The sad truth about bed bugs is that there is very little you can do to avoid them. The little creatures are like Bad Boyfriends and the IRS: They can do everything right and still wake up in the middle of the night feeling itchy and scared. You’ll also likely have to spend a lot of time and money to get all three out of your life. While I don’t have much advice on which cities have the fewest bad friends and easiest tax forms to fill out, thanks to Orkin we know which places are bug paradises.
For the third consecutive year, Chicago is the city with the most bed bug infestations based on the number of bed bug treatments performed by Orkin between December 1, 2021 and November 30, 2022. For 2022, the top ten cities with the highest number of bed bug incidents recorded by Orkin were:
1.Chicago
2. New York
3.Philadelphia
4. Cleveland Akron
5.Los Angeles
6.Detroit
7. Indianapolis
8. Baltimore
9. Washington, D.C
10. Columbus
If you have never dealt with bed bugs before a) your days are numbered and b) you are probably unable to imagine how impossible it is to deal with them. For starters, a single bed bug is 3/16 inches long, which means it can be quite difficult to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for. They’re also nocturnal little vampires, feeding on humans while they sleep – meaning you’ll see them much less frequently during the day.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, which makes them difficult to control. As people begin to bulk up their travel plans this year, it’s important they know how to protect themselves through pest detection and appropriate control,” Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel said in a statement. “Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are visible to the naked eye but are excellent at hiding. It is recommended that a trained professional be consulted upon seeing a bed bug introduction.”
Perhaps the scariest part about these little bugs? You can hold on to your luggage and other belongings while you’re just getting from place to place.
“While it is important to be aware of bed bug infestations in hotels, taking precautions in other aspects of travel is also important. Taxis, buses and airplanes are also common hideouts for bed bugs, giving these pests a chance to ride along with unsuspecting travelers. Regular inspection of clothing and luggage during travel can help detect a bed bug infestation in its early stages,” Hotel explained.
I won’t go into detail on how even a single bed bug can wreak apocalyptic chaos in your home, but here’s what I’ll say: Learning how these bugs reproduce left me with waking nightmares for weeks in 2022 . So if you live in any of the above cities or just want to exercise caution, visit Orkin.com to learn everything you need to know about bed bug prevention and control.
