Bed bugs in the United States and other parts of the developed world had been eradicated in the 1940's.
However, they continued to thrive in parts of Asia and Africa.
As international travel gained popularity and became more affordable, these pests were believed to have hitchhiked back to the places where they had been removed.
These bugs are also believed to have become resistant to the pesticides used to kill them in the past.
They are often mistaken for carpet beetles or book lice.
How do you know if what you see is a bed bug? Well, the adult ones are normally flat and oval in shape.
This allows them to hide in those very tiny cracks in your furniture, ceilings and walls and even in the seams of clothing.
Adult bugs have no wings and don't fly.
They are also reddish-brown in color, becoming redder after they have eaten.
The nymphs or baby bugs are clear and start to have color as they grow.
You should also remember that bed bugs are what you call nocturnal insects.
The bites of a bed bug can be hardly felt.
Also, you're probably asleep when they bite you.
About an hour after they bite their victims, a red swollen bump can appear on the bite area.
You'll also start feeling itchy.
With some people, there may be no rashes or just small bite marks visible.
But the itch will be there and it will be worse than that of a mosquito bite.
You can relax however knowing that the bed bugs won't spread any disease that they may carry from sucking on the blood of infected humans.
The itchiness and rashes will usually go away untreated.
Still, they are a nuisance and it really doesn't feel very nice to have your skin bitten or to have those rashes on your body.
How do you get rid of them if you have suspect they are in your home? It is difficult to get rid of them on your own.
They are very tough to find let alone kill.
The best solution is to call a pest management professional or pest control expert.
This person or company should be licensed and experienced in the removal of bed bugs to give you that assurance that the job will be done properly.