Bed Bugs: Integrated Pest Management In and Around the Home. Univ. California Pest Notes

摘要

Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects in the family Cimicidae. Both nymphs and adults feed on humans mostly at night, a time when it is difficult to detect their stealthy habits. Cimex lectularius is a cosmopolitan, or widely distributed, species, most frequently found in the northern temperate climates of North America, Europe, and Central Asia. It occurs more sporadically in southern temperate regions. In tropical regions, C. hemipterus is the dominant species, but this species does not occur in California. The most com-mon species found in California is C. lectularius. The growth and development of C. lectularius is optimal when it feeds on humans; however this insect also feeds on other species of mammals and birds found near the home including chickens, mice, rats, and rabbits. Until recently, bed bug infestations were thought to be associated primarily with crowded and dilapidated housing. However, such infestations have undergone resurgence and can be found even in the finest hotel and living accommodations. The reasons for the resurgence are not totally understood but appear to involve increased human travel, ease of movement of infested luggage and items, and changes in the pesticides available to control this pest.