According to Orkin Canada, bed bugs were down 20% in 2020, but it won’t be long before they get back on track
The good news is that the number of bed bugs across the country fell by 20 percent in 2020.
The bad news is that Orkin Canada’s Sudbury ranks # 2 in the country’s top 10 bed bug cities. The results are based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments the company has performed over the past year.
Toronto ranks first on the list of bed bug cities, while Oshawa, Vancouver, St. Johns, Scarborough, Whitby, Edmonton, and Ottawa complete the list.
“Some hitchhikers just couldn’t ride in 2020,” Orkin said in a press release. “Bed bug sightings, which are a growing problem in Canadian cities generally, are down nearly 20 percent nationally from last year.”
Because of their ability to cling to people, clothing, and furniture, all that is required for bedbugs to travel long distances is an airline or bus seat, an unsuspecting office, or a house or hotel with changing visitors.
Travel bans, stay-at-home orders, and a general shift to remote work have resulted in fewer hitchhikers getting around for the first time since Orkin Canada’s annual survey was published five years ago.
As a hematophagous (blood is its only source of food) creature, a bed bug’s only function is to find people to eat, a task most often performed between midnight and 5 a.m.
“These dedicated workers travel up to 100 feet in search of a meal, which is a long journey for a creature less than a quarter of an inch in length,” Orkin said.
However, as the economy opens up, bed bugs are expected to be back in business, the company said. Because of their ability to double the population roughly every 16 days, bedbugs shouldn’t have a hard time getting their grip on the Canadian market again.
Affected Canadians can use proactive prevention tips such as carefully inspecting bags and clothing, drying potentially infected bedding or clothing on the highest heat setting, and inspecting any used or returned office furniture. A pest control professional can also be called if the task is too big or if you feel like you’ve slipped out excessively.
In 2020, Nickel City was number 9 on the list of bed bugs, while the city was ranked eighth in 2019.
