Science Friday Bedbugs Have Been Bugging Us Since Before Beds
10 snips
Jun 10, 2025 Lindsay Miles, an entomologist at Virginia Tech, dives into the fascinating world of bedbugs, revealing they've been around for 245,000 years, long before beds existed. She discusses how their population fluctuations mirror human growth, making them our first pest. The conversation also explores their surprising genetic abilities that contribute to their resilience against insecticides. Meanwhile, Dr. Lars Vilhelmsen shares insights about a newly discovered prehistoric wasp with a quirky method of capturing prey—using butt flaps!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Ancient Origins of Bedbugs
- Bedbugs have existed for over a million years, long before humans or beds existed.
- They originally fed on dinosaurs or early mammals before adapting to humans.
Bedbugs and Early Humans
- Bedbugs jumped from bats to early human ancestors around 245,000 years ago.
- This association began even before modern humans, involving Neanderthals and other ancestors.
Urbanization Boosted Bedbug Numbers
- Bedbug populations increased as humans formed cities with higher population densities.
- Early cities of a few thousand people provided ample hosts for their growth.