Paddling pools breed plague of blood-suckers

Families are warned over stagnant water as heatwave provides ideal conditions for biting insects to thrive

PADDLING pools are attracting plagues of biting insects and should be removed from family gardens, experts have warned.

There has been a surge in reports of insect bites during the country’s longest heatwave for 40 years, and doctors are reporting incidents of patients being treated in hospital for infected horsefly bites.

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has warned that standing water, such as garden paddling pools, where insects thrive, should be removed.

Calls to the NHS 111 helpline about insect bites last week were nearly double the average for this time of year, figures released by Public Health England show.

Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, told the BBC: “We wouldn’t normally see anyone coming to hospital for a bite, but we have seen a few recently needing treatment with antibiotics, which is very unusual.

“A couple of these were infected bites from horseflies, which give one of the nastier bites because they take a chunk out of you.”

Temperatures peaked in the UK between the last week of June and the first week of July, when 82F (28C) was recorded at various locations every day. And earlier this month, Argos announced its biggest week ever for paddling pools, with around 154,000 pools sold.

Scientists said that a wet spring, followed by such a prolonged period of hot weather, provided the perfect conditions for insects to thrive.

The BPCA said it had received inquiries from across the country and that rural areas were more likely to see an increase in bites and stings due to the presence of livestock, and access to standing water in troughs, ponds and marshes, which provide a food source and a breeding environment.

Natalie Bungay, a BPCA field officer, said the heatwave marked a clear change in weather patterns for the UK, with more people outdoors than usual, increasing opportunities for insects.

Ms Bungay said: “After a prolonged period of hot weather, or rather without cold and uncomfortable conditions for invertebrate pests, insect numbers may see an increase and infestations can develop if left alone.

“This, for some invertebrate species, is more likely to be in rural locations, which will generally have more available breeding opportunities in ponds, marshes and other types of standing water. For blood-sucking insects such as horseflies, the countryside also gives access to food sources, mainly cows and horses grazing in fields.”

According to BPCA, the top five most common bites and stings are false black widow spiders, mosquitos, horse flies, wasps and hornets.

Ms Bungay added: “Horsefly bites are particularly painful because … they can take their food without having to worry about delivering a painful bite.”

There is always a price to be paid for such glorious weather. This year it has come in the shape of the horsefly. Families with paddling pools in the garden are being warned that they are breeding grounds for the insects and need to be drained. Those who remember the summer of 1976 will remember the plague of ladybirds that accompanied the unbroken sunshine and high temperatures. They were so plentiful that they crunched underfoot. But they were harmless compared to horseflies, which in the worst cases can cause infections and require antibiotics to treat. If we travel to hot climes overseas we routinely use insect repellent and mosquito nets. We need to do the same here if this weather continues.