The creepy origin of the word bug

Q: Where did the word "bug" originate?

A: It is from an old Welsh word, bwg (pronounced boog), which means evil spirit or hobgoblin and may also be the origin of boogeyman, the imaginary creature that haunts little children. The first bug was probably the bedbug, since it terrorized folks at night by feeding on them. Bedbugs belong to an order of insects called Heteroptera, or true bugs.

The bedbug was the first to get the name, and the other members of the order adopted it, hence we have plant bugs, seed bugs, boxelder bugs, assassin bugs, etc., all relatives of the bedbugs.

Of course we are not going to change the name of this column to Ask the Boogeyman (I hope).

Q: After our house was sprayed with a pesticide, my dog was acting odd. I took him to the vet and he seemed to think the pesticides may have affected my dog. Aren't the pesticides used in homes safe for pets? The pesticide they used contained permethrin.

A: No, they are not, and dogs shouldn't be exposed to pesticides. Neither should cats. I have no problem using a minimal amount of pesticides outdoors on the perimeter of a home, but liquid pesticides should never be used in homes, schools, hospitals or other medical facilities, or kennels and other animal facilities.

Permethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is a neurotoxin. Symptoms include tremors, loss of coordination, elevated body temperature, increased aggressive behavior and disruption of learning. Laboratory tests suggest that permethrin is more acutely toxic to children than to adults.

Permethrin is very toxic to honeybees and other beneficial insects as well as mammals. It is particularly dangerous to cats. It has been found in rivers and streams throughout the country and is routinely found on produce, including spinach, tomatoes, celery, lettuce and peaches. It is very commonly used on cotton and in some areas, permethrin has even been found in breast milk.

Also, a large number of insect pests have developed resistance to permethrin, including cockroaches, head lice and the tobacco budworm.

Richard Fagerlund is a pest management specialist who promotes nontoxic methods of pest control. For information or to contact him, see http://www.askthebugman.com/.