 | | Bug's Life (Image © Richard Naylor) |
Over the last few decades the number of bedbug infestations, especially in built-up places such as Bradford, has massively increased. The Jackson family from Cottingley have had their lives turned upside down by bedbugs which they think hitched a ride in their suitcase on a trip back from South Asia. You might be forgiven for associating bedbugs with grubby overpopulated houses and hostels but in fact it can be quite the opposite.
 | | Bugged!: Andrew Jackson |
Andrew Jackson says: "It's not about being dirty. You can have the cleanest house in the world and they'll still get to you. They've made our life a misery over the last few months." The Jackson family have spent hundreds of pounds on pest control and new beds. Andrew says it's been no fun: "We've been scratching like mad and sleeping on the sofa. The worst thing is there's nothing you can do about them...and no way of knowing you've even brought them home with you." So if it's not about hygiene and overcrowding...where are they coming from? Some experts think they're coming from abroad with the increase in cheap foreign holidays and budget flights. Another view is that a new superbug has developed, which is immune to modern pesticides. Interestingly they were virtually eradicated in the UK 50 years ago by a chemical called DDT – but that was later banned and since then they've been on the increase, as the Jacksons know to their cost!
 | | Tucking in! (Image © Richard Naylor) |
Simon Morrell is a bedbug's worst nightmare, working as he does for a West Yorkshire-based pest control company. He says: "There's no doubt that our job is becoming more and more difficult. We're seeing more and more bedbug infestations in West Yorkshire, and we're finding it difficult to keep on top of the number of people needing our services." Scary stuff, and here are a few bedbug facts to make your skin crawl: - They feed by injecting their saliva into your blood and sucking it out for up to ten minutes
- One single female bedbug can produce 3,000 more in three months
- They can survive for six months without feeding
- They measure 4-5mm and are a reddish brown colour
- They leave a rancid oily smell created by their stink glands
- They only come out at night after being signalled by the carbon dioxide in your breathing
So if you're sitting at home somewhere in West Yorkshire right now, how do you know if you've got them? Well, they live in cracks and crevices in your bedframe and sometimes in the seams of mattresses and curtains. The first sign you have them would usually be the itching on your arms and legs or anywhere else that's not covered in bed. You might discover hard white lumps on your skin, which cause you to scratch. They do also leave signs that they're around like black or brown spots of dried blood often visible on the bed sheets and pillow cases. Closer examination may also reveal eggs and cast skins on the surfaces where the bugs rest.
 | | Dinnertime! (Image © Richard Naylor) |
And, more to the point, what can you do to get rid of them? Because bedbugs can be difficult to eradicate it is not recommended that you attempt to treat an infestation yourself. However keeping premises spotlessly clean with regular vacuuming will help to remove any eggs. Your local council will have pest control experts who may be able to offer you a free treatment. As the old saying goes: "Don't let the bedbugs bite!" If you really want to see more close-ups of bedbugs in action - and meet the man who feeds 20,000 of the blood suckers ON HIMSELF - join Nicola Rees on Inside Out, BBC 1 at 7.30pm on Friday 23rd February...if you dare! All bedbug images on this page are © Richard Naylor, Sheffield University. Used with permission. | 
