LANDLORDS have urged renters to take action amid fears of rising bedbug infestations.
Brits are battling increasing paranoia that the UK could be hit with an invasion of the nasty pests hitchhiking from France.
A suspected bed beg was seen on a bus in ManchesterTwitter/@mirxclealigner
A suspicious insect was seen crawling on a woman’s leg on the Victoria Line tubeTikTok/@lassogold
As more sightings on public transport services across London spark panic, renters are being urged to take action.
Concerned landlords have advised tenants to put their bedding “in freezers” and “empty their hoovers” if they suspect the critters are hiding in their property.
London hotels have even began questioning guests whether they have recently travelled to France, according to the MailOnline.
It comes after a small insect was seen crawling on a bus window in Manchester this week, just days after a London Underground passenger was horrified when she spotted one on her leg.
The shocking photo of the bus bug was shared on X with the caption: “Do something about this quickly.”
FirstBus, who operates the public transport service, replied: “This is really concerning to see, and we do apologise for this.”
Meanwhile, a London Tube passenger posted disconcerting footage of what looked to be a bedbug on her leg.
Sharing the incident on TikTok, she said: “Minding my own business on the Victoria Line.
“A f***ing bed bug is on my leg.
“Said he’d got a great deal on the Eurostar and wondered if I could take him home.
“Sort it out Transport for London.”
Another commuter on the Northern Line posted on social media what appeared to be bedbug eggs on seats and refused to sit down.
Elsewhere in the country, a Bedfordshire council reported an “alarming number” of calls concerning bedbug infestations.
Luton Council said: “The pest control service is currently receiving an alarming number of bed bug jobs on a weekly basis.
“Successful treatment can be a lengthy process and the council does not have limitless resources to counter this pest.”
Fears have been exacerbated due to rugby fans travelling to France for the World Cup as England are due to go up against Fiji in Marseille on Sunday.
Emmanuel Gregoire, the deputy mayor of Paris, claimed “no one is safe” from an infestation.
And, as reported by the MailOnline, London Mayor, Sadiq Khan said growing paranoia of mass infestation was a “real source of concern”.
According to the Mayor, Transport for London are working with the Parisian Metro to learn the best ways to tackle the ongoing issue.
He told PoliticsJOE: “This is a real source of concern, right? People are worried about these bugs in Paris causing a problem in London.
“I was in contact with TfL last week and this weekend. We’re taking steps to make sure we don’t have those problems in London, in relation to regular cleaning of not just the Tubes and our buses, but talking to the Eurostar as well.”
He reassured Brits that TfL “have one of the best” cleaning regimes operating every night.
While the Mayor confirmed he doesn’t believe London will experience the same problem as Paris, there should be “no complacency from TfL”.
David Cain, molecular biologist and founder of Bed Bugs Ltd, desperately urged Brits to regularly check their beds for the stubborn pests.
He told Sky News: “There’s been a lot of attention, people worrying about bed bugs coming across from France.
“But the reality is we already have a large enough problem in the UK.”
The expert went as far as to say “all the concern in Paris is already happening in London”.
“Because the problem has exploded so rapidly over the last decade – they’re now in public spaces, cinemas, doctor’s surgeries, hospitals, all over the place, you then have to check your own bed,” he added.”
David recommended inspecting our beds once a month to prevent outbreaks.
However, there has been some doubt over whether the insects circulating in recent videos have been the dreaded bedbugs invading Paris.
Richard Wall, from the University of Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences, told Metro the pest spotted on the Victoria wasn’t “flat enough” to be a bedbug.
Neither did he believe it was a tick, and pointed out bedbugs normally come out at night.
Plus, Adam Juson from the pest control company Merlin Environmental told the Daily Telegraph he thought while “it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility”, it “looks wrong”.
Mr Khan said he was concerned, but TfL was doing everything it could to ensure the bed bug infestation in France does not spread to public transport in London.
A Eurostar spokesman said last week: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is always our number one priority, and the presence of insects such as bed bugs on our trains is extremely rare.”
They added all trains “are cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis” which includes “highly effective” “hot-water injection and extraction cleaning”.
Meanwhile, TfL confirmed they are continuing to “closely monitor” the situation” but were “not aware of any outbreaks in London”.
A TfL spokesman said: ”We are continuing to implement our rigorous and thorough cleaning measures that have been proven to keep both the interior and exterior of our trains clean.”
HOW TO SPOT IF YOU HAVE BEDBUGS
According to the NHS, bedbugs can be dark yellow, red or brown.
The pests are oval in shape and about the size of an apple seed.
As an insect they have six legs and two antenna, and are around 5mm long.
There will also be spots from their waste like little ink splats found on your mattress, sofa, or furniture.
After they have fed, bedbugs bodies will swell and turn a reddish colour from their latest meal.
HOW TO GET RID OF BEDBUGS
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.
Here’s what you should do to get rid of bedbugs:
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.Better still get rid of them altogether by wrapping in bin bags and disposing in a bin.Make sure you either throw your mattress away, or thoroughly vacuum it, and your carpet under your bed. Then make sure you take the vacuum outside and dispose of the contents.Because 30 per cent of bed bugs live in your bed frame and headboard, it’s vital that you clean those thoroughly, too.While vacuuming will get rid of the bugs themselves, it won’t get rid of the eggs. To do that, you’ll need to wipe everywhere with a good pesticide.
The scent of the oils can serve as a deterrent to keep them away from your bed and can be used to kill them if sprayed onto the mattress directly.
Essential oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint, and lavender are most effective.
Although it may help deter bed bugs from your bed, it’s always best to seek professional help as the infestation can get worse and spread across the entire home.
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