Tropical Bed Bugs are Back, and Here is What You Should Do

December 15th, 2016

Ready or not, here they come. After a 60 year hiatus, tropical bed bugs have returned to Florida, and nobody is happy about it. These creatures are similar to the regular bed bug, and experts are working hard to determine exactly why they are back and how they can be controlled.

Basic Facts About the Tropical Bed Bug

The last time that Florida reported identification of the tropical bedbug (Cimex hemipterus) was in the 1940s. But suddenly, in 2015, the creature was found in a bed bug sample from a home in Brevard County. Much like the regular bed bug, tropical bed bugs feed on human blood and cause health issues like itchy, blistery reactions and anxiety, fear, and sleeplessness. The bottom line? They’re bad news.

Advice From the University of Florida

Brittany Campbell, a Ph.D. student at the University of Florida, is helping Florida residents understand the significance of the arrival of tropical bed bugs. “I personally believe that in Florida, we have all of the right conditions that could potentially help spread tropical bed bugs, which is the case in other southern states. As long as you have people traveling and moving bed bugs around, there is real potential for this species to spread and establish in homes and other dwellings,” she said in a statement.

According to Campbell, the very best thing to do to resolve tropical bed bug issues is call a pest control company. “If they do have a bed bug infestation, because they are so difficult to control, I ask that people consult a pest control company for a professional service.”

If you worry that you’re not the only one sleeping in your bed, don’t wait to find out. Call a pest control company in your area and let the experts handle the problem so that you can go back to sleeping peacefully.