4 ms·

I think you can see how big the actual problem is when looking at how solved the problem is. Since the problem isn't solved and life goes on, it's probably not

I think you can see how big the actual problem is when looking at how solved the problem is. Since the problem isn't solved and life goes on, it's probably not a huge deal. (Bed bugs are probably similar. They really freak people out, but they don't spread disease and many people don't even know that they're being bitten, so they're everywhere. People being freaked out doesn't justify a more expensive response. That said, mosquitos do spread disease and aren't exactly eradicated, so maybe my heuristic is wrong.)

DoingIsLearning 3y ago
The heuristic is off. Urban rats are a vector for Leptospirosis. The only thing those three (rats, bedbugs, mosquitos) have in common is that they reproduce faster than we can kill them and they hide well.
- neom 3y ago
  According to this there are less than 200 cases of Leptospirosis a year in the US and most of them are in Hawaii. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9629868/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9629868/
  - DoingIsLearning 3y ago
    That's because people have learned to keep their food where rats can't pee on it. Doesn't mean they are not disease carrying.
    - dvngnt_ 3y ago
      did you ever see that house episode with mos def
standardUser 3y ago
To be fair, bedbugs have been shown to cause mental health issues in victims as well has major issues with housing security. I can't think of any such extreme problems with rats! At least in the last couple centuries.