BALTIMORE, MD – Baltimore is known for a lot. It is home to the ravens and orioles. It is the birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe and John Waters.
But there’s one thing you don’t necessarily see on the surface in Baltimore: bed bugs.
It turns out that these tiny hitchhiking pests are very fond of our city, as shown by the latest numbers from Orkin of Atlanta, a company that specializes in pest control services.
In fact, Baltimore ranked second on the 2021 list for the second year in a row, according to Orkin.
Cities were ranked by where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments between December 1, 2019 and November 30, 2020. The ranking includes both private and commercial treatments.
So why share this creepy, crawling reveal now?
In just a few days, the National Pest Management Association will start Bed Bug Awareness Week, which will take place from June 6th to 12th. The aim of the campaign is to help people recognize bed bug infestations and know how to contain them.
The number of those keen to travel is also growing as more Americans are vaccinated against COVID-19.
On Memorial Day weekend, the Transportation Security Administration screened approximately 7.1 million people at U.S. airports. Around 1.9 million people traveled on Sunday – eight times more than on the same day in 2020.
With bed bugs commonly associated with travel, people need to stay vigilant – especially after months of coronavirus-related restrictions and bans, according to Cindy Mannes, executive director of the Professional Pest Management Alliance.
“Bed bugs can survive for several months without a blood meal and could be hungry if they survived unnoticed after fewer trips amid the pandemic,” Mannes said in a press release.
Still want to travel? Here’s a look at the top 10 bed bug cities of 2021, according to Orkin:
- Chicago, Illinois
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Washington, DC
- Detroit, Michigan
- Columbus, Ohio
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Los Angeles, California
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
Check out the full list of the top cities for bed bugs.
What is a bed bug? These insects are tiny – just under a quarter of an inch long, according to Orkin. They are usually dark brown or red in color and are hematophagous, which means that blood is their only source of food. Bed bugs ingest blood meals from sleeping people and can easily travel from place to place and stash in things like luggage, handbags, and other personal belongings.
If you are planning on traveling this summer, there are a few things you can do to keep bed bugs from coming home. Orkin recommends that people follow the “SLEEP” method to control possible bed bug infestation:
- S: Examine the room for signs of infestation. Look for small, black, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in upholstered furniture, and behind headboards. Bed bugs can even hide in power outlets and picture frames.
- L: Lift up and look in the hiding places of bed bugs: the mattress, box spring and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.
- E: Lift the luggage off the bed and away from the wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on shelves.
- E: Examine your luggage carefully when repacking and after returning from a trip. Always keep luggage away from the bed. Also, examine all used furniture and clothing before bringing them to your home and check them out after guests visit.
- P: When you return home, put all items of clothing from your luggage that are suitable for the dryer in the dryer for at least 45 minutes on the highest setting.
If you need more guidance on getting bed bugs out of your home, the Environmental Protection Agency has a step-by-step guide on how to assess and treat the infestation.
– By Megan VerHelst and Elizabeth Janney
