Moment ANOTHER bedbug is spotted crawling on London Underground passenger on the Victoria Line amid invasion fears
FEARS of a “super-bedbug” invasion on London’s Victoria line grew today after ANOTHER critter was seen creeping up a man’s leg.
Video appears to show a six-legged bloodsucker scuttle across the commuter’s trousers during rush hour on Thursday morning.
Digital marketing manager Liv, who filmed the red menace, couldn’t believe what she was seeing at first.
The 26-year-old told The Sun: “I was filming it thinking, ‘no way, is that definitely it?‘ I was about to tell him then he got off.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before on public transport, I thought it was a massive coincidence that it appeared on TikTok last week and all of a sudden it’s there.
“It was rapid, it was running, it was gross.”
The Victoria Line sighting is the second in just a week, after one was filmed crawling up another passenger’s leg.
A third mite was spotted on a bus window in Manchester.
The pests are believed to have arrived from France where they have infested public transport, cafes, hotels, cinemas and homes.
Experts blame international holidays and a resistance to pest control products for the rapid spread.
Amid the invasion, Liv says she’s noticed people’s behaviour changing, with commuters refusing to sit down.
She explained: “When I was coming back from my friends the other day, there was no one on the carriages.
“Groups of people get on and you can hear people say I’m not sitting down.”
Bed bugs feed on blood by biting people, they create wounds that can be itchy but do not usually cause other health problems.
They often live on furniture or bedding and can spread by being on clothes or luggage.
BEDBUG BOTHER
Five signs you've got bed bugs:
- Blood on the sheets
- Dark spots on walls
- Bug shell and eggs
- Worn or aged upholstery
- Bites
But Liv says she is taking no chances – washing all her clothes when she gets home tonight.
And she too has vowed not to sit down during her commute until the “grim” pests are sorted.
Richard Barrie from The Bed Bugs Experts was unable to confirm whether this latest sighting was definitely a bed bug.
But he added: “They are hitchhikers.
“Look back a couple of years and you will see the story about bed bugs on the BA flight in business class.
“There are just as many bed bugs in the UK.”
Transport for London said they are trying to rid the critters from the underground with daily cleaning.
BEDBUG BLITZ
How to get rid of bedbugs:
It can be extremely difficult to get rid of an infestation, so your best bet may be to get professional help.
Once in they are your home, bedbugs can spread quickly from room to room.
If it takes too long to identify the problem, they could completely contaminate your home.
The NHS advises contacting your local council or a pest control firm that’s a member of the British Pest Control Association or National Pest Technicians Association to deal with an infestation.
Here’s what you should do to get rid of bedbugs:
- If you suspect you’ve been infected, the first thing you need to do is strip your bed and wash the sheets and blankets in 60C water, before tumble-drying for at least 30 minutes.
- Better still get rid of them altogether by wrapping in bin bags and disposing in a bin.
- Make sure you either throw your mattress away, or thoroughly vacuum it, and your carpet under your bed. Then make sure you take the vacuum outside and dispose of the contents.
- Because 30 per cent of bed bugs live in your bed frame and headboard, it’s vital that you clean those thoroughly, too.
- While vacuuming will get rid of the bugs themselves, it won’t get rid of the eggs. To do that, you’ll need to wipe everywhere with a good pesticide.