sense why they got saddled with the name bed bugs. They live and feed in beds!

The first written records of the name “bed bug” go back to 1583 in England. An early pest control book from 1589 also called them “wall lice” and “red coats.” But the bed bug label stuck in English and spread to other languages over time.

Before this, old texts referred to them as “wall lice” or “bloodsucking bugs.” But once they became universally known as bed bugs in English, the name just kind of proliferated everywhere these pests spread.

The Global Spread Through the Ages

Via travellers, trade routes, and their sneaky hitchhiking skills, bedbugs made their way around the world through the centuries. By the early 1900s, bedbugs had become global pests that followed humans just about everywhere.

With the rise of modern heating and pesticides like Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) after World War II, bedbugs nearly vanished in more developed countries. People thought these blood-suckers were gone for good! But not so fast.

In recent decades, a perfect storm brought them back: more travel and tourism, bans on effective older pesticides, and new pesticide resistance. They have unfortunately made a major comeback in homes, hotels, offices, and public places in the past 20 years.

Common Myths vs. Facts About Bed Bugs

There is a lot to be said and learned about bedbugs. Unfortunately, some information about these tiny creatures is not at all accurate. Here are some of the commom myths about bed bugs and the truth behind each one.

• Myth: Are only found in dirty places.
• Fact: Are not attracted to dirt or filth. Bedbugs can be found in clean environments as well. They are attracted to warmth, carbon dioxide, and the scent of blood. They choose, however, to stay and grow in dark, hidden spots so they won’t easily be visible to human eyes.
• Myth: Are too small to see
• Fact: While small, they are not microscopic nor invisible to the naked eye. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, and you can see and recognise them with your eyes.
• Myth: Only infest beds and mattresses.
• Fact: While they are often found in and around beds, they can also be found in other areas of a home, such as furniture, couches, carpets, cracks in walls, and even in electrical outlets.
• Myth: They transmit diseases.
• Fact: There is no conclusive evidence that they transmit diseases or make you sick. Their bites can cause itching and discomfort, but they are not known carriers of infectious or deadly diseases.
• Myth: Are only a problem in low-income areas
• Fact: Bedbugs can infest any environment, regardless of income or cleanliness. Whether you’re living in a studio apartment or a villa mansion, you are not exempted from the possibility of a bed bug infestation.

Preventing and Treating Infestations: Modern Solutions

While still gross and annoying, bed bugs are no match for modern science. There are proven ways to get bed bug infestations under control and keep them from coming back. Here’s the scoop:

1. Inspect beds, furniture, luggage, and other spots for signs of them, especially after trips. Catch infestations early before they spread.
2. Reduce clutter and seal up cracks in walls and furniture to take away bed bug hideouts.
3. Use bed bug proof mattress covers and furniture traps that snare bed bugs and cause them to dehydrate.
4. Wash all bedding and clothing in the hottest setting to kill them and their and eggs.
5. Invest in safe and easy bed bug treatment products and tools that will enable you to perform regular treatments, especially at the first sign of bed bug presence or infestation. By choosing to DIY, you will not only save time and money but also avoid toxic poisons that professional pest controllers use.

With constant vigilance and the right tools, you can stay bed bug-free and sleep easy! No more nighttime bed bug bites in Australia.

Our Final Say

And there you have it—the centuries-long saga behind the bed bug’s name and where it came from. These hitchhiking blood-suckers have thrived in people’s beds since ancient times. Don’t let them take over your mattress!

If you want to defend your space against bed bugs, be sure to check out our bed bug treatment  and our DIY bed bug products and methods. Our solutions can help you protect your home and finally gain victory over these pesky vampires of the insect world. Don’t live in fear of bedbugs—fight back! Contact us today to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do bed bugs go for beds?
   Bed bugs go for beds because they feed on human blood and beds are where people sleep, providing easy access to their food source.
2. What kills bed bugs permanently?
   Using treatments like diatomaceous earth, heat treatments, or specialized bed bug killers can kill bed bugs permanently if applied correctly.
3. Where do bed bugs come from originally?
   Bed bugs originally come from ancient caves where they fed on bats before humans became their primary hosts.

Are You Looking for an Organic DIY Treatment?

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If you have enjoyed our blog, Why Are They Called Bed Bugs?, then you might like to read about Bed Bug Sprays. 

Sources

Medical News Today

Womans Day