Never mind the French connection. Bedbugs are already at home in Britain, and we must live with them | James Logan

These hardy insects are incredibly good hitchhikers. We can slow their march, but we'll never entirely eradicate themThe reported outbreak of bedbugs in Paris is hardly surprising. Reports of sightings on the London Underground - so far unsubstantiated, but quickly addressed by Sadiq Khan - are not surprising either. Bedbugs are everywhere. Bedbugs can be found in any city around the world, in any location, from youth hostels to five-star hotels. There are not yet clear numbers on the purported "explosion" of bedbugs in Paris, but in the UK, pest control company Rentokil reported a 65% increase in bedbug infestations in the UK from 2022 to 2023.As we return to pre-pandemic levels of travel, bedbugs are on the move, and this is likely to cause more sightings. They tend to travel in people's suitcases and end up in our bedrooms - they are incredibly good hitchhikers. The rise in popularity of secondhand furniture is another way for bedbugs to enter our homes.James Logan is professor of medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Continue reading...