These are the worst bed bug cities in the U.S., Orkin says
(KDVR) — Do you feel itchy, yet? A national pest control company released a new report of the top U.S. cities with the worst bed bug problems.
Orkin recorded the metro areas where it performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2022, to Nov. 30, 2023.
According to Orkin, bed bugs have "small, flat, oval-shaped bodies" and are wingless. Adult bed bugs are brown, but their bodies can turn reddish after feeding. These critters are also hematophagous, which means they only feed off of blood.
Even if you've steered clear of hotels, you should still check your mattress for these pests.
What cities have the most bed bugs?
Orkin's ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments:
- Chicago, Illinois
- New York, New York
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Cleveland-Akron, Ohio
- Los Angeles, California
- Detroit, Michigan
- Washington, D.C.
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Champaign, Illinois
- Columbus, Ohio
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Denver, Colorado
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Richmond, Virginia
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Youngstown, Ohio
The full list of 50 cities can be found here.
Check for bed bugs
Before you get too grossed out, there are ways to check for creepy crawlers.
At home
Orkin recommends checking your home regularly for signs of bed bugs.
- Look at places like mattress tags and seams as well as behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames.
- Inspect your house when you move in, after a trip, when a service worker visits or after guests stay overnight.
- Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs.
- Examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.
During travel
Orkin recommends using the acronym S.L.E.E.P. when you're traveling.
- Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation like ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.
- Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring, furniture, behind baseboards, pictures, torn wallpaper.
- Elevate your luggage away from the bed and wall and move it to the bathroom or counters.
- Examine your luggage while repacking and after you're home. Store luggage away from the bed.
- Place clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest setting after you're home.
Ohio had the most cities in the top 20 this year, with four, according to Orkin.
Three cities saw major increases in treatment numbers, vaulting them up the list from last year's position. Greensboro, North Carolina, shot up 25 slots, cracking the top 20. Milwaukee climbed 15 slots, while Tampa rose 10.
Bed bugs aren't just keeping people up at night in the U.S. In recent months government officials in France, which will host the Olympics in July, has tried to calm the public after viral social media videos purported to show bed bug infestations on trains and buses.
In Greece, the health ministry turned to the police for help after someone launched a hoax campaign to scare tourists.