How Many Bed Bug Species Exist? And How Many Species Feed On Human Blood?
We are all familiar with bed bugs and the horrific bed bug infestations that far too many people are forced to deal with. Bed bugs are certainly not the only insect pests that can stubbornly infest homes, as termites, cockroaches, and ants can be hard to eradicate once they have established a foothold within a home. Unlike the above mentioned insect pests, people who fall victim to bed bug infestations rarely consider the particular species of bed bugs within their home. Why is this? Is there only one species of bed bug? Do some bed bug species pester humans while other do not? These questions are almost never asked, but they do have clear answers, and these answers should come as a pleasant surprise to people.
While bed bugs deserve the hate they recieve, it is a good thing that only a very small percentage of the world’s bed bugs are considered pests to humans. At the moment, there are 90 bed bug species that have been described by scientists, but more likely exist. Luckily, only 3 of these 90 species feed on human blood. Considering how widespread bed bugs are in the world today, it is hard to imagine what the world would be like if 90 bed bug species preyed upon humans and other animals. The 3 bed bug species that are considered pests are known as C. lectularius, C. hemipterus, and L. boueti. Pest control professionals need to know which species is infesting a home so that the proper pest control method can be employed for their eradication. The species type is almost never known to the victim of an infestation, so pest control professionals make this determination on their own. If you live in Europe or the United States, then you have to worry about the C. lectularius and C. hemipterus species. The L. boueti is only found in west Africa and South America, as they can only survive within tropical climates. This species prefers to feed on bats, but it will still feed on the blood of humans residing in areas with a high bat population, but the L. boueti species does not cause pest problems on the same scale as C. lectularius and C. hemipterus species.
Were you aware that more than one bed bug species infests homes, buildings, clothes and linens in America and Europe?
