Leeds pest controller warns about dormant bed bugs ahead of Christmas

Jenny Rathbone, a pest controller for Pest.co.uk, said dormant infestations of bed bugs in spare beds can be woken by people's body heat.

She is urging people to check before travelling to see their relatives during the 'Christmas bubble' period.

Ms Rathbone said: "“Infestations of bed bugs have been lying dormant in the cold beds of quiet Leeds households all year, and the fear is that Christmas will lead to an explosion in bed bug cases, as previously undiscovered dormant infestations wake up and feast on Christmas guest.

“The problem this year is a sudden influx of new visitors to Leeds staying over in once occupied beds in cold houses, an increase in temperature to 18 – 29 degrees is ideal for bed bugs to wake and feed, lay their eggs and promote hatching.

"It might be best if staying at your 'Christmas Bubble' home this year to strip the bed first and give it a proper check over because bed bugs can survive up to 6 months without a meal and hibernate for up to a year if your host has had the heating low all year."

Adult bed bugs look like tiny apple pips and tend to hide in cracks and crevasses in mattresses and headboards near their potential feeding sites.

They react to temperature because they are cold blooded – when a human warms a bed, they wake up and feed on their sleeping bed mate.

Under the right conditions a female bed bug can lay between one and five eggs a day, and up to 400 eggs during a lifetime.

Eggs develop into adults in 3 weeks, quickly multiplying, causing serious infestation problems.

Pest.co.uk advises all travellers to Leeds this Christmas to inspect beds before sleeping and take the following precautions:

Look for small black/brown “apple pips” in mattress creases and around headboards

Avoid clutter on beds such as cushions, teddy bears and clothes

Try not to sleep in multiple places such as sofas, chairs, and beds

Strip beds down between stays, and wash sheets and mattresses thoroughly

If you notice flat, red welts on your body after sleeping – this might be a sign of bed bugs and it is best to get it treated quickly to avoid a large infestation.