A health official warned that bed bugs, which were mostly eradicated in Beijing decades ago, have reappeared in the capital, Beijing Times reported on Aug 11.

Zeng Xiaopeng, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the center's staff have investigated a dozen houses where family members reported being bitten by the insects.

Feeding on the blood of human and other warm-blooded animals, bed bugs are one of the most widespread human parasites, which prefer to hide in mattresses, wall cracks and ceilings during the day and come out at night, Zeng said.

Bed bugs can cause skin rashes on humans, which can last for several days.

Zeng reminded residents that they should keep a clean environment at home.

Experts said the capital's recent high temperatures and rainy weather may have contributed to the rise of bed bugs.