'Super bed bugs' attack Nantwich (From Crewe Guardian)

'Super bed bugs' attack Nantwich

10:23am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in News By

A NEW breed of super bed bugs is plaguing Nantwich, according to a pest control company that has seen a surge in call outs.

Suddenstrike pest control on Welshman’s Lane has been inundated with residents affected by the insects, which come out at night to suck blood from their sleeping victims.

James Wilkinson, of Suddenstrike, believes the bugs have been brought home as unwanted interlopers from abroad.

He said: “Cheap air fares have encouraged more foreign travel, and students now go away on gap years. All this has led to some very unwanted souvenirs being brought back on clothes in suitcases.

“The numbers have increased rapidly. Two years ago we had some 20 calls a month from homes plagued by bed bugs. That more than doubled to 50 in July, and August is proving just as busy.”

Foreign hotels with cleaning regimes less stringent than the UK have been identified as a potential cause for a rapid spread of the household insect this summer.

James continued: “Bed bugs are really horrible parasites. Because they easily transport to other rooms and public buildings like shops, cinemas and hotels, they have been redefined by industry experts as ‘exposure pests’, which means that anyone can pick them up. No matter how clean your home is, they can be brought in from outside.”

In the latest case, Suddenstrike’s pest control team had to dismantle a bed to completely eliminate the bugs, which had multiplied in their thousands in draws underneath and had proved resistant to shop-bought sprays.

James added: “Up to 200 can feed on a person in one night. They target exposed areas like cheeks, necks and hands and in the worst cases they can cause severe blood loss but in the main they are linked to respiratory conditions such as asthma and skin irritation.”