A NEW, hard-to-kill species of bedbugs could explain why the US and 50 other countries have seen increasing outbreaks
A new, harder-to-kill species of bedbug is invading the U.S., experts say — and may already have established itself in many northern cities.
Once confined to lands near the equator, the species known as Ci livedmex hemipterus – or the tropical bed bug – has already been confirmed in Florida and Hawaii.
Unlike the common bed bug, the blood-sucking insect is resistant to virtually all insecticides – likely due to their rampant overuse against mosquitoes.
His body composition also allows him to avoid traps, such as smooth-sided pitfalls, which are placed under the bed legs to catch the bugs.
It comes at a time when outbreaks of the plague are increasing in as many as 50 countries. In the US, these are the cities where the most outbreaks are occurring in the Midwest.
Residents of Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia should inspect their mattresses as experts report their cities will rank first, second, and third in bed bugs in 2023. The new findings are based on economic data from both residential and commercial bed bug treatments.
Bed bugs are not disease carriers, but if you are bitten by a bed bug, it will leave itchy red welts on the skin, similar to poison ivy
Entomologists from the University of California, Riverside, revealed the worrying spread of the blood-sucking creature in an article published in the Annual review of entomology.
While almost all cases were confined to deprived areas of Africa and Asia after the massive use of insecticides nearly wiped them out in the aftermath of the Second World War, the insects have now ‘resurrected’ and spread back to parts of Europe and the Americas .
Researchers say the tropical bed bug was spotted in Florida for the first time in 60 years in 2016, and then in Hawaii – where it was reported in 2020.
However, researchers fear that heating and air conditioning – which keep buildings at a constant temperature year-round – and the sudden return to pre-pandemic travel and more people traveling may have fueled its spread, in addition to insecticide resistance.
Cases where the insects have been detected as far north as Russia and Norway suggest they can now survive in colder areas, they said.
There are also fears that the plague could carry and transmit more harmful diseases between people, possibly including hepatitis.
The scientists, including Dr Chow-Yang Lee, from the University of California, Riverside, said: ‘Most bed bug control products were developed for (the common bed bug), on the assumption that they would also work against (the tropical bed bugs). ).
‘However, biological differences are being discovered between the species that have consequences for the control of (the tropical bed bug).
‘A recent study has shown that (the tropical bed bug) easily escapes from traps containing (the common bed bug) because the species has more hairs on its (legs), which gives it better grip and the ability to climb on slippery surfaces.
Natalie Brown (pictured), 28, was covered in bedbug bites after spending three days on holiday in Benidorm, Spain
The inserts hide in mattress fabric and crevices before emerging at night to bite their sleeping victims. The insects can also hide in clothing, furniture and even books
‘Unlike (the common bed bug), which has several standard susceptible strains (to insecticides), there is no insecticide-susceptible strain of (the tropical bed bug).
‘Similarly, it is not known whether (the tropical bed bug) has different health effects, perhaps due to the presence of different antigenic compounds in the saliva.’
Warnings about bedbugs were raised in London late last year after one caused panic on the Tube.
There were also concerns about outbreaks in France after A-listers attending Fashion Week – including Gigi Hadid and Paris Hilton – reported seeing the bugs at events.
It was not clear whether these outbreaks were caused by the tropical species.
Bed bugs seemed to have been consigned to the history books in the 1940s thanks to powerful pesticides like DDT, which killed them instantly.
But the overuse of many chemicals has given the insects genetic mutations that make them resistant, such as developing the ability to quickly break down the toxins.
They have also been given thicker exoskeletons, which means the chemicals are less likely to penetrate and kill the insects.
This has allowed the insects to spread around the world largely unnoticed, because many are now not used to the creatures.
Warning signs of an infestation include inflamed areas, which are often darker in the center and located on the face, neck, arms or hands.
Experts say they will be arranged in a rough line – highlighting where the insect has sucked blood – and cause severe itching.
To detect an infestation, patients are advised to search their bedding for rusty or reddish spots – signs of crushed bed bugs – or small black dots – which are their feces.
Pests are notoriously difficult to treat, with many experts now no longer using chemicals because they simply don’t work.
Instead, strategies include heating rooms to 100 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the bugs, and vacuuming cracks and crevices like plugs.
It can take up to a month to eliminate an infestation, experts warn, because the insects are adept at avoiding being killed.
Chicago, New York City and Philadelphia have recently been named as bed bug capitals in the United States.
Researchers from pest control giant Orkin looked at the number of bed bug treatments they administered in fifty major US cities to arrive at the figures.
They also pointed to Greensboro, North Carolina, as a center of an emerging outbreak — after the city rose 25 spots within a year to enter the top 20 bedbug hotspots.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin also rose 15 spots to number 25 on the list, while Tampa, Florida, rose 10 to 31st.
Data shows that about 440 outbreaks were reported in New York City in 2020, the last year available. This corresponds to 14 complaints per day, but is lower than in 2014 when 875 complaints were registered.