Shortly after Denver was named as one of the most rat-infested cities in the United States, a new report suggests Denver may have another type of pest to worry about — bed bugs.
Bed bugs are a hardy type of blood-feeding pest that typically infest places where people sleep, such as mattresses and sofas. Although they don’t spread disease, bed bug bites can cause excessive itching and discomfort.
Orkin, the statewide pest control agency, recently shared a list of the metro areas where it performed the most bed bug treatments in 2022. It included data for both residential and commercial infestations to make the determination.
Denver eventually ranked 15th on the “bed bugs” list, up two spots since 2021 and seven spots since 2020, according to Orkin.
In 2021, Northern Colorado Pest and Wildlife Control reported a “huge increase” in bed bug calls since 2004.
Chicago topped the list for the third consecutive year, followed by New York and Los Angeles.
If you think you have bed bugs, the CDC recommends that you look for shed bed bug exoskeletons, look in the folds and crevices of mattresses and sheets, and look for rust-colored bloodstains. If an infestation is confirmed, they suggest that you contact a service experienced in treating bed bugs for help.
Orkin’s full list of bed bug cities can be found here.
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