Sunday, June 01, 2014

Blood suckers

They can blame it on mass tourism or on squatters, the fact is that Madrid is suffering a plague of bedbugs and the situation is getting out of control. There has apparently been a 70% increase in calls for the public health department to fumigate houses.

These insects, which bite humans and suck their blood, are very hard to eradicate or even control. They were considered virtually extinct for over fifty years but have now re-appeared in Spain and it is not just in Madrid. There are also reports of infestations along the route to Santiago de Compostela where pilgrims stay in hostels.

In an effort to get rid of these pests, people have taken to putting infected mattresses in the street but then they have to stand guard as others try to take them away.

Between bedbugs and mosquitoes, it seems that the insect world in Spain is after our blood which we would rather keep to ourselves thank you.

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