Hertfordshire has become a 'hotspot' for bedbugs, according to local pest control companies.

Many people have expressed concern in recent weeks that an outbreak of bedbugs in Paris could spread across the Channel.

Earlier this month, pest control firms in London reported that they had been "inundated" with calls about the blood-sucking insects.

Luton Borough Council has also said that it is receiving an "alarming number" of calls about bedbugs on a regular basis. 

Now, it appears that Hertfordshire may have become the latest area to be hit by an increasing number of infestations. 

Vinny Genevra, who owns Pest Extractors, told the Times that he had seen an increase in the number of calls for bedbugs across Hertfordshire, and picked out Stevenage as a particular hotspot.

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Similarly, Adam Warren, a director of Summit Pest Control, said that they had seen a significant increase in activity recently - from one or two calls per week for bedbugs across the southeast, to 15 to 25 calls per week.

Adam spoke to the Times while he was on his way to deal with an infestation in Hatfield that had forced the tenants to leave. He told the newspaper that the worst infestation he had seen was in Radlett, where an elderly couple had had to remove their carpets and get rid of their beds.

Bedbugs are small insects - smaller than a grain of rice - that feed on blood by biting people. They create wounds that can be very itchy but usually do not lead to other health problems.

The pests often live on furniture or bedding, and can be spread via clothes and luggage.

If you spot bedbugs in your home, steps you can take to get rid of them include:

  • Washing bedding and clothing at a high temperature, and then tumble drying at a high temperature for at least half an hour
  • Putting bedding and clothing in a plastic bag and freezing for several days

Natalie Bungay, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, said: “It’s worth noting that bedbugs are already here in the UK and have been for quite some time. 

“If you are unlucky enough to spot signs of a bedbug infestation in your home, we strongly recommend you act immediately and contact a professional pest control company.

“Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to treat and DIY treatments often result in failure.”