Bedbugs have been bothering humans since caveman times, study finds
The research, published in Biology Letters, examined bedbug genetics and found two lineages: one that stayed on bats and one that targeted humans.
As humans built early cities like Mesopotamia around 12,000 years ago, bedbug populations thrived, making them one of the first human pests.
Professor Warren Booth notes that humans likely carried bedbugs from caves when they moved out around 60,000 years ago, resulting in less genetic diversity in the human-associated lineage.
Bedbug infestations saw a dramatic 35 per cent increase between 2022 and 2024, highlighting their resurgence after near-eradication due to the chemical DDT.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
The clever paper bag hack that deters wasps – it's so effective at keeping them away & involves no chemicals
EVERYONE has a spring in their step when the sun comes out but warmer weather means more bugs - including wasps. The UK is experiencing a surge in numbers of the yellow and black pests, with the current hot weather creating favourable conditions for the winged stingers to thrive. 1 Problems with wasps Pest control company Rentokil reported a 618 per cent increase in people requesting assistance with the winged insects compared to last year. But with an estimated 7,000 species in the UK, how can you get them to leave you alone this summer? One disgruntled homeowner had enough of the pests and wrote on social media site Reddit: "Hello! I'm wondering if there is any sure fire way to keep wasps away without the use of chemicals. "I have two little boys who love to play outside and we don't mind the honey bees or bumblebees but the wasps are already an issue this year. "Not really looking to kill but looking more for a good deterrent?" The post received over 173 likes and 140 comments but one specific hack seemed popular among many. The Paper bag hack "I actually hung up a paper lunch bag under an awning where wasps always built nests, and haven't had another wasp nest in 2-3 years," responded one user. "My buddy did this with like a burger King bag and it worked for him to keep them off his front porch," said another. Another added: "Wasps are extremely territorial, they see anything that looks like a nest and move on." While a fourth explained: "Hang a paper lunch bag (white or brown) with wadded up newspaper in it, tie the top and hang under eaves." "Hang up small paper bags wherever you don't want them. They think it's an existing wasp nest and they'll find some other place," suggested another commentator. While another suggested: "I use a sandwich paper bag. Fill it with one or two bunched up plastic shopping bags. "Tie off and hang so it is prominent and visible and slightly moving with air currents! It is like magic. "Many ppl in my HOA do that and it is effective. No chemicals!" Tips for keeping pests from your garden Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats. Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, over your flowerbeds. Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs. Spray plants with Neem Oil, to repel ants, flies, and spiders. Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth. Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds. Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails. More Garden Hacks Now that we're in the final few weeks of summer, you may think it's time to hang up your gardening gloves for the year. However, there are plenty of gorgeous flowers that will continue blooming in to autumn, and can even survive the harsh winter months - more information here. And a mum has revealed how three of her children share one room - and how she makes it work for them. Rebecca, who posts under @rebeccadal9412, shared how she picked up a £9 Ikea buy to separate the room into a section for her daughter, and then her two sons. Plus, it can be pretty annoying if your neighbour has overgrown trees in their garden than hang over yours. But before you start chopping off branches, there are four little-known rules you must follow. And if stubborn weeds keep popping up around your garden and driveway, Home Bargains has just the thing. You can tackle these unwanted plants in seconds using this handy gadget.
The Independent
04-08-2025
- The Independent
I'm a pest controller – giant rats the size of cats are becoming the norm
In more than 20 years of pest control, I thought I'd seen it all. But when I saw the images of a 22-inch rat found in a house in Redcar, even I was taken aback. In all my years, I've never seen anything quite like this. But it's not just a one-off – the rats are getting bigger, bolder and harder to deal with. What used to be a couple of callouts a month for rats inside homes has now surged to eight to 10 a week. The vast majority of these infestations trace back to our neglected drainage systems. The rodents aren't just passing through – they're coming up from the sewers and moving in. I've had cases where rats have climbed two storeys up the inside of a cast iron drainpipe, only to emerge in someone's toilet bowl. Rats are brilliant climbers. They're highly adaptable, intelligent, agile and opportunistic. And they're getting larger – partly due to genetics (we share 98 per cent of the same genetic make-up as rodents, believe it or not), some because they gorge on the high-fat takeaway waste we throw around so carelessly. I once dealt with a colony I estimated at over 300 rats. The largest rat I've ever personally caught was 20 inches long – but now we're seeing 22 inches, and who knows what's next? The UK has created a perfect storm for rats: poor waste management, exploding takeaway culture, weak sewer infrastructure and water companies failing to maintain ageing systems. Add to that a society that's seemingly forgotten the basics of hygiene and waste disposal, and the result is a rodent crisis on a scale I've never seen before. People might not realise it, but we're far worse at handling our waste than we used to be. I get called out more and more to HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) and council estates where bags of rubbish are simply tossed outside, or left to rot. You cannot expect to keep rats out when you're essentially laying out a buffet for them. I've seen some truly horrifying cases. In one north London property, a woman reported a dead rat in her lounge. When I arrived, there were holes in the floor, droppings everywhere and two live rats scurrying across the kitchen worktop. There were three bin bags full of waste in the kitchen, and rats bolted from them as I moved them. Under the stairs, there was more rat droppings and chewed wiring. The tenant suspected rodent damage had cut her electrics. I believe it. The property could have been condemned on the spot. And what's worse is how ill-equipped we are to fight the problem. We're restricted in how we can use rodenticides. Because of overuse and genetic evolution, many rats are now resistant. So pest controllers like me must follow strict orders – identifying food sources, shelters and access routes before we even think about poison. Rodenticides are a last resort, and even then only allowed for a limited time and in specific circumstances. The real issue is that we're not dealing with the root causes. Water companies need to take responsibility for defective drainage systems – rats can't infest homes in such numbers without a breach somewhere. Councils, too, are struggling. Many no longer run their own pest control departments. That means private operators are stretched thin, and the public is left footing the bill. And the public needs to wake up. Stop throwing waste from car windows and other places. Clean up after your barbecues. Recycle properly – a greasy pizza box isn't recyclable, and it attracts rats. I give talks in local communities to try to raise awareness. I do it all for free, because education is the only long-term answer. You'd be amazed at how many people think it's fine to cater for a rat. One household I went into regularly had a rat coming in, and they used to feed it – 'it's one of God's creatures', they say. It's a bit like Michael Jackson's Ben, and I totally get that. We can fix this – but not if we carry on as we are. When we build new homes, we need to think harder about how waste will be managed. When people see rats, they need to ask: why is it here? What food source is it finding? And more importantly, what can I do to stop it? I'll be 70 next year. I've seen a lot in this job. But never have I seen rats this big, in these numbers, in places so deeply entwined with our lives. Unless something changes – and soon – we're going to see much, much worse.
The Independent
04-08-2025
- The Independent
Britain's ‘biggest rat' found in Yorkshire home
A supersized rat thought to be the UK's biggest has been captured by pest controllers in a home in the north of England. The giant animal, which measured 22 inches long, was found in the Normanby area of Redcar and Cleveland after a resident called in exterminators. Councillors who were sent an image of it described the rodent as 'almost the size of a small cat', and have claimed pest control issues have got 'out of control' since the end of free services for residents in the Labour -run local authority. Speaking to The Telegraph, Eston ward councillor David Taylor said the rodents were becoming 'brazen' and had 'settled into the neighbourhood'. 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get,' he added. 'It is a growing problem.' The council insisted it has a 'dedicated pest control officer' who works on council-owned land, and said it also 'offers advice to residents where possible'. Writing on a joint Facebook page, Mr Taylor and fellow councillor Stephen Martin said the area needed 'a proper vermin control strategy'. 'As many of you have seen, the rat infestation we raised has now made national headlines,' the pair wrote. 'What started with 100 comments on social media has grown to nearly 1,000 on Teesside Live, and now it's been picked up by both local on Teesside, Yorkshire, Birmingham, and London and national press. 'It's clear this needs a joined-up response — from government, local councils, housing providers, landlords, the NHS, commercial developers, and the water board. We need a proper vermin control strategy and fast. This situation should never have been allowed to get this bad. 'There's no doubt plenty of blame to go around, but what matters now is what we do next to stop it getting worse.' Mr Taylor said councillors would now be calling for an 'urgent action plan' including a borough-wide survey into the vermin and a treatment plan. A Redcar and Cleveland council spokesperson said: 'The council has a dedicated pest control officer who manages pest issues on council-owned land. 'While we no longer provide a wider pest control service, we do offer advice to residents where possible. 'The council continues to work with Beyond Housing, Northumbrian Water and other partners to address complex issues and explore potential solutions. 'There is also helpful guidance and preventative measures on our website to support people in dealing with pests.' The largest rat believed to have been caught in Britain measured 21 inches from tip to tail and was found in a property in Bournemouth in November 2018.
