Origins and Evolution
Bed bugs, having transitioned from bats to humans around 60,000 years ago, are considered the first true urban pests, predating other domestic pests like rats and cockroaches.
Genetic analysis reveals a significant population increase in human-associated bed bugs following human urbanization, despite a decline in bat-associated populations since the .
Impact and Resistance
The symbiotic relationship between humans and bed bugs has evolved, with the pests adapting to human environments and developing resistance to pesticides like DDT.
Research on bed bugs' genetic diversity and resistance to pesticides aims to inform predictive models for pest and disease spread in urban settings.