The first bedbug was spotted on a French metro line and photos of it went viral. A widely read Parisian newspaper already spoke of 'A major invasion'. France went crazy and alarming reports also appeared in the Netherlands. Until an authoritative biologist was called in: the creature in the subway was not a bedbug at all.
Nevertheless, you don't want them around, these little bloodsuckers can make you itch for days. And well, you can take them with you from holiday. Even if you stayed in a five-star hotel. Tips to prevent them:
1. Check your bedding and mattress in your hotel room or B&B for small brown bugs, red and black spots (feces) and tiny white eggs.
2. Inform your accommodation if you find them.
3. Been somewhere where they occur? Unpack your suitcase outside at home.
4. Put your clothes in a sealed plastic bag, empty it into the washing machine and wash at 60 degrees.
5. And also check all other items you brought with you.
In the end still dealing with a plague? They are extremely difficult to fight off. Vacuuming, a steam machine, washing at 60 degrees and a poison spray can sometimes help. But more often than not, a pest control service is required. Prevention is therefore really better than a cure.
