Travel across Europe this summer may worsen the crisis
Bedbugs may be set to travel around Europe this summer as Europe gears up for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Complaints to councils about bedbugs rose 23% last year to 14,587 as the creatures infest furniture and bedding.
They can travel on suitcases and clothes, sparking fears travel across the continent this summer may worsen the crisis.
James Logan, scientist and CEO of Arctech Innovation, told the I: ‘This year is the Olympics in Paris. Big events like that mean people are travelling more than normal, so we might see more transportation of bedbugs.
‘There is also likely to be a continued increase in infestations in the UK this summer.’
The rate of infestations in the UK is also going up due to global warming.
‘Because of climate change we have warmer weather. If it is hotter, insects tend to breed quicker and survive being transported,’ Mr Logan said.
Of the callouts made last year, 8,864 were to homes in London, with research from Spotta showing infestations in hotel were up by 278% since 2021.
Kenneth F. Haynes, a professor of entomology, previously told Metro.co.uk: ‘It is possible to pick up bed bugs from any place where there is an infestation. It may be more difficult for an infestation to get started in a bus or train, but it certainly has happened.’
Signs of a bedbug infestation in your home
According to the NHS, signs of bedbugs in the home include:
Bites – often on skin exposed while sleeping, like the face, neck and arms
Spots of blood on your bedding – from the bites or from squashing a bedbug
Small brown spots on bedding or furniture (bedbug poo)
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Britain has in recent months also seen a steep rise in bedbugs, with experts chalking it up to the creatures hiding in secondhand furniture and increased travel post-pandemic.
Natalie Bungay, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, said: ‘Bedbugs are travelling pests and love to migrate. They latch onto items such as luggage, clothing and second-hand furniture, and will be transported into your home that way.
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‘It’s how they can also end up on public transport or in public buildings such as cinemas, and unfortunately, how people can bring them home from holiday.’
ANSES, a government agency which assesses health risks, found that one in 10 French households had experienced bedbugs between 2017 and 2022.
With tourists expected to flock to France next year for the Olympics – and right now for Paris Fashion Week – officials are trying to stamp out the pests.
In its July report, the agency said: ‘The upsurge in bed-bug infestations in recent years has been due in particular to the rise in travel and the increasing resistance of bed bugs to insecticides.’
How to get rid of bedbugs
If you have a bedbug infestation you should be calling pest control, but in the meantime here are some things you could try to keep the pests at bay.
Wash affected bedding and clothing on a hot wash (60C) and tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes
Put affected clothing and bedding in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for 3 or 4 days
It’s likely this won’t eradicate them completely but it could help.
Source: NHS
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