Bed Bugs Spreading in Paris and the World

Bed Bugs Found Paris and They are on the Rise

In the summer of 2023, there were videos of the going viral of bed bugs showing up all across Paris. The begs were spotted in the Paris metro, trains, movie theaters, and airports. One quote by a French politician talking to the French Parliament best sums up the situation for the people of Paris, "These little insects are spreading despair in our country."

However bedbugs are not just in Paris, the pest can be found in major cities all across the world and an Annual Review report shows that bed bugs have been on the rise for decades across the world. Research by Stephen L. Doggett and Chow-Yang Lee shows that bed bug reports have seen a significant increase in multiple major cities across the world.

The rise of bed bugs can be linked to multiple factors, the increase of travel, and population growth in the cities, but an important factor is the heavy use of insecticides. Because of the increased usage of these chemicals, bed bugs have developed a resistance against these insecticides. The ineffectiveness against these pests can be seen in a report from Cambridge, United Kingdom. The 1998 report describes an increase in bed bug incidents in the area and that insecticides were ineffective.

Research by Stephen L. Doggett and Chow-Yang Lee highlights a pattern of increased bed bug reports across the world for the past few decades. In Australia, there was a 700% increase in bed bug reports from 2001-2004 compared to the previous years. During the years of 2002 and 2003 in the United States, one of the largest multinational pest control companies reported a 500% increase in bed bug reports. In Tokyo, Japan bed bug enquiries saw an increase from 20 in 2000 to 350 in 2012. Bed bugs have also spread across East South Asia with a survey report by the National Environmental Agency of Singapore which highlighted an increase of bed bug treatment from zero in 2004 to more than 220 in 2013.

While the heavy use of insecticides which been linked to the rise of the bed bug population there are other key factors. Two of these key factors are the increase of city populations and more peopling traveling. With more people moving into major metropolitan cities, bed bugs will find more opportunities to hide and feed. Bed bugs love areas where warm bodies are densely packed together. The rise of Airbnb has also helped bed bugs spread. These pests love to hide on people and luggage to hitch a free ride and find a new place to nest and feed.

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VOX

Annual Review