Fleas halt justice: Crown Court is closed for urgent fumigation to deal with infestation as experts warn the insects are on the rise this year
- Courtrooms closed as pests invade benches and docks, amid rising callouts
Hull Crown Court has temporarily closed due to a flea infestation that has left barristers scratching under their wigs and judges bashing the bugs with their gavels.
The HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said parts of the building had closed due to the infestation on Monday.
On Wednesday they confirmed the entire building had been closed and contractors were still on site, as Brits reckon with a rising number of insect infestations.
An HMCTS spokeswoman said: 'We have decided to temporarily close Hull Crown Court while we urgently work to resolve the issue. Any hearings impacted will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity.'
Experts say that public spaces can be hard to protect from infestations because of the sheer number of people passing through them.
Hull Crown Court has temporarily closed so it can be fumigated following a flea infestation
Flea numbers have risen to notably high levels in the UK, according to experts, as have levels of other pests such as bedbugs
Chris Welham, of Hull-based Elite Pest Control, said: 'It will be difficult to control given the number of people going in and out of courtrooms.
'Fumigation involves essentially filling every room and corridor with smoke or fog that is mixed with poison. The poison settles, killing the fleas.'
The mixed weather in the summer, followed by a cocktail of heavy rain and hot sunshine, and the onset of chillier nights, has proven to be the perfect cocktail for fleas to seek shelter in British homes.
Pharmacists at Chemist Direct have already reported a jump in sales of Anthisan flea bite cream.
A pest control company based in North-East, Invicta Environmental, has reported a 'major increase in calls relating to fleas in the region' including Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham and Middlesbrough.
Managing director Norman Smith said: 'The sudden spike in fleas raises concerns about public health and safety.
'Fleas are known carriers of diseases and can cause discomfort, allergic reactions, and in severe cases, transmit serious illnesses.
'Immediate action and education is required to address this issue and protect the well-being of the community.'
Nationally, Rentokil Pest Control has said flea infestations have increased by 47 per cent in a year, according to recent data, and experts believe 2023's unusual weather could be to blame.
The country saw its warmest June since 1884 followed by above average rainfall in July, making this provisionally the wettest July since 2009.
Fleas thrive in moist, warm conditions and the recent weather has created the perfect breeding conditions during what is often referred to as 'flea season'.
Paul Blackhurst, head of technical academy at Rentokil, said: 'Fleas are a common household pest, particularly for those with pets.
'Seeing fleas jumping around can be alarming and their bites can cause an uncomfortable itch or a reactive rash, particularly around legs and ankles.
'Prevention of fleas is difficult as they usually enter properties on a pet, and then can quickly find refuge in carpets and bedding.
'They are able to jump long distances and move between pets and property with ease.
'There are 62 species of flea in the UK, the most common being the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis, each with different habits, which can make treating them difficult.
'They thrive in warm conditions, but their eggs can remain dormant for up to two years in colder temperatures and the larvae will emerge when the conditions are right.'
It's expected to get worse in the next few weeks as fleas multiply and want to get indoors with us before winter bites.
'Uber-fleas' that are ultra-virile and leap from female to female are spreading, and are thought to be resistant to shop-bought flea powders.
The UK's mixed bag of weather in recent months - combining warm and humid conditions with heavy rainfall - has created the perfect environment for pests to multiply
Bedbug numbers are also on the rise in the UK, with a 65 per cent rise in the number of cases reported across the UK
Pet experts Bob Martin said: 'It's really important that all pet owners keep on top of prevention and treatments, and ensure they're aware of the risks associated with flea, tick and worm infestations.
'It can be a nuisance at best, or at worst, life threatening for you and your pet. On rare occasions tick bites can cause Lyme Disease in humans, a potentially life-threatening infection, and, as well as being itchy and painful, flea bites can also transmit other harmful diseases.
'Many people are surprised to learn that only five per cent of fleas are on your pet - the remainder are in your home, in the form of flea eggs and larvae.
'As a result, it's incredibly easy for infestations to spread rapidly in our homes as these flea eggs hatch. You can take steps to avoid this, but consistency is key.
'Your dogs, cats and your home should be treated with a flea and tick control product to keep you and them safe from unwanted parasites.'
Better central heating and house insulation has made life cosy for fleas, bed bugs and head lice all year round, and their numbers have jumped.
The life cycle of some fleas can be up to 12 months, even in empty flats and houses, warns the British Pest Control Association.
'They have an ability to go into a sort of suspended animation,' it said.
'Even if you go into a flat which has been unoccupied for a year, their cocoons can be set off again by the carbon dioxide in people's breath.'
Female fleas give birth at an incredible rate, with up to fifty babes a day, meaning the skin-biters can spread very quickly and infest bedrooms and living rooms.
Pest controllers Basis Prompt warned one reason for the population surge is people leaving central heating on longer and longer each year.
But the heat in homes gives fleas and bedbugs ideal places to hide away in the winter and emerge to start breeding in the spring.
Basis Prompt says you may not even know they're there till you start itching and scratching.
Favourite flea target areas are low down - around the ankles or legs - while bed bugs will happily target all over the body.
Doctors say flea bites usually appear as red spots with reddened haloes, are very itchy, and are commonly found on the feet and legs.
Bites should be washed with soap and water and then an antiseptic cream should be applied. If the bite is painful or swollen, take a painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen and use an antihistamine cream such as Anthisan.
The RSPCA says that a flea can live from between 14 days up to one year, with the female laying up to 50 eggs a day, although they can survive without a host for many months.
Changing your bedsheets more often could prevent pests such as fleas returning following an infestation
The British Pest Control Association recommends regularly treating pets with flea treatment and removing infested bedding and regularly treating walls and floors to prevent the pests returning.
But YouGov say that two out of three British adults only change their bed linen at least once every two weeks, and only a third do so weekly. One in 10 of us only change the sheets monthly.
Asked by the pollsters when they considered unwashed sheets to become unhygienic, half of those polled said between two and three weeks.
As to when they became 'disgusting', women said five weeks on average, while men said six.
The older we get the more fussy we are about clean linen - among 18 to 24-year-olds, 37 per cent said they were 'au naturels' and only 16 per cent were weekly washers.
But among the over-sixties, 42 per cent laundered sheets every week and only 14 per cent left their bedding for more than three weeks without a wash.
A staggering 45 per cent of Brits have never washed their pillows and duvets - despite the fact a third of the weight of a two year old pillow is made up of dead skin and dust mite poo.
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