Don't let the bed bugs bite

Apr 14 2004

A robust new breed of blood-sucking bed bugs are on the rise in Britain, and experts fear the “super” pests cannot be killed.

They were virtually eliminated by the 1980s but the Institute of Biology said they are back — with infestations doubling yearly since 1995.

Pest control workers fear the bugs may have developed a resistance to household pesticides.

The rise in car boot sales and the use of second-hand bedding and furniture could also be to blame.

Foreign holidays have often been linked to infestation rises — but the bugs identified in reports from London were domestic breeds.

They do not carry disease but can trigger asthma symptoms.

In a warm room, a small group of bed bugs can breed into thousands in just a year.

And they can survive for more than a year without a supply of blood to feed on.