Global warming causes increase in bugs and insects

More bugs, more bites

We have global warming to thank for an increase in the rate of bug bite related infections.  Bugs thrive in warmer climates, including ticks that carry the potentially fatal Lyme disease.  As winters shorten, ticks are showing up earlier each year and leaving later.  As a result, the number of cases of Lyme disease has doubled in recent years. 

Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and dengue fever

Just how dire is the effect of global warming on the increase of bugs and insects?  Consider that West Nile virus and dengue fever also require dry and hot climates to survive and spread.  As warmer temperatures spread, diseases previously isolated to warmer regions will spread across continents and infect many more people, including those completely unready to receive treatment.

You can protect yourself by using bug repellent, avoiding stagnant water, and checking yourself for ticks after being outside.  A tick can roam around your body for hours before biting in, and will often find a place on your body where it won't be readily visible (such as your back, or behind your legs, etc.).

Insects' habitats spread with warmer climate

Insects such as the green shield bug (pictured above) is usually isolated to areas that include North America, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa. But a couple years ago the bug started showing up in the United Kingdom - in areas that historically were too cold to support it. Despite it being regularly imported by travelers, it was always too cold of a climate to allow the green shield bug to survive. Not any more, and to the detriment of England's framers, as the green shield bug is known to eat and destroy all kinds of crops.