Mattress bug sightings decreased practically 20 per cent in Canada: survey

We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t let the bed bugs bite,” but for some, especially those who live in the GTA, it’s more than just a saying.

Orkin Canada released its annual bed bug survey on Tuesday (January 26), and this year’s results showed promising results.

Based on the results, bed bug sightings are down nearly 20 percent year over year – the biggest drop since Orkin’s survey began five years ago.

The decrease is due to lengthy lockouts during much of 2020, as well as home orders and a general shift of many employees to work from home.

However, as businesses reopen and employees return to work, Orkin predicts a further spike in bed bug infestations, largely due to their ability to travel long distances and the fact that the population doubles every 16 days.

The results are based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments the company performed in 2020.

According to the survey, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Oshawa, Sudbury, and Toronto were the five most severely affected Canadian cities in ascending order.

Also, Hamilton was the most heavily infested city on the 13th, while Mississauga was the 16th and Brampton was the 25th.