It was a couple in Brevard County, Florida who discovered the bed bugs in their home. Their best guess to the bug's appearance is that it was on a visiting friend. The couple had not traveled outside of Florida recently at any point to the appearance of the bed bug, and are also under the impression that if a friend had brought the bug with them into their home, they were also unaware of the bug's presence on them. It's also been noted that an unpublished appearance of the bed bug has also been discovered in Florida, showing that the bug has already started migrating and is not an isolated incident.
The Reemergence Of An Unwanted Pest
A species of bed bug that hasn't been seen in over 60 years in Florida has recently made a come-back, causing a bit of worry for those down south. This rare bed bug is known for dwelling in tropical regions and is noted to be found in countries such as Australia, Thailand, Brazil, and others with similar climate conditions. The scientific name for the bed bug species we are most familiar with is Cimex lectularius, whereas this new species is known as Cimex hemipterus. The official documentation disclosing the scientific nature of the tropical bed bug can be read here.
The main concern about this discovery is attempting to keep the species under control, as bed bugs have been emerging more gradually since the 1990's and 2000's. With current bed bugs appearing at an increased rate, another species making headway will only make conditions worse. It is speculated that because this rare bed bug is from other regions of the world, it may take new and different measures to combat its presence. As it's currently only reported to be found in Florida, it's not currently on the radar for other states in the country. It was October 15th when Brittany Campbell and several of her colleagues received the specimen that would turn out to be Cimex hemipterus. Campbell is a doctoral student in entomology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Studies, and is the one raising points to why we should be alert to the emergence of this bed bug:
“This could mean that this species would develop more quickly, possibly cause an infestation problem sooner, and also could spread more rapidly,”
They are currently urging Florida residents to send in samples of bed bugs they experience at this time, as to further their research on the species. Our current known bed bug has grown resistances to pest control measures, which is part of why pest control companies need to have the latest equipment and tools. Florida's Channel 6 news station, FloridaToday, aired short coverage of the situation, as well as their own media article disclosing all pertinent information. The article can be read here, as well as viewing the video to hear exactly what those in Florida should know about this new bug.
Bed bugs are a treatable pest, but it can take experts several visits to fully manage an outbreak. If you're experiencing bed bugs, don't wait to act.
Contact your local pest control company, and with Go-Forth you can consult with our professionals about what the best treatment for you is.