1052: Bedbugs Have Been Bugging Us Since Before Beds

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Bedbug infestations are not just a modern problem—these pests have been with early human ancestors for 245,000 years, causing problems long before the invention of beds. Lindsay Miles, an entomologist at Virginia Tech, has found that changes in bedbug population size mirrored those of humans, proving they might be our first pest. Miles talks with Host Flora Lichtman about our history with bedbugs and why they’re such prolific pests. Plus, the discovery of a new wasp that catches its prey… with butt flaps. Dr. Lars Vilhelmsen, curator at the Natural History Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen tells us all about it.Guests: Dr. Lindsay Miles is an entomologist at Virginia Tech. Dr. Lars Vilhelmsen is a curator at the Natural History Museum of Denmark in CopenhagenTranscript is available on sciencefriday.com.Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 10, 2025

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New research follows a distinct lineage of bedbugs that lived alongside humans for thousands of years, suggesting they might be the first human pest.

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1052: Bedbugs Have Been Bugging Us Since Before Beds

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