BUG BEAR
Fears new harder-to-kill breed of bed bugs have invaded UK and US – amid fears they may ‘transmit dangerous diseases’
Plus, how to get rid of bed bugs without pesticides
A NEW harder-to-kill breed of bedbug might already be making its way around the UK and US, experts have warned.
Cimex hemipterus - or the tropical bed bug - was originally only found in hot countries near the equator.
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But in recent years, the critters have been found in the likes of France and Italy - which suggests they could also have made their way to the neighbouring UK, Dr Will Hentley an expert on bedbugs, said.
Unlike the common bed bug - cimex lectularius - the blood-sucking pest is resistant to all available insecticides.
On top of this, experts fear these tropical bugs could transmit dangerous diseases to humans.
"They could be here [the UK]; we just don’t know about it," Dr Will, an academic with the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences, told The Sun.
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"The problem is both cimex hemipterus and the more common cimex lectularius are very similar in appearance, so I imagine the average pest controller would struggle to tell them apart," he added.
This suggests cases of cimex hemipterus could be going unreported.
The only noticeable difference between the two bugs is that the cimex lectularius have wider faces than their cimex hemipterus siblings.
Dr Will said the tropical species would undoubtedly be widespread in the UK soon.
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"With our ever-warming climate, it is only a matter of time before species that were previously only found in the tropics will be established here in the UK," he explained.
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The blood-sucking insects have already been detected in typically cooler countries like Norway and Russia, worlds away from the tropical climates where they thrive.
Scientists at the University of California, US, revealed the worrying spread of the blood-sucking critter in an article published in the .
They said the tropical bedbug was spotted in Florida in 2016 for the first time in 60 years and then in Hawaii in 2020.
It was also discovered in France in 2015 and 2017, Italy (date unspecified), and central Europe several times between 2002 and 2018.
The scientists, including Dr Chow-Yang Lee, said: "Most bed bug control products were developed for [the common bed bug], with the assumption that they would also work on [the tropical bed bug].
"However, biological differences between the species are being discovered that have implications for the management of [the tropical bed bug]."
For example, there are several common bed bugs which are susceptible to insecticides. While no insecticide-susceptible strain of the tropical bed bug exists.
The tropical bug also has hairy legs than its common counterpart, giving it more grip to climb better and escape from traps.
Separate research has suggested some bedbugs have grown thicker exoskeletons that the poisons can’t easily penetrate
The US scientists also warned that the tropical bug could produce "different health impacts" due to the "existence of different antigenic compounds in the saliva."
The pests could carry and transmit hepatitis and Chagas disease - a nasty bug caused by a parasite that eventually destroys a person's heart and digestive system.
They speculated indoor heating systems and the sudden return to pre-pandemic travel may have charged the spread alongside resistance to insecticides.
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Warnings over bed bugs were sparked in London late last year after they were spotted on the tube - just weeks after being seen crawling across seats on the Paris Metro, trains and buses.
It is unclear whether the 2023 'outbreaks' in the UK and Europe were linked to the tropical bed bug strain.
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How to get rid of bed bugs without pesitcide
If you think you have bedbugs, you should contact your local council or pest control service.
It's very difficult to get rid of bedbugs yourself because they can be hard to find and may be resistant to insecticides.
You can try some things yourself, but these are unlikely to get rid of bedbugs completely.
- Wash affected bedding and clothing on a hot wash (60C) and tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes
- Put affected clothing and bedding in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for 3 or 4 days
- Clean and vacuum regularly – bedbugs are found in both clean and dirty places, but regular cleaning will help you spot them early
Source: NHS
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