Paris is infested with bedbugs: Can they fly home with you? Expert explains

A growing bedbug crisis in Paris is making people's skin crawl and sparking concerns about the blood-sucking insects spreading to other cities worldwide.

Videos of bedbugs crawling around the Paris metro have gone viral on social media, and there have been reports of bedbug sightings in movie theaters and Paris's main international airport, NBC News reported.

The infestation has ignited panic among residents and tourists alike — with the 2024 Olympics less than one year away, officials have been called upon to take action.

Some are concerned that the bedbug problem could spread beyond France. In the wake of Paris Fashion Week, thousands of people are traveling home, stoking fears that the bugs may hitchhike on flights.

Bedbugs are already found all over the world — but more recently, they have been spreading rapidly in parts of the United States and Europe, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The small, flat, parasitic insects feed on people’s blood at night as they sleep, per the CDC. Although bedbugs do not spread diseases, they can cause itchy bites, lost sleep and a lot of annoyance.

Bedbugs usually live around places where people sleep, such as apartments, hotels, shelters or dorms, according to the CDC. The nocturnal insects like to hide in the seams of mattresses, box springs, behind bed frames, and in crevices of furniture.

However, bedbugs can be anywhere their host lives, per the Environmental Protection Agency. They can infest public spaces, trains, buses and taxis.

"You never know if the person next to you at the coffee shop, movie theater, library, train, etc. is dealing with bedbugs at home,” Matt Frye, Ph.D., a community extension educator with the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University, tells TODAY.com via email.

Can bed bugs travel back on planes?

Yes, bedbugs can make their way onto airplanes — even in first class. "Bedbugs can survive on planes inside luggage, and any other form of transportation," says Frye.

The insects may hide in seats, overhead storage compartments, or tag along in passengers' bags or clothes.

Bedbugs can survive for a long time between blood meals, say Frye, up to several weeks or even months. The hearty bugs can also live in temperatures as low as 46 degrees Fahrenheit, per the EPA — so they can easily hold up long-haul international flights.

Infestations have been associated with the travel and hospitality industries for decades, says Frye.

"One of the ways that bedbug populations expand is by hitchhiking on personal belongings," he explains. For example, if someone stays in a hotel room with bedbugs and their items become infested, those bedbugs can stow away and be transported elsewhere.

"If precautions are not taken upon arrival, then bugs could crawl off of those belongings and establish themselves in someone’s home," says Frye. When pregnant female bedbugs engage in this behavior, it can ignite a new infestation if the conditions are right.

"Foreign travel was considered one of the contributing factors for the modern bedbug resurgence that occurred in the early 2000s," he adds.

It can be difficult to know if you have bedbugs due to their reclusive nature. If you can't find the live bugs, you may notice black or rust-colored stains they leave behind on fabric or their exoskeletons, TODAY.com previously reported.

Sometimes, the only clear sign you have bedbugs are itchy, red clusters of bites on the skin. These may resemble mosquito or flea bites, or form a line, and can take up to 14 days to develop, per the CDC. Bedbugs will often bite parts of the body that aren't tightly covered at night, such as the ankles, legs, arms, back, neck or face.

Tips for travelers

“One of the challenges with travel exposure is that some people may not react to bedbug bites right away or at all, making it difficult to know if they encountered the bugs,” says Frye.

Bedbugs are not going away, so Frye recommends taking precautions every time you travel, including:

• Upon arrival, check hotel rooms for any signs of bedbugs.

• Inspect bed linens, mattress seams and behind headboards.

• Consider keeping clothing in airtight plastic bags.

• Place bags on luggage racks and never on beds.

• Before leaving, inspect all clothing, personal items and luggage for signs of bedbugs.

• Dry all clothing on high heat (at least 125 degrees Fahrenheit) to kill bed bugs before unpacking.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com