Bed bugs are on the rise in Ireland.
There has been an unusual surge in bed bug infestations due to thousands of fans flying home from the Paris Olympics.
Experts say we could be dealing with the infestation until Christmas.
Trevor Hayden from Complete Pest Control says you can't get rid of them on your own.
"It's something that you need to get a professional for because we use heat.
"We use a super-heated steam, we use heat tents and we use chemicals aswell.
"These are not things that people would have available to them and to do it properly you would need to be using all three."
So, what is the main cause of bed bugs?
According to Rentokil, the world's largest pest control company, travel is widely recognized as the most common source of bed bug infestations.
Often unbeknownst to the traveler, bed bugs will hitchhike on people, clothing, luggage, or other personal belongings and be accidentally transported to other properties.
Bed bugs can easily go unnoticed by humans.
As small, wingless insects with flattened bodies, they can hide in tight, secluded spaces that are often out of sight, such as behind headboards or deep in upholstered furniture.
Their flat bodies also help to protect them from being smashed if one of their hosts rolls over onto them in the middle of the night.
Although bed bugs prefer to remain hidden, they will move out of their hiding spaces to feed when a host is nearby. But even then, bed bugs are cautious about their actions.
Increased global travel is often cited as one of the biggest contributing factors to the increase in bed bug infestations in the U.S.,with the pests making a resurgence around the world in the last decade.
Lack of awareness and the “it will never happen to me” attitude has greatly contributed to the spread of bed bugs.
Arriving on the luggage of travelers from all over the country, these tiny pests can make their way into the cracks and crevices of hotel furniture and underneath mattresses, bedding, and pillows unnoticed.
In fact, hotels and motels are among the top areas where you will most likely run into bed bugs.
Since bed bugs are a frequent and costly issue for hotels, housekeeping staff must remain vigilant and follow the proper protocols when cleaning rooms to identify any signs of bed bug activity.
For more information visit www.rentokil.com.
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