Bed bugs were virtually eradicated in the United States during the 1940s with the use of chloradane, lindane and DDT. Bed Bugs did however remain commonplace in other areas of the world like parts of Europe, Asia, South and Central America. With the advent of easier and less expensive worldwide travel, immigration and trade; changes in pest management (less residual insecticides, less frequent chemical application and older effective insecticides are now illegal); and a new American public that is not familiar with bed bugs, their habits and their bites; bed bugs have been able to proliferate once again.