DDT and Bedbugs

[chris_gerrib]

So, apparently New York City is experiencing a wave of bed bugs. Various sources, including Glen Reynolds, think that bringing back DDT will fix the problem.

Wrong.

See, as this person says, bed bugs developed a resistance to DDT way back in the 1950s. Not only that, but now we learn that bed bugs are still nearly 100% resistant to DDT. A researcher exposed bed bugs to DDT continuously for five days and the bugs didn't die. In fact, the second link points out a case in Malaysia where DDT helped the bed bugs - it killed a natural predator to the bug, allowing bed bug populations to soar.

This is a failure of logical thinking. Anybody with five minutes and access to Google could have found this information out. Now, how do you run a country when leading opinion makers don't do basic homework?

Comments

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Anybody would think there was some mechanism at work which allowed biological entities to pass on advantageous traits over multiple generations.

The chances are, if we'd kept using DDT we'd have caused a LOT of harm to mammals with slow generational periods and ended up with a lot tougher insects who don't.

BTW - I've seen Rand ranting about the DDT ban being a display of evil environmentalists killing people.

[chris-gerrib.livejournal.com]

I've seen Rand on th DDT high-horse before as well.

[bdunbar.livejournal.com]

Now, how do you run a country when leading opinion makers don't do basic homework?

The guys _running_ the country and the guys who generate opinions are exclusive.

Or so I hope: if guys in the head shed are making his big decisions based on something they read in a blog .. then God help us.