Infested

How the Bed Bug Infiltrated Our Bedrooms and Took Over the World

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Nature, Insects & Spiders
Cover of the book Infested by Brooke Borel, University of Chicago Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Brooke Borel ISBN: 9780226042091
Publisher: University of Chicago Press Publication: April 8, 2015
Imprint: University of Chicago Press Language: English
Author: Brooke Borel
ISBN: 9780226042091
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication: April 8, 2015
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Language: English

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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

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.

More books from University of Chicago Press

Cover of the book Money in Historical Perspective by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Children of the Greek Civil War by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Natural Right and History by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Nice Guys Finish Last by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book The Poet's Freedom by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book How to Humble a Wingnut and Other Lessons from Behavioral Economics by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Veeck--As In Wreck by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book The Phantom of the Temple by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Patty's Got a Gun by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book The Great Derangement by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book The Argument and the Action of Plato's Laws by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book A City for Children by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Euripides II by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Houston, We Have a Narrative by Brooke Borel
Cover of the book Meatless Days by Brooke Borel
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy