Many people grew up hearing the rhyme ‘Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite’ and most likely didn’t give much thought to its origins. Parents and children probably didn’t think about the real possibility of biting bed bugs, either, since the use of pesticides and DDT in the 20th century nearly eradicated the pests from existence.

Today, with the influx of travelers making their way to destinations across the globe, bed bugs have resurfaced with a vengeance. So, before sharing the rhyme with friends or family, you might want to think twice as some may have real life experience of not sleeping tight while the bed bugs took bite after bite.

Rhyme History

There are numerous theories about the origins of the rhyme but historians aren’t convinced the suggested reasons for the rhyme are anything more than guesswork.

The Oxford English Dictionary explains that “sleep tight” means to sleep soundly and doesn’t mention bed bugs.

Although the earliest the bed bug phrase was cited was in the late 19th century, earlier citations don’t mention the word “bug”. Other words used include fleas, buggers, and mosquitoes.

At Stern we have everything needed to guarantee a bed bug free home including expert NJ bed bug exterminators. When you have a pest problem, contact us to schedule an inspection with one of our NJ bed bug exterminator professionals so you can sleep tight every night.