France has fallen victim to a wave of persistent bedbug infestations, so it’s more important than ever that Brits know how to tackle the pesky insects.
Not only will an infestation of pests put a damper on your vacation, but they can also hitch a ride on your clothing, luggage or personal items, creating an unwanted souvenir in your home.
Bed bugs can be frustratingly persistent if not dealt with when they make a home in your furniture.
Their bites can cause an irritating rash on your face, neck or arms. Although a lack of hygiene can lead to contamination, the biggest risk is that you unknowingly bring them into your home yourself.
Once you invite them, you face an uphill battle to evict them. However, Nic Shacklock, bedroom furniture expert at Online Bedrooms, explained that prevention is better than cure, and revealed the telltale signs.
Experts have revealed their top tips to prevent and treat pesky bedbugs as an outbreak in France puts Brits at risk
Musty smell
Bed bugs are small brown insects that usually feed on blood at night.
The pesky critters are known to hide in places such as bed frames, mattresses, clothing, furniture and even behind pictures.
A key indicator of an infestation is a musty smell when they are present in large numbers, Nic told the Sun.
Although hotel rooms and homes have a distinct smell, Nic recommends putting your nose to the test.
He explained: ‘If the bedroom has a strong, musty and unpleasant odor, this could possibly be coming from a bed bug’s scent glands.’
If the area smells bad, investigate and take immediate action. You can also check the room for other signs on the list.
Bedbug shells and white eggs
A sure sign that you are experiencing a bed bug invasion is the appearance of groups of small white spots.
Keep an eye out for bed bug eggs. These are small in size, white in color and may feel smooth and pearly.
Although bed bug eggs can be found as individual eggs, they are usually in clusters.
They are similar in size to a grain of salt and shaped like a barrel, so if spread across a white mattress they can be exceptionally difficult to spot.
Consider keeping your room cool because the lower the temperature, the longer it can take for an egg to hatch.
Bed bug eggs normally hatch within 10 days, so remove them before they hatch.
Bloodstained sheets
Blood stains around your bed are one of the first signs that your room has been invaded by bed bugs.
They are unlikely to bother you during the day and usually only appear when you are sleeping at night.
Blood stains may appear if you accidentally squish a bed bug by rolling in your bed. When this happens, a lot of blood is released.
However, if the bug has not fed recently, you may see a tan smear of the bed bug’s organs.
Check your duvets, sheets and pillows for small dots or stains that are reddish-brown in color.
To bite
Bed bug bites can be stressful and extremely itchy, but they are not known to transmit disease.
If you don’t see the bugs lurking nearby, red spots or rashes on your body could be an indication that they are indeed present, warns expert Nic.
He added: ‘The bites often form a straight line across part of your body, this is a characteristic feature of bed bugs.’
Explaining the reasoning behind her logic, she said, “So if I ever get a bed bug again, I’ll know exactly what it is.”
Bedbug outbreak in France
The panic over bedbugs is not new, but calls for Brits not to travel to France have left people worried about the tiny insects.
French hotels and Airbnbs are suffering from an alarming surge in bed bugs, with one in 10 households in the country now infested.
Research shows that 11 percent of French households have struggled with the outbreak of blood-sucking insects between 2017 and 2022.
The research, conducted by the National Agency for Food, Environment and Health and Safety at Work (ANSES), suggested that the tourism sector is largely responsible for the increase in infections.
Beds used by frequent visitors in places such as hotels are prone to pest infestations.
Pest control expert Scott Hyslop, director of PEST UK, has revealed that travelers can make a small investment to protect themselves from bedbugs.
Having bed bugs is almost entirely a matter of luck, because “it has nothing to do with hygiene,” he said.
If you know you have bed bugs in your home and are being bitten, Mr Hyslop recommends an investment that could be a huge help.
He added that if the bugs have burrowed into your mattress, a mattress protector can trap them there without actually killing them.
These can cost as little as £5, although prices vary.
If you’re wondering how bed bugs get in in the first place, one of the most common ways, especially in Britain where they are slightly less common, is when they are brought in from luggage after a holiday.
The first thing you do when you arrive at your hotel after a long journey might be to throw your suitcase under the bed and lie down, but Mr Hyslop revealed this could be a crucial mistake.
Since hotel beds can be a haven for bed bugs given the frequent visitor traffic, placing a suitcase there is essentially an open invitation for the return trip.
Once you return from the location where you suspect there are pests, immediately check your luggage.
The pest expert said: ‘As a prevention measure, we mainly recommend that people wash their clothes when they return home.’
Another common way bed bugs are introduced into people’s homes is through second-hand furniture. If you buy something, make sure you check it before you take it in.
Even new furniture is worth a look, as it may have been in transit with older items.
Scott echoes Aly’s position that if you notice bed bugs in your home, you will most likely need professional help, and they will come in and treat the infested areas with professional insecticides.
Don’t be tempted to use insecticides yourself, as Mr Hyslop explained: ‘The sprays you can buy are just a flop.
‘You need professional help, there’s really nothing that works.
“Without the residual insecticide, you’re just wasting your money.”
In very extreme cases, exterminators may use heat or cold treatments to kill the insects.
Bed bugs thrive at temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius, but are killed within minutes, whether above 50 degrees Celsius or below -10 degrees Celsius.
We can also use this knowledge if the pest is in the right place or on a sufficiently small scale.
If you know that the bed bugs, or their eggs, are on clothing or bedding, a hot wash and dryer should do the trick and wipe them out.
If you have a steamer, it can be a very useful way to attack bed bugs and kill them in seconds if they are in an area that you cannot put in a washing machine.