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[00:00.43] In 1834, the British Royal Navy ship, the Chanticleer, was dealing with a terrible cockroach infestation.

[00:10.52] The ship's surgeon, however, wrote enthusiastically about the stowaways, describing them as a “most valuable insect.”

[00:20.35] Their shining characteristic?

[00:22.48] Devouring every bedbug on board.

[00:26.20] Bedbugs have tormented humans for millennia, so detested that their mere mention can make hearts race and arms itch.

[00:36.82] So why are these unwelcomed houseguests so difficult to defeat?

[00:42.93] There are approximately 100 species of bedbugs.

[00:47.18] Thankfully, only three feed on humans, all of which are chestnut brown, half a centimeter long, and incredibly flat— as long as they haven’t eaten recently.

[01:00.46] To find their next blood meal, bedbugs follow the biological signals our bodies release, such as carbon dioxide, odor, and body heat.

[01:12.41] Once located, they use their straw-like mouthparts to inject a cocktail of proteins that dilate blood vessels for easier feeding, along with an anesthetic to block any pain that might give them away.

[01:29.41] These compounds and other foreign proteins are what can trigger our immune response.

[01:36.59] While some people’s bodies don’t react to these bites, others develop itchy, red lesions that can stick around for several weeks.

[01:46.41] And these bites can appear anywhere on the body— it’s a myth that they always appear in neat rows or sets of three.

[01:55.71] While they're not considered social insects like bees or ants, bedbugs cooperate in fascinating ways.

[02:04.21] They huddle together in piles, called refugia, stacking their flat bodies within wall cracks or furniture, which is thought to help them preserve precious moisture and energy reserves.

[02:18.82] They release chemical signals, known as pheromones, to alert each other to threats.

[02:24.40] And their feces are rich in volatile compounds that help guide feeding bedbugs back to the safety of the refugia in the dark.

[02:35.02] Once a colony is established, it has tremendous staying power.

[02:40.34] Bedbugs can go weeks or months without a meal.