Why bed bugs are arriving in Morocco and how to protect yourself from them

Until now, Morocco had been protected from this small pest, which had almost disappeared but has been spreading around the world again for around 25 years.

Bedbugs travel a lot, and one of their favourite modes of transport is the suitcase, which picks them up at the hotel and drops them off at your home.

So it was only logical that these pests, which are invasive but not really dangerous, should arrive in Morocco.

What are bed bugs?

The bed bug is a small insect that can survive аnуthіng. Scientific studies have shown that bed bugs were already present in the time of the dinosaurs! This makes them particularly difficult to eradicate once they’ve made themselves at home.

In the large family of bedbugs, only two species (Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus by their scientific names) feed on human blood and therefore invade our clothes and bedding. As the latter is a tropical insect, it is the former, the classic bedbug, that is likely to be found in Morocco.

It is also a very discreet insect, essentially nocturnal, which only leaves its hiding place to feed and spends most of its life hidden, since it only feeds once a week on average.

Recognising bed bugs

The adult bed bug is a small insect less than a centimetre long but visible to the naked eye (between 3 and 9 millimetres for the largest). They are brown in colour, darker when they have just fed. They have a segmented, fairly flattened body and short antennae. The “young” (nymphs) are of course smaller, white and even almost trаnѕраrеnt.

Bed bugs can be confused with other insects, notably the (very) small cockroaches that are fairly easy to find in Morocco. They move rather slowly.

When crushed, it might gives off a bad smell.

The life cycle of the bed bug

The whitish, one-millimetre egg hatches after ten to 14 days. The nymph passes through five stages, with a blood meal at each one, with about a week between each stage. The adult will live for around nine months, during which time a female will lay between 300 and 500 eggs.

In difficult conditions (cold, lack of food), bed bugs can go into semi-hibernation and extend their lifespan to a maximum of 24 months (without increasing the number of eggs laid).

How bed bugs feed

The bedbug does not bite like the mosquito, but pierces the skin by tearing it with its beak. This is what makes the bite so irritating. It takes three or four “bites” for them to be completely filled with blood.

Nymphs and adults feed about once a week. A bedbug needs about twеntу minutes to feed.

The rest of the time it hides. In or near bedding (skirting boards, electrical sockets).

Bed bugs are sensitive to temperature

But less than many insects, which is one of the reasons why it is difficult to exterminate.

It enters semi-hibernation below 16°C (60° F) and can survive for at least 5 days at -10°C (14° F), and only a quarter of an hour below -32°C (-25° F).

It cannot tolerate temperatures above 45°C (104° F) and dies very quickly, in less than ten minutes.

Between these two extremes, however, it tolerates a lack of humidity very well.

The female lays her eggs if the temperature is between 14°C (57° F) and 27°C (81° F).

The dangers of bed bugs

Unlike other insects, such as certain mosquitoes that can transmit malaria, dengue fever or the Zika virus (which will one day arrive in Morocco), or the tiny insects that transmit leishmaniasis (still found in the south of the country), the bed bug is not a disease vector. It “only” bites humans to feed on their blood.

However :

Its sting can be very irritating

It depends above all on the frequency and number of stings. For some people, there will be no rеасtіоn at all, while for others there will simply be small spots. In most cases, bedbugs leave itchy spots.

In the most intense cases, the bites will trigger allergic reactions, either asthma or even anaphylactic attacks.

It is possible that the person scratches too hard, creating micro-places in the skin and over-infecting the whole area.

We suspect bed bugs can carry bacteria but it is not proven

Bed bugs do not host pathogens that they can use as a reservoir to infect humans. But they can come into contact with them and carry them on their skin and the wоunԁѕ they cause when they eat.

This is how Trench Fever, which wreaked havoc during the First World War, reappeared. There have also been cases of bedbugs carrying staphylococcus aureus or enterococcus, two bacteria that can cause serious health problems.

Are there many bedbugs in Morocco?

Morocco’s relative ԁrуnеѕѕ and high temperatures do not, on the face of it, make it a very favourable playground for bedbugs. So far, it hasn’t been a problem. Moroccans have enough to do with cockroaches… No statistics yet.

We know that in France, more than 10% of homes have or have had bed bugs, and that they are beginning to be seen in public transport. In Morocco, the figure is certainly much lower.

Several travellers mention having seen them in hotels or riads well before this year, in Marrakesh, Essaouira, Chefchaouen…

How can bedbugs spread in Morocco?

Like everywhere else in the world, bedbugs are spread first and foremost by travellers.

Hence the need for border surveillance, which is how, a few days ago, the authorities at the port of Tangier Med announced that a boat from Marseille contained bedbugs.

The authorities pulled out all the stops to prevent any risk, cleaning and ѕtеrіlіѕіng the boat and its cargo, including passenger vehicles and luggage, before finally allowing everyone to disembark.

Weather conditions in Morocco are not very favourable to bed bugs

The lack of central heating in the homes means that bedbugs often live in the cold in winter. Summers are very hot, and springs are often quite short. Compared with its preferred temperature range, the bed bug is not exactly at its best in Morocco.

But what about…

The traditional Moroccan way of life will encourage the invasion of bed bugs

Moroccan sofa lounges, with their tlalet and many cushions, are used as guest rooms when the family is invited. Numerous blankets are stored in a corner of the living room to be used in the evening, for sleeping or simply to protect against the cold in winter.

Even with perfect hygiene and regular cleaning, traditional woollen mattresses are very heavy and are not turned over every day. The carpets are huge, and when they are washed it’s not with very hot water.

All this means that once Cimex lectularius has entered Morocco, it can spread very easily.

How do you know if you have bed bugs in your home?

There’s no need to panic. For the moment, there is no more risk than 2 or 3 years ago.

If you have not been bitten, or have been bitten very little, as a preventive measure you should look for bed bugs in the nоокѕ and crannies where they hide. Most bed bugs can be seen in mattresses and bedroom cupboards, where tiny black dots are their droppings,

You can also see little white dots, which are the eggs, dead skin and finally, when you lift the mattress and especially the sheets, the bedbugs themselves.

How can I avoid bringing bedbugs home?

Inspect your sleeping area

We’ll look for the same signs to check that there are no bed bugs.

Until you’ve done this, it’s best not to open your luggage or put it on the bed. You can, for example, put it in the shower or bath or on the bathroom floor.

Avoid using cupboards in hotels

It’s difficult to inspect everything perfectly. So avoid using chests of drawers or wardrobes, and leave your clothes in your suitcase. And if you do take your clothes out, it’s best to put them in a plastic bag.

Changing rooms or hotels

If the worst-case scenario occurs and you discover bedbugs, you can ask to change rooms. But there’s a good chance that it’s also harbouring bedbugs. In that case, the best thing to do is change hotel.

How do you get rid of bed bugs?

Bed bugs had virtually disappeared thanks to the use of insecticides, particularly DDT. Like many parasites, they have developed a resistance that partly explains their reappearance. There are other insecticides available today, but it’s best to avoid them, to prevent them developing new resistance. The best treatments are therefore temperature-based, combined with a chemical treatment.

As bed bugs are resistant to lower temperatures than those available in our homes, heat and steam are the only options.

If you intervene early enough, you don’t need to treat the whole house.

Washing machine cycles: 60°C (140° F) or 90°C (194° F).

Bed bugs die within 7 minutes at a temperature of 47°C (117° F). Running cycles at even higher temperatures will ensure you get rid of these pests completely.

Steam ironing also kills bed bugs.

Ironing, especially with steam, is also your ally. The advantage is that you can use the iron on textiles that you can’t put in the washing machine, such as the famous tlalets and cushions on Moroccan sofas or carpets. To be effective, you’ll need to iron the same area several times.

Steam cleaning of mattresses, sofas and carpets

Home cleaning companies now offer steam cleaning of your mattresses, sofas and carpets at a reasonable price. It’s an economical solution that I recommend, especially as it gets rid of dust mites.

It’s sufficient only in the very early stages of an invasion. After that, bedbugs can hide in skirting boards, under rugs, under electrical sockets… and then you have to resort to chemical treatment!

Under certain conditions, cold temperatures can kill bed bugs

The treatments offered in some countries, based on liquid nitrogen or storage in professional freezers, are not available in Morocco.

However, if you live in a mountainous region, you may be able to store your various items and clothing for a good week outdoors. The problem is that this is when you’ll need your blankets the most..

Chemical treatments must be applied by professionals

In serious cases, insecticides such as permethrin or pyrethroids, which are also used in small doses in flea treatments, must be used. These are cumbersome procedures, as the sprays have to be repeated several times, and all the inhabitants have to leave the house. Fortunately, for the time being, there is no need to carry out such operations in Morocco.

Discarded bedbug-infested furniture should be taken directly to the waste collection centre, or at least marked as bedbug-infested and therefore dangerous, to prevent contamination of those who might take it back.

Mistakes to avoid when dealing with bed bugs

Believing that the presence of bed bugs indicates a lack of hygiene

With everything I’ve explained, I hope you’ve understood that if you have bed bugs in your home, it’s certainly not because your house is “dirty” and you’re not doing your housework properly. A visitor may well have brought them into your home unnoticed.

Not talking about it

However, once you know you have it, you need to warn your visitors so that they are wary and take precautions. In the land of the ‘hachouma’, this can be difficult, but it is necessary to avoid spreading.

Moving infected items

Don’t throw infected items into the street without treating them. You know how rubbish bins are regularly іnѕресtеԁ and emptied, and how ragpickers take whatever they can and sell it. Your discarded clothes and furniture will not be cleaned to kill bedbugs, which will continue to move from house to house.

Not intervening quickly enough or using the right methods.

Natural” remedies, recipes and even mattress toppers can prevent bed bugs from arriving. But when they do arrive, you need to treat them quickly and effectively:

• Clothes, suitcases, small objects: steam may be enough
• Invasion of bedding: professional treatment.

Finding the right professional to fight bed bugs

Calling in a specialist professional is an effective way of getting rid of the infestation, particularly if it is detected late (bedbugs visible in broad daylight) or if the bites have become a daily occurrence.

Steam cleaning

There are lots of companies offering home steam cleaning.

Chemical + steam treatment

This requires specific skills and equipment.

The profession is fairly unregulated in Morocco, so the risk of coming across a charlatan or pseudo-specialist is fairly high. It’s best to choose the company that will implement the right curative methods.

A professional association working in partnership with the Ministry of Health (AM3D) has set up a directory of listed companies that meet quality criteria (trained staff and companies with references, recognised for their specialisation).

You can consult the directory here, or contact them for advice: +(212)6 98 07 67 69 or am3d.info@gmail.com

Some of the members companies can work in English.

Bedbugs and tourism in Morocco

In tourist accommodation

There’s nothing special to say about Moroccan hotels, which are on the same footing as all the hotels in the world.

However, in traditional guest houses, riads, homestays and AirBnb, the risks are greater and you can’t possibly inspect every sofa in the living room!

If bedbugs become established in Morocco, we will need to intervene very quickly and train the players in a sector that has already been hit hard by the Covid crisis and very recently by the earthquake.

Morocco cannot afford bad publicity of this kind.

The first steps have been taken with the Am3D association.

In the circuits

I haven’t managed to find precise statistics, but many tourists are not content with a stay in a given town, in a hotel or in a club. The first discovery of Morocco is often a tour, where the little bug clinging to a travel bag will lay its eggs in a different hotel each еѵеnіng…

In conclusion, don’t panic, but keep an eye on things

This time, the bedbugs have not entered Morocco, and checks will continue, although they will not be able to stop everything. All we have to do is pay attention and apply some basic rules, whether abroad or in Morocco, to prevent this detestable parasite from spreading here. These days, prevention is better than cure!

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