Sleeping with the enemy

The recent reports in the news of bedbugs in London made me think this was a sudden increase. However there are reports from 2006,2006,2004 and reports that "In parts of London bedbug infestations have risen tenfold since 1996" which actually confirm that this is nothing new at all.

Various things have been blamed for this increase, including foreign travel, the Tube trains in the Eastend and second hand furniture.

The advice to help with this problem is:

Don't put things on the bed whilst on holiday, such as your suitcase.
Vacuum your room and furniture (contrary to what the name might imply bedbugs live in cracks and crevices not necessarily in the bed).
Wash your bedclothes on a hot wash (and blame your increased carbon footprint on these critters)
Check your mattress, monthly.
and my favourite which comes from the 19th Century which is take a pig with you on travels and let that into your bed before you retire so that it may be bitten instead of you.

For more details see:
http://www.thebedbugresource.com/