In Paris, France bed bugs have been found on public transportation and in other public places.
Bed bugs are small flat insects that are quite fast, with their average movement speed being one metre per minute, so they can hide and flee.
Where do bed bugs come from?
Bed bugs don’t just live in beds and are not always found in hotel rooms. They love warm spaces and are excellent travellers who can enter homes through a variety of channels, including regular travel and use of public transportation, recurring visits to movie theatres, and lounge spaces. The fabrics and dark colours that bed bugs prefer make these places ideal breeding grounds.
Infestations of bed bugs can also come from visiting infested locations like friends' houses, workspaces, or public transport.
Bed bug infestations may come from recycled or used furnishings and fittings. Many homeowners who buy second-hand furniture unwittingly bring bed bugs into their homes.
How dangerous are bed bugs?
- Bed bugs cause itchy bites that result in unconscious scratching and flesh wounds in the morning.
- A substantial health danger is posed by an allergic reaction to bed bug bites because some people may have extremely strong allergic reactions that can be life-threatening. Anaphylactic shock, a potentially fatal condition that needs quick medical intervention can occur in hypersensitive people.
- They cause blood spots on bedsheets and clusters of bites on the skin.
- They cause tiny, dark faeces spots on mattresses, bedding, carpets, and other upholstered surfaces, which can all be signs of bedbug infestations. These pests destroy home interiors and furniture. Bedbugs leave shredded skins in addition to blood and faeces stains on bedsheets, mattresses, carpets, walls, and drapes.
How to get rid of bed bugs
- Pick up clutter, routinely clean your home, and pay special attention to any gaps behind mattresses, box springs, or bed frames since these are places where bedbugs love to hide.
- Wash and dry your clothing and mattress on high heat because bedbugs cannot survive temperatures above 122°F.
- To get rid of their eggs or bugs hidden in the cracks of mattresses or upholstery seams, scrub the seams with a hard brush.
- Bed bugs can’t stand cold weather. Freeze clothes or bedding for a few days or leave them outside.
- To reduce the number of hiding places for bedbugs, patch up or seal any cracks in the paint or wallpaper.