Yes, There Is Such a Thing as a Bed Bug
Almost everyone has heard the little bedtime rhyme:
Good night,
Sleep tight,
Don’t let the bed bugs bite.
But for many years, that was all most people knew about bed bugs. Indeed, a lot of people wondered if there even was such a thing as a bedbug.
There is.
Bed bugs (sometimes called “bedbugs;” either form is correct) are small, parasitic insects that feed upon human blood. Once thought to be nonexistent in North America, bed bugs have been coming back with a vengeance in the past few years.
Some experts attribute the rapid comeback of the bed bug to increased international travel, while others believe it has more to do with changes in the way pest control is done nowadays. Older exterminating methods relied on residual sprays, which may have kept the bedbug populations down even though the sprays were intended to control other insects such as cockroaches.
Most likely, both factors have contributed to the bedbug renaissance. One thing, however, is certain: A lot of people are losing sleep over bed bugs. They can cause serious rashes, itching, and bleeding. They also impart a putrid smell when present in large numbers, and may cause allergic reactions in some people.
