World News for Students of English

21-07-2025 07:00

Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human blood. They have been bothering humans for thousands of years. Out of about 100 species, only three feed on people.

Bed bugs are hard to find and even harder to remove. They follow body heat, carbon dioxide, and smell to find people. When they bite, they inject chemicals that stop pain and make it easier to feed. Some people don’t react, but others get itchy, red bumps. Bed bugs hide in groups called refugia in small cracks or furniture where they stay safe and conserve energy. They can survive months without food and may go a year without feeding in cold areas. They usually stay close to where people sleep. People often bring them into homes accidentally via bags, clothes, or furniture.

In the past, people used tricks like burning bed frames or using bean leaves to trap them. DDT almost wiped them out in the 1940s, but it was later banned for health reasons. Since the 2000s, they’ve returned and become more resistant to chemicals. Today, heat and vacuuming remain the best methods to fight them.

Difficult words: refugium (a safe hiding place where bed bugs gather), conserve (to save or protect something from being lost or used up), wipe out (to destroy or remove something).

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