They're baaack...well, actually they never really left. Ranging from around seven down to just one milimetre (a quarter to 1/32 of an inch).in size, cimex lectualarius lurk on mattresses and sheets an feed on your blood - usually at night while you sleep, and can cause reactions from patches of redness to good-size blisters, usually accompanied by itching and occasionally allergic symptoms. Bed bugs are tenacious - able to survive nearly a year without feeding - and getting rid of them is a bloody pain, with methods including superheating affected rooms; washing affected bedding and clothing in very hot water; and frequent and thorough vacuuming. Bed bugs have especially burrowed into the news headlines in recent days because of fears of a widespread outbreak of "punaises" in Paris. But it´s not just the City of Blight - they´ve been on the rise across the world since the 1990s, boosted in part by the explosion in travel. So they´re a fact of travel life, but there are a few ways you can minimise their impacts: 

Read more in Tripatini contributor Simon Hopes´ post Don´t Let the Bed Bugs Bite! 7 Tips to Keep Them from Ruining Your Holiday.

 Picryl