The great plague of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) that has been unleashed in Paris – with special impact on the subway, cinemas and other public services – has increased concern and has even caused a certain alarm in many fearful citizens. that this problem has the same dimension in Catalonia. All this has coincided with the worsening of the plague of the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), which does not bite or bother people but does damage plants and crops. And all this has contributed to creating a certain social alert.
However, “this psychosis is not justified,” explains Quim Sendra, president of the Catalan Association of Environmental Health Companies (Adepap). The services of disinfection companies have seen an increase in inquiries, but the number of services has not grown. His spokespersons say that there is no need for a bedbug infestation to come from Paris. The plague is already here. Although luckily "it doesn't have the degree of infestation of Paris, far from it," says Sendra.
In Catalonia, the incidence of bed bug infestations is at levels similar to those of the pre-pandemic era. “There is no greater incidence than before,” they say. There may be cases of a greater presence or specific or cyclical activity located in specific municipalities or areas, but it responds to a very random casuistry. In any case, the message is clear: “We must not let our guard down. Bed bugs are everywhere. Where there is tourism and movement of people there are bedbugs,” says Quim Sendra. And “if adequate control measures are not taken, the bed bug infestation expands,” he says, alluding to the situation in Paris.
Bed bugs travel with tourism. They don't walk, they don't fly, "but they move through our luggage," say the technicians in charge of combating the plague. These insects usually arrive in homes, in most cases transported on clothing or in travel suitcases. Therefore, a focus that must be controlled are hotels, guesthouses, hostels and similar establishments. The recovery of tourism, the activation of travel and the holding of large congresses motivated a significant increase in demand for this service in 2022. But in recent times the situation has stabilized.
Fortunately, bed bugs do not transmit diseases, unlike ticks and fleas. The bites cause simple, unimportant, but very annoying skin lesions.
The new concern now focuses on the plague of the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) or bernat marró marbrejat in Catalan, an insect characterized by its brownish shell on its back. “We are very concerned about this pest from an agricultural point of view,” says Jordi Giné, head of the Plant Health service of the Generalitat. This invasive insect enters homes to spend the winter (and hibernate), and can become visible on curtains, beds or balconies, which can cause more than one scare. Likewise, it is housed in warehouses, vehicles and other closed places. “There are citizens who feel worried because, although it does nothing to people (it does not sting), it is a somewhat large insect (1.7 cm long in the adult phase) and produces disgust,” explains Gené.
Originally from Asia, it was detected in Europe in 2007 and its presence caused alarm due to the damage caused to fruit crops in Italy. In Catalonia it was seen for the first time in 2016, and since 2018 actions have been carried out to monitor and control it, especially to avoid damage to crops, as it eats a wide variety of plants (51 different species of fruit trees and horticultural crops). , among other).
The greatest presence is located in Girona, especially in the La Selva region, where this year it has caused damage to hazelnuts, while it has been seen in smaller proportions in Tarragona (Cunit, Calafell...), where it has caused certain damage. alarm in passers-by, and inspections continue in Lleida, Barcelona area, Baix Llobregat or Maresme.
The Halyomorpha (a prolific animal, with three generations in a year) resembles some of the native bedbug species, with the particularity that its antennas have white stripes on each of them. Giné emphasizes that, despite everything, they are harmless, and can be captured relatively easily with a vacuum cleaner or by sweeping them. “They catch themselves and drown in a glass of water,” he says. They can also be left in a bag exposed to the sun. There is no reason, then, for psychosis.
