August 20th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

Bloodsucking Bedbugs Travelling on Planes, Trains, and Buses to Spread Across the World

The summer heatwave has led to a dramatic increase in bedbug numbers across the UK as well as around the rest of the world, experts have warned. Bedbugs are bloodsucking mites that infest soft furniture like beds in huge numbers and are known to reproduce over twice as quickly in warm weather. Experts have argued the problem has been made worse by holidaymakers flying home with bedbugs in their luggage which is stored in a tightly-packed hold, allowing bedbugs to spread into other people’s luggage and quickly breed thanks to the higher temperatures.

Bedbugs and Public Transport

Bedbugs are so resilient that they can even infest bus and train seats, and experts have found many home infestations began after bedbugs were carried home from public transport. High population centres like London and Birmingham are particularly at risk.

Bedbugs and Hygiene

The social stigma surrounding bedbugs means many people are reluctant to seek help for an infestation until the problem is out of control. Pest control experts have put this down to the misconception that bedbugs are attracted to dirt when the truth is that there is no correlation between bedbugs and hygiene at all. The tiny, flat mites are not attracted to dirt or unhygienic areas, meaning holidaymakers are strongly advised to check any hotel rooms they stay in before unpacking their luggage or getting into bed regardless of their hotel’s hygiene standards.

Symptoms of Bedbug Bites

Bedbug bites tend to occur in lines or patterns, and usually cause a mild allergic reaction which leaves itchy pink blotches on the skin. However, some people do not suffer from this reaction, meaning their bed and clothes can be infested without them noticing which increases the risk of the infestation spreading to others.

How to Prevent Bedbugs

Always check hotel rooms, public transport seats, and second-hand clothing or furniture before coming into contact with it. You should also change and wash bedding at least once a month. Bedbug-preventing mattress covers will stop bedbugs from infesting the core of your mattress, making them much easier to spot and remove.

How to Get Rid of Bedbugs

As bedbugs breed so rapidly, especially in the summer, there is no quick fix for removing them all overnight. Even if you kill most of the bedbugs, it is likely there will still be some eggs waiting to hatch. Removing bedbugs requires thorough and repeated treatment using a combination of methods. It is advised a thorough bedbug killer treatment is combined with Biopren spray which stops the reproductive cycle of bedbugs, preventing them from laying more eggs.