Europe's fight against blood-sucking bedbugs | DW Documentary

Before the turn of the millennium, bedbugs were considered largely eradicated in Europe. Now they’re back. As pest controllers can attest: These insects are on the rise - and not just in Paris, where they caused panic in the run-up to the Olympics.

This documentary accompanies researchers, exterminators, and hoteliers in Europe's fight against the parasites. Bedbugs are small, agile, difficult to detect - and love feasting on human blood. While traditionally associated with our bedrooms, they can also be found everywhere from bus and train seats to libraries and cinemas. Their robustness and mastery of the art of concealment makes exterminating them a complicated and costly undertaking.

Christoph Otto calls his job the "Champions League of pest control." The professional exterminator in southern Germany heats up infested rooms to over 50 degrees Celsius to rid them of bedbugs. Over in Britain, insect researcher Richard Naylor has been fascinated by the pests since his university days over 20 years ago. He now breeds them for research institutes, sniffer dog training schools, and the pest control industry. To achieve the best results, Naylor feeds the bugs with his own blood. He even has a specially-built bedroom where he sleeps to study the bugs’ behavior. Conveniently, unlike many other people, he has only a negligible reaction to their bites. At the individual level, the researcher also uses his experience to answer enquiries from those affected.

Bedbug infestations can be particularly bad news for hotels. Many hoteliers prefer to stay silent on the issue due to the fear of losing business. Max Malka is among the few who are going on the offensive - by attracting visitors to his Paris area hotel with a high-tech pest-alert system. The German Alpine Club (DAV) has also taken an open approach to the problem, giving hikers a range of special guidelines and explanatory information.

Will these concerted efforts result in the reduction of these blood-sucking pests to levels observed before the turn of the millennium?

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