Bed bugs have taken over a huge portion of the United States and the epidemic seems to only be spreading. In the last decade, these hard-to-evict parasites have become number one on America’s least-wanted list. We know where they are now, but where did these pests originate?

Ancient Aggravation

C. lecturlarius, the bed bug, has been around for a very long time. Proof of their existence puts them here, ruining our sleep, for more than 3,300 years. Some theories point to early beginnings in the Middle East, where people were living caves that were also inhabited by bats. It is believed that bed bugs first victimized the bats, who then flew into the caves with them.

Spreading throughout Civilization

As the human population grew, so did the bed bug population. The Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians dealt with the ancient parasites. As populations spread across the globe, bed bugs followed. Soon they inhabited the whole of Europe and Asia, reaching England in 1583. And what was the next stop for these pesky insects? As soon as the British set sail for the new world, so did the bed bugs.

Fighting More Than the British in the New World

Colonists in the 1800’s lacked the knowledge of how to battle the bed bug that we now have. They fought the parasites in various ways. They poured sulfur, boiling water, and arsenic in any cracks where the bugs might hide. But the colonies suffered from the takeover of the pests, as did the ships traveling from Europe. Only the Native American villages seemed immune to infestation.

Fighting Bed Bugs Today

Regardless of how long we have been trying to get rid of them, bed bugs continue to move into our homes and businesses. They are extremely difficult to eradicate completely, and many home remedies only remove a part of the problem. To fight a pest this tough, you need help from the experts.

It is very important to act as soon as you realize you have a bed bug problem. Contact Raven Termite and Pest Control, the number one bed bug exterminator in Baltimore City, at the first sign of trouble. We offer a comprehensive bed bug eradication service for your commercial or residential building. Let our team of experts remove your bed bug problem, once and for all.