Fascinating Facts About Bed Bugs

With travel surpassing even pre-pandemic levels, the hospitality industry is turning to pest control professionals for their expertise in bed bug treatments. And MGK’s tech services team is here to help PMPs tackle any bed bug infestation.

As we know, it’s not just the product that controls bed bugs, it’s knowledge. Make sure to check out our Bed Bug Resources to access expert tips and tricks, as well as downloadable materials like the treatment protocol, infographic poster and identification guide.

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Fun Facts About Bed Bugs

Common Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius) Feeding Bed bugs and their prevalence are widely known. But where did they come from? What makes them so unique? There’s nothing I enjoy more than sharing fascinating facts about one of my favorite pests – the bed bug.

How long have bed bugs been around?

A new DNA family tree suggests that bed bugs date back to the time of the dinosaurs. Entomologists once speculated that bed bugs evolved from bat bugs when early humans moved into caves. Now we know the bed bug’s ancestor was a blood sucking pest long before bats ever existed.

How did the bed bug get to the United States?

Reports from passengers being fed upon during their trip to the Americas lead us to believe that they hitched a ride with colonists on ships like the Mayflower. Also, there are at least 71 common names for bed bugs originating from 36 different languages, but no record of a Native American word for bed bugs.

How do bed bugs survive?

Because blood is their sole source of food and water, bed bugs are the vampires of the pest world. While this diet has plenty of lipids, protein, and carbohydrates, it lacks sufficient micronutrients. So bed bugs rely on help from their friends to supplement their diets – Wolbachia symbionts live in the gut of the bed bug and in exchange they provide B vitamins, biotin and riboflavin.

What are bed bugs afraid of?

A bed bug’s worst fear is water loss. When a cluster of bed bugs is together in a small area it increases the local relative humidity – a microenvironment so they can conserve water. Now that’s how you conquer your fears!

Learn More:

Get tips and tricks for bed bug identification and protocols on our Bed Bug Resources page.
We partner with NPMA to recognize Bed Bug Awareness Week every year. Learn more at PestWorld.org.

Written By

Tommy Powell

Thomas (Tommy) Powell joined MGK Insect Control Solutions as a Technical Field Specialist in 2016. He received his B.S and M.S. degrees in Urban Entomology from the University of Florida. Prior to working at MGK, Tommy worked sixteen years in the pest management industry. He worked as Technical Director for three top 100 pest control companies. He also held the position of Branch Manager for one of those companies for five years. That experience in operations changed his perspective on the pest management industry, as he realized the value of strong training programs for operators. In 2016 Tommy joined MGK’s Technical Team where he currently works on internal projects, training, field testing and customer support. This role gives Tommy the opportunity to pursue his passion for teaching and training in pest control.