Philly ranks #Three for cities with probably the most mattress bugs

Philadelphia (WPHL) – There are some lists you want to be at the top of and others you wish you hadn’t…Philadelphia has made the top 5 on the list of cities with the occupied by most bed bugs.

According to annual data from pest control company Orkin, here are the 50 cities in the US with the most bed bugs compared to last year’s numbers:

1. Chicago
2. New York (+1)
3. Philly (-1)
4. Cleveland-Akron, OH (+4)
5. Los Angeles (+7)
6. Detroit (-2)
7. Indianapolis (-1)
8. Baltimore (-3)
9. Washington, D.C. (-2)
10. Columbus, Ohio (-1)
11. Champaign, IL (+2)
12. Grand Rapids, Michigan (-1)
13. Cincinnati (-3)
14. Charlotte (+1)
15. Denver (+2)
16. Atlanta (-2)
17. Dallas-Ft. value (-1)
18. Pittsburgh (+2)
19. Charleston, West Virginia (+3)
20. Raleigh Durham (+4)
21. Flint, MI (+2)
22. San Francisco (-3)
23. Norfolk, VA (+2)
24. Greenville, SC (-3)
25. Saint Louis (-7)
26. Richmond, Va
27. Youngstown (+10)
28. South Bend, IN (+5)
29. Buffalo, New York (-1)
30. Knoxville (-1)
31. Cedar Rapids, IA (-1)
32. Omaha, New Zealand (-5)
33. Nashville (+1)
34. Dayton, Ohio (-2)
35. feet Wayne, IN (+1)
36. Harrisburg (+6)
37. Davenport (-2)
38. Toledo (-7)
39. Seattle (+5)
40. Milwaukee (-2)
41. Tampa (-1)
42. Lansing, MI (+6)
43. Greensboro, NC
44. Houston (-3)
45. Miami (-6)
46. Lexington, Kentucky (+1)
47. Orlando (-1)
48. Peoria (-3)
49. Louisville, Kentucky (-3)
50. Lincoln, Ne

Data is from Orkin’s list of domestic and commercial bedbug treatments from December 2021 to November 2022.

The biggest changes from last year came from Los Angeles, which moved up 7 spots to rank 5, and Youngstown, Ohio, which rose 10 spots to rank 27.

The cities with the biggest improvement from last year were Toledo, Ohio, which fell seven places to 38th, and Miami, which fell six places to 45th.

According to Orkin, bed bugs are “mostly nocturnal insects that come out of hiding to take blood meals from sleeping people.” Typically, bed bugs are 3/16 inch long, red to dark brown, and easily climb from place to place by clinging to clothing, luggage, and other personal items.

According to Orkin, some of the most common hideouts are taxis, buses, and planes.

Here are Orkin’s tips for homeowners and travelers to prevent bed bugs:

Home:

• Check your home regularly for signs of bed bugs. Check spots where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress labels and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets, and picture frames. Check when moving in, after a trip, when a service employee visits or after guests have stayed overnight.
• Reduce the clutter in your home, making it easier to spot bed bugs on your own or during professional inspections.
• Examine all used furniture before bringing it into your home.

While driving, remember the acronym SLEEP to check for bed bugs:

• SSearch the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Look for tiny, inky stains on mattress seams, in upholstery, and behind headboards.
• LCheck inside bed bug hiding places: mattresses, box springs, and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures, and even torn wallpaper.
• ELift the luggage away from the bed and the wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on countertops.
• EExamine your luggage carefully when repacking and upon returning from a trip. Always keep luggage away from the bed.
• PWhen you get home, thread all of the clothes in your luggage that are suitable for tumble drying into the dryer for at least 30-45 minutes on the highest setting.

More information about bed bugs and bed bug prevention can be found here.

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