Ever woke up to a sudden, inexplicable, itchy rash on your neck, arms and shoulders? There's a strong chance you have bedbugs - and that requires fast action.
It's a situation familiar to many who visited Paris in 2023, when a widespread infestation saw visitors picking up bedbugs in hotels, cinemas and trains.
As the city prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics between July 26 and August 11, government officials are keen to avoid renewed international headlines about another "Bugpocalypse."
After all, getting rid of bedbugs is akin to an Olympic feat. Searching for bedbugs is notoriously difficult, as they are no more than 8 mm in length and hide in suitcases, floorboards on picture frames and in mattresses.
Bedbugs thrive in crowds and hot summer temperatures, so when people travel more, more people bring the bedbugs back with them.
If you suspect you've taken some home, your first point of contact should be a professional. Florian Kraft, a pest controller in Berlin and a member of the Association of German Pest Controllers (DSV), has noticed a marked increase in bedbugs all over Berlin since 2005 and a real jump since 2018 especially in the run-up to big events like the Euro 2024 football championship.
Unlike Parisians, with whom he empathizes amid their war on bedbugs in the run-up to the Olympics, bedbugs are simply not talked about in the German capital.
"I deal with well over 50 infestations a month. In 90% of cases, the infestation consists of bedbugs. The rest are lardoglyphus, a genus of mite."
What can travellers do to protect themselves? Use zipper bags when travelling, Kraft advises. And avoid leaving your suitcase open in hotel rooms.
Follow your nose and be alert to a sweet smell. Inspect the bed, beginning with the slatted frame and any crevices. Mould or dark, reddish-brown spots especially on the underside are the first signs of the bloodsuckers, which are pesky but do not transmit disease.
During the Paris outbreak of 2023, these parasites were frequently spotted on public transport and in cinemas, so you may want to look twice before sitting down.
"I never sit down on trains," Kraft says. "Bedbugs love hanging out on seats and biting people, who might not even feel it."
Anyone who brings bedbugs home with them from their holidays can expect the bill for at least three treatments with insecticide and fumigation to be around the same price as a short holiday.
If you suspect an infestation, but have not found any bedbugs, you can stick double-sided adhesive tape to bedposts to stop them crawling up and into your bed.
Remove all bedding, including the mattress protector, duvet covers, sheets and pillow cases, and wash anything that can be washed at 60 degrees Celsius. Also do this before every appointment with the pest controller.
Resist the temptation to sleep in a different bed or on the sofa bed as you will only bring your travelling companions along with you and spread the infestation.
Then let the pest controller get to work. Fumigation is nasty and you will have to leave your flat or house for at least four hours. When you finally return, air the place thoroughly and vacuum your bed.
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