Brits visiting the US could be carrying 'super' bed bugs home in their luggage

BED bugs in the US are becoming immune to the insecticides that are used to kill them, making the pests much harder to contain.

While the problem is primarily in the US, the situation is getting worse in the UK as well as holidaymakers are bringing the pests home.

According to The Telegraph, a strain of "super" bed bugs are now able to resist DDT, one of the most common insecticides.

University of Kentucky professor Michael Potter, who studies insect and human relationships, explained how they have been a problem in the US for some time, and are now threatening the UK.

He said: "In Europe and the UK it has been getting progressively worse.”

“It is becoming more difficult to kill them. The bugs are becoming incredibly resistant and we don’t have the potent, long-lasting products that were so effective years ago."

It's believed that one of the reasons why they've become a bigger problem in the UK is that more people are travelling and bringing the pests into the country.

Bed bugs can hide in people's luggage and clothes and be carried to a new destination.

British Pest control expert Ranjen Gohri, from 24/7 Home Rescue, previously told Sun Online Travel that: “Bed bugs are becoming more and more common in the UK, and we’re close to approaching epidemic levels.

“We estimate there has been around a three-fold surge in bed bugs in recent years, based on information from our pest controllers.

"It is a particular problem in highly-populated areas where the bugs can spread easily.”

Now, travellers have been advised to stay vigilant when staying in hotels and to check their sheets before putting their bags down.

But it isn't just hotels where they can be found – planes can also harbour them.

Last year, Sun Online reported that a British Airways crew walked out before a flight due to an infestation.

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On a separate occasion, a mum and her young daughter were bitten by bed bugs while travelling by British Airways from Vancouver to London.

Sun Online Travel previously revealed the five-step S.L.E.E.P method, which can be used to find and tackle bed bugs.

It stands for: Survey the mattress for red or brown flecks, Lift furniture to check underneath, Elevate luggage to keep it from the floor, Examine bags before going home and Place clothes on hot cycles when back in the UK.

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