Bed bugs: spotting them and getting rid of them
It neither flies nor jumps: it travels in your luggage and waits for night.
The short answer
The bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a flat, reddish-brown insect 4–7 mm long that bites at night to feed on blood. No disease transmission has been demonstrated, but an infestation disrupts sleep and wellbeing. ANSES, the French health-safety agency, advises starting with non-chemical methods (dry steam, heat, cold, vacuuming) and keeping authorised insecticides for cases where they are needed.
Identity card
Scientific name: Cimex lectularius
- Size
- 4–7 mm for the adult; white egg of about 1 mm; nymphs smaller and paler
- Appearance
- Reddish-brown, oval and very flat when unfed; darker and longer after a blood meal
- Life expectancy
- Several months to about a year; can go several months without a meal
- Active period
- Mainly at night, all year round
- Where it hides
- Mattress seams, bed base, headboard, skirting boards, frames, sockets, suitcases
How to spot bed bugs
Tick off in your head what you have seen: the more the clues overlap, the surer the diagnosis.
- Black dots that bleed like ink (digested blood) on mattress seams, slats and bed-frame corners.
- Bites in clusters, often lined up in threes or fours, on the arms, legs or neck.
- Empty translucent skins and tiny pearly-white eggs in the corners of the bed.
- Spots of blood on the sheets and pillowcase in the morning.
Understanding how it behaves
According to the assessment published by ANSES in 2023, about 11% of French households had an infestation between 2017 and 2022, regardless of income. Stays in hotels or holiday rentals and buying second-hand items are among the most frequently reported sources.
During the day, bed bugs shelter in mattress seams, the bed base, the headboard, skirting boards, picture frames and sockets, within a few metres of where people sleep. Their eggs, glued into these crevices, hatch in one to two weeks, so a proper treatment always involves several visits.
Since the 2018 ELAN law, a French landlord must hand over a home free of any infestation by pests and parasites. Hotels, serviced residences and short-let hosts have every reason to organise active vigilance between guests.
Why it shouldn't be left
- Itching and skin reactions, sometimes severe; risk of infection from scratching.
- Insomnia, anxiety and withdrawal: ANSES stresses the effect of infestations on mental health.
- Spread to neighbouring flats or hotel rooms via clothing, suitcases and furniture.
- Costs that mount up when ineffective products pile up or furniture is thrown away.
- For a hotel or short let: rooms out of use and reputation at stake.
What the technician does: bed bugs
01
Inspect
Room-by-room inspection of the bed, furniture, skirting boards and sockets, by torch and, if needed, with a detection dog; a plan of affected areas and a preparation checklist before treatment.
02
Treat
High-temperature dry steam on bedding, furniture and cracks, heat or cold treatment for delicate items, authorised insecticide only as a supplement where justified.
03
Sanitise
Bed-bug-proof covers for mattress and base, sealant on cracks and loose skirting, a laundry routine: wash at 60 °C or tumble-dry, closed bags for transport.
04
Follow up
Visits scheduled around the egg-hatching cycle, follow-up visit as set out in the protocol, photo report and advice on active vigilance for the weeks that follow.
Prevention, at home and at work
Simple habits that lower the risk of the intruder settling in or coming back.
- 01When travelling: put your suitcase on the luggage rack, away from the bed, and look at the mattress seams and headboard.
- 02Back home: unpack on a tiled floor, wash clothes at 60 °C or tumble-dry them.
- 03Inspect any second-hand furniture, mattress or clothing before bringing it indoors.
- 04Keep clutter around the bed to a minimum, as it multiplies hiding places.
- 05In a hotel or holiday let: inspect beds and headboards at every turnover and train housekeeping staff to spot the signs.
Your questions
Can a bed bug make me ill?
To date, no transmission of disease to humans has been demonstrated, ANSES points out. The problem lies in the bites, possible allergic reactions and the impact on sleep and morale.
How should I prepare the bedroom before treatment?
Wash bedding and clothes stored near the bed at 60 °C or tumble-dry them, then keep them in sealed bags. Clear the area around the bed and the skirting boards, empty the bedside tables and don't move furniture into other rooms. The technician gives you a precise checklist.
Can I treat it myself?
You can help a great deal: vacuum the seams and seal the bag straight away in a closed bin bag, wash linen at 60 °C, freeze small items at −20 °C for at least 72 hours. An established infestation, however, needs professional equipment and several visits.
Does my mattress have to go?
Usually not. A mattress in good condition can be treated with dry steam and then enclosed in a bed-bug-proof cover. Throwing it out without treating the rest of the room leaves the bugs where they are.
Why does the technician come back?
Eggs withstand treatment better than adults and hatch in one to two weeks. The next visit reaches the young before they become adults and lay eggs in turn.
Bed bugs at home or on your premises?
2-hour slot, 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm, price shown and paid online, photo report emailed on the day of the visit.
Related service: Bed bug treatment
