Bed bugs are small, brown, flat bodied crawling insects which will hitch a ride on almost anything if they can. They are known for travelling in luggage and with the recent wave of bed bug infestations across Paris and areas of France, anyone travelling from France into areas of the UK may unknowingly be bringing bed bugs with them.
Currently there are known to be large numbers of bed bugs in Paris, and increasing numbers of bed bugs in other areas of France are being reported. With literally thousands of people travelling from France into the UK every day, and most arriving directly into London, there is also growing concern of reported bed bug infestations in London.
Increasing numbers of bed bugs in London will naturally lead to increased levels of bed bug infestations across wider regions of the UK. Just as bed bugs have spread across France, with the most concentrated infestations being found in the capital, Paris, the same situation could happen in the UK with bed bug infestations spreading from London out into other regions.
You might not realise you have carried bed bugs in your luggage until you start being bitten. Bed bug bites are generally on the torso, and bed bugs are most active at night so it is more likely you will be bitten in your sleep. Often bed bug bites are accompanied by blood spot marks on the bed sheets, and you may see some bed bugs crawling on the bed. They hide in crevices during the day so can be hard to spot initially.
The bed bug infestations in Paris that have spread to London are reportedly particularly difficult to remove. It is therefore strongly recommended that you use a reputable pest control company offering a bed bug pest control service, rather than trying to get rid of the bed bugs yourself. The longer the bed bug infestation remains untreated, or only partially treated, the more difficult it may be to remove as the bed bug infestation will increase in size.
Before Country Life Pest Control undertakes a bed bug removal service, we will ask you to hot wash bedding and any infested clothing. Items that cannot be hot washed can be bagged, sealed and frozen for 48 hours. We will also request you vacuum everywhere, empty the hoover bag and clear away general clutter without carrying items from room to room as this increases the chance of bed bug spread. No one in the house during the bed bug treatment or for at least 6 hours after and then no vacuuming for 21 days.
If you find insects and you are unsure if you have a bed bug infestation, we will always to our best to identify over the phone using a photograph first. We have been receiving an increased number of call since news of the Paris bed bug infestations, and some times it is a case of mistaken identity. It may be much easier to get in touch with us straight away for advice in the first instance – and we never charge for advice over the phone, we are here to help you as much as possible.
