Life Hack: How to know if you have bedbugs and what to do if you find them in your home

Amid reports of a bedbug surge in Paris, here's what to do if you find yourself sharing a bed with blood-sucking insect

What can I do if I have a bedbug infestation? Picture: iStock

What are bedbugs and how do they get into homes?

Bedbugs are blood-sucking insects that feed on humans and animals. They are a reddish-brown colour, flat with oval-shaped bodies and have no wings. They are usually five to seven millimetres long. Young bedbugs are smaller and are sometimes translucent or yellow in colour. Bedbug eggs are tiny and white. Bedbugs cannot fly but they move quickly. They usually make their way to new places — like your bed — by travelling from a nearby apartment in the same building, or being transported directly from second-hand furniture or in your luggage if you were staying in an infested location.