Did The COVID Pandemic Stop Or Slow Down The Spread Of Bed Bugs

It might be more than two years later, but the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, we’re now dealing with things like inflation and the cost of living crises. Something else which was affected by this pandemic is the spread of bed bugs. But is this actually true? Not only that, are the large numbers of bed bugs we’re seeing today caused COVID-19?

How did COVID affect the spread of bed bugs?

It’s difficult to say for certain if the spread of bed bugs was affected by this pandemic. That being said, there are certain things we can look at. To start with, pest control technicians were not considered essential workers at the start of the pandemic when we entered into quarantine.

This had profound effects on the number of pests in Britain. Without pest control working, the number of pests increased. So, when looked at things from this perspective, it’s likely that there was an increased spread of bed bugs.

On the other hand, travel was also greatly curtailed. These pests are mostly spread through people travelling. This means that it’s likely that bed bug numbers decreased during the pandemic. Because people spent more time at home, it’s also likely that they may have dealt with long standing pest issues. This, again, may have affected bed bug numbers.

The flip side to this is that everything eventually opened up again. People are now travelling just as much as they ever did. They may even be travelling more than before with more guests complaining about bed bugs. This means that bed bugs numbers are once again increasing. Another factor is that people are strapped for cash. They are unlikely to spend money on pest control. Travel is one thing, but pest control is another.

What is happening to bed bug numbers?

What this means is that it’s likely that we’ll see an increase in bed bug numbers. The best example of this is what’s currently happening in Paris. In case, you don’t know, there’s currently a massive bed bug problem in the city in public places.

The bottom line is that the spread of bed bugs was probably slowed down by COVID. Pest control was curtailed, and there was less travel. This would have had an effect on these pests. What type of effect it had is difficult to say. Despite all this, these pests are as prevalent as ever.

They’re also about to become a lot more prevalent. Based on the reports coming out of Paris, the problem is more serious than ever. It’s also highly likely that London will be hit with these bugs. As ever, remain vigilant and keep a watch out for bed bugs. Also remember that your best option is immediate pest control. The longer you wait, the worse the problem gets.