BED BUGS may return in swarms to Britain this summer as experts fear they may travel home with those visiting the Paris Olympics.
Thousands are expected to attend events in the French capital which is still in the grip of a bed bug crisis since a spike in October last year.
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.”
Brits have bought the most tickets of any country, excluding France itself, ahead of the games.
Experts say these critters are notable by being oval in shape, flat, brownish-red in colour and around the size of an apple pip.
They need regular blood intake to survive.
Also, humans are not their only target — they attack any warm-blooded animals, including birds.
Bites tend to be small, red and itchy but the critters are not always easy to spot.
Often they are only discovered when it is too late, which can mean having to fumigate property and replace furniture.
During the spike last year, Dr. Jonathan Kirby, pest expert at NOPE!, told IdealHome: “Though bed bugs are an all-year-round pest, you do tend to find they’re most prevalent in August and September.”
Guidance has been provided for those visiting the games and we have some advice here on how to prevent any unwanted bites.
Martin Seeley, boss of MattressNextDay, has said: “When people arrive in their hotel room, many place their suitcase straight onto the bed and start unpacking their clothes.
“However, we would suggest keeping your suitcase off your bed as this is where bed bugs are most commonly found.”
Instead, unpack using the luggage rack provided by certain hotels, or keep the suitcase close to the door.
Remember to keep your dirty items of clothing separate – “research shows that bed bugs are more attracted to dirty clothes than to clean clothes.
“So, make sure to take a spare bag for your dirty clothing, and knot it each time you add to it,” said Martin.
The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) added: “The ideal temperature for an adult bed bug to thrive is between 21-32°C, so it’s best to keep your room cool at night-time with aircon.”
When cases peaked last year, Paul Blackhurst, head of technical academy at Rentokil pest control told IdealHome his firm had experienced a 65% increase in bed bug enquiries year-on-year.
He explained they don’t just crawl in through open doors or windows but that they need to be carried in.
He added: “Bed bugs exhibit an excellent hiding ability, concealing themselves in various nooks and crannies within bedrooms, including cupboards and carpets.
“They can seek refuge in upholstery such as sofas, curtains, and chairs, extending their presence to unexpected places such as the seats of planes, trains, and coaches.
“These cunning pests are adept hitchhikers, readily latching onto humans for transportation, driven by their attraction to body heat and their insatiable need for their next blood meal.”
He added that if you find any signs of bed bugs in your hotel room to alert management, request a refund, and change hotels, since the insects could travel from room to room through housekeeping carts.
Here’s what to do if you think you have an infestation at home.
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The NHS advises contacting your local council or a pest control firm that’s a member of the British Pest Control Association or National Pest Technicians Association to deal with an infestation.
But if you suspect you’ve been infected, the first thing you need to do is strip your bed and wash the sheets and blankets in 60C water, before tumble-drying for at least 30 minutes – or bin them all together.
You can also try a steamer on mattresses, couches, and other places where bedbugs hide.
You can read more on how to get rid of bedbugs here, but if you’re worried about the critters, there are also some products that can help remove the pests:
However, there is hope that the bugs’ across Britain will not be as scary as many fear.
Sarah Beck, operations manager at The Pest Master, told IdealHome in 2023: “We have had a slight increase in call outs but wouldn’t say there is an epidemic.”
But she put the increased spreading largely down to travel, even though she believes it’s often difficult to determine where they come from as they are master concealers.
She added: “The more that people travel the more risk of them spreading around.”
In Februrary of this year, government offices in Canary Wharf were evacuated overnight after a bed bug infestation was discovered.
