Bed bugs. Few words strike such fear in the minds of travelers. In
cities around the world, lurking beneath the plush blankets of otherwise
pristine-looking hotel beds are tiny bloodthirsty beasts just waiting
for weary wanderers to surrender to a vulnerable slumber. Though bed
bugs today have infested the globe, the common bed bug is not a new pest
at all. Indeed, as Brooke Borel reveals in this unusual history, this
most-reviled species may date back over 250,000 years, wreaking havoc on
our collective psyche while even inspiring art, literature, and
music--in addition to vexatious red welts.
In Infested, Borel introduces readers to the biological and cultural
histories of these amazingly adaptive insects, and the myriad ways in
which humans have responded to them. She travels to meet with scientists
who are rearing bed bug colonies--even by feeding them with their own
blood (ouch!)--and to the stages of musicals performed in honor of the
pests. She explores the history of bed bugs and their apparent
disappearance in the 1950s after the introduction of DDT, charting how
current infestations have flourished in direct response to human
chemical use as well as the ease of global travel. She also introduces
us to the economics of bed bug infestations, from hotels to homes to
office buildings, and the expansive industry that has arisen to combat
them.
Hiding during the day in the nooks and seams of mattresses, box springs,
bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, wallpaper, or any clutter around
a bed, bed bugs are thriving and eager for their next victim. By
providing fascinating details on bed bug science and behavior as well as
a captivating look into the lives of those devoted to researching or
eradicating them, Infested is sure to inspire at least a nibble of
respect for these tenacious creatures--while also ensuring that you will
peek beneath the sheets with prickly apprehension.
