Bed Bugs Spreading in Paris and the World

Matt Unrein • June 19, 2024

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.


For the original articles please see here:

VOX

Annual Review

Visit our bed bug FAQ page to learn more or give us a call for urgent questions

Bed bug history picture of medieval women presented by SOS Pest Control

Bed Bugs’ Historical Hankering for Humans

By Carley Norton • October 3, 2025
Humans have fought— and lost—many battles against pesky insects and rodents throughout history. From plague-ridden rats in 14th-century Europe to the modern comorbid mosquito, millions of people have fallen to opponents a fraction of their size. But the earliest war has lasted over 245,000 years and is still fought today: Humans versus bed bugs. A team of researchers at Virginia Tech studied the lineage of bed bugs and found that patterns in their activity coincided with the rise and fall of the human population over time. Though these findings admit the defeat of bed bug reign by humans, they can be used to predict future invasions as urban living develops, and to investigate the phenomenon of insecticide resistance in the determined bed bug species. Though bed bugs first preferred cave-dwelling bat blood, a group of them jumped over to the Neanderthals in those same caves, and their palates have remained un-cleansed ever since. In fact, humans became the bed bug’s exclusive source of sustenance, a preference shared by only one other insect species—head lice. Just like you won’t find a family of lice at the local park, you won’t find bed bugs in your garden—only in your bed and other suitable dark spots in your home. Bed bugs have hitchhiked and set up camp amongst humans for centuries, just waiting for the perfect time to indulge in their human midnight snacks. But there is good news. Bed bugs will not be the cause of any new plagues, as they cannot make humans sick. Though their bites, as well as their resilience, can be irritating, their harm is liminal, and there are easy methods for getting those lazy bones (or exoskeletons?) out of your bed. However, bed bugs are resistant to many residential chemicals, and consulting professionals is your best bet. First, call SOS Pest Control for a FREE inspection. If they do bombard on a bed bug sleepover, their safe and effective heat treatment heats your home’s walls to rid of bed bugs from the inside out. This safe, effective, and damage-free process takes little time, and SOS’ unmarked vehicles ensure your neighborhood won’t be all up in your business (as for businesses, we will make sure the neighborhood is back up in you soon). Call (816) 471-5733 today or visit online at soskc.com Original article: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/05/bed-bug-whole-genome-human-lineage-warren-bo

Why Bed Bugs Are Becoming More Resistant — and What Kansas City Residents Should Know

By Carley Norton • August 18, 2025
According to a TIME article, bed bugs have been a persistent problem for years, but lately, they’ve become even more difficult to eliminate. That’s because these pests are developing resistance to many common pesticides, making traditional treatments less effective.
More Posts