Welp, Buffalo, we did it again. If it’s not roaches or rats, then it’s bed bugs. Buffalo is one of two New York cities ranked in the top 30 for bed bug problems.
CDC/CDC-DPDx; Blaine Mathison via EPA.gov
CDC/CDC-DPDx; Blaine Mathison via EPA.gov
The common bed bug has long been a pest – feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and generally irritating its human hosts. The Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United States Department of Agriculture consider bed bugs to be public health pests. However, unlike most public health pests, bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease. ~ US Environmental Protection Agency
We’ve all heard horror stories from people who found bed bugs in their hotel rooms. There have even been infestations in less obvious places like Walmart fitting rooms. In February 2016, a 96-year-old Pennsylvania woman, Mary Stoner, died of complications from bed bug bites, according to KCEN! Her 72-year-old caretaker, Deborah Butler, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and neglect of care.
Buffalo is one of two New York cities that has a major bed bug problem
Exterminators are tackling the growing bed bug problem in the US
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Pest control company Orkin has released its list of the 50 cities with the biggest bed bug problems for 2023.
The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022. The ranking includes both domestic and commercial treatments.
The good news, if there is any, is that Buffalo isn’t the worst city in New York. Can you guess which one is? You probably guessed New York City, and if so, you’re right.
New York City made the list and ended up at the top. The problem has actually gotten worse as New York rose one spot from No. 3 last year.
NY Waterway welcomes visitors with enhanced services
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Buffalo has slightly improved its bed bug problem since it was No. 28 last year.