Sliema And St Julian’s Leading Malta’s Bedbug Report Influx, Local Exterminator Reveals
With the Maltese Islands going through a wave of bedbug reports, some of the busiest hubs in the country are reportedly (and predictably) the worst hit.
Prominent local biologist and exterminator Arnold Sciberras, who earlier today told Lovin Malta he “can’t believe how many reports” he’s been receiving, has now revealed that the areas around Sliema and St Julian’s are localities which have kept his company the busiest in recent weeks.
This tallies with Sciberras’ hypothesis, which points at “foreigners coming from infected countries such as the UK, France and Poland.”
“These organisms are carried involuntarily on their hosts from the infected countries,” Sciberras explained. “In fact, during COVID times, the species decreased again, only to rise slowly in 2022 and at a faster pace recently. So…”
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“Since 2017, bedbugs have become quite a major crisis,” Sciberras said, making reference to the species of common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, which is known locally as Baqqa.
“Eliminating bed bugs from the home is often difficult, partly because bedbugs can survive up to 500 days without feeding,” Sciberras stressed.
“Repeated treatments of a room may be required, and these treatments may include heating the room for more than 90 minutes, frequent vacuuming, washing clothing at high temperatures, and the use of various pesticides only carried out by professionals.”
“The best way of avoiding getting bedbugs in your house is to avoid getting second-hand furniture, and avoid keeping foreign baggage overnight,” he finished.
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