As bed bugs storm Paris, Nelson pest controller Shane Warland finds himself unsurprised.
"Theyre just one of those things that turn up because people turn up, really."
He predicts many Kiwis there will unknowingly bring some tiny eight-legged souvenirs home.
"They'll crawl in your bag and bon voyage."
A bed bug Photo: Pixabay
Travellers can very easily collect bed bugs in their luggage and on clothing, Shane tells Jesse Mulligan.
"They like hitch-hiking, it's not a problem to hitch-hike. Free ride. They'll go anywhere."
When travelling, he recommends keeping any bags off the floor – definitely away from carpet, perhaps in the bathroom – and even wrapping your suitcase itself in a large plastic rubbish bag.
- Related: How to Keep Bed Bugs Off Luggage
Shane Warland of Debug Nelson Photo: Debug Nelson
Once bed bugs gain access to a living space, they are "a hard little critter to get rid of", Shane says.
"They get into every nook and cranny, they get into your skirting, they get into the headboards, they get into your mattress, they get into light fittings, sockets, radios, TVs, everywhere…"
Although bed bugs are exceptionally good at adapting to pest control, Debug Nelson does succeed in tackling bed bug infestations using a range of treatments, he says.
One is what Shane calls the bed bug heater: 'We put it into a room and crank it up to about 80 degrees and that cooks everything in the room'.
Bed bug-ridden mattresses are treated with a steamer, he says, and on surfaces, the nonpoisonous powder diatomaceous earth can be applied to effectively desiccate them to death.
"It's a bit like them walking on glass, really. It really knocks them around."
Related:
How bad is the Paris bed bug problem?
How bed bugs are winning the war against humans
'Bed bugs aren't embarrassing …you can pick them up anywhere'
