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ARCHIVED - What a nightmare: bedbugs make a comeback in Spain
A rebound in tourism and high temperatures across Spain have resulted in a bedbug population boom
One of the less pleasant aspects of summer in Spain is the seemingly endless number of creepy crawlies and nasty critters that take advantage of the warm weather to invade our homes. Between ants and cockroaches scuttling around and mosquitoes and flies making a nuisance of themselves, you would think there was enough to contend with.
Sadly not, as an old pest is making a comeback this year and even bringing along a new, disease-spreading species: bedbugs.
According to the National Association of Environmental Health Companies (ANECPLA), this rebound is due to the sudden boom in tourism after two years of pandemic, as these unsavoury creatures are closely associated with the hotel sector.
Bedbugs are parasitic insects between 5 and 6 millimetres in length that usually nest in beds, the folds of sheets, furniture and armchairs and that feed mainly on human blood. Their bites cause discomfort and even various allergic reactions, insomnia and stress.
"Due to their tiny size, they often stowaway between clothes or suitcases, causing new infestations in homes, hotels, apartments," ANECPLA warns. For this reason, they can easily travel home with you after a holiday.
While bedbugs used to be associated with dirty or neglected premises, this is actually not the case, and the population explosion is due more to global warming and higher temperatures.
The tropical bedbug arrives in Spain
To make matters worse, a new species of this parasite, the tropical bed bug usually found in Asia, has recently been detected in Spain and it is a nightmare to get rid of. Far from being deterred by the conventional insecticides, the usual sprays and powders could actually serve to spread the infestation further.
For this reason, ANECPLA has urged any business or private home that suspects it may have bedbugs to leave the clean-up to those with the necessary know-how.
"It is very important that professional pest management services, who have the necessary specific knowledge, are in charge of dealing with the problem from an approach based on the biology and habitat of this species."
Image: ANECPLA
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