From coast to coast, 50 cities recently landed at the top of an annual list that doesn’t exactly include something their residents probably don’t want anyone to know.
In its annual list of the worst bug cities nationwide, pest control company Orkin ranked Chicago #1 — a spooky hat-trick for the Windy City in the last three years.
New York and Philadelphia also held their ground with places two and three. Los Angeles made the biggest jump that year, moving up seven spots into the top five, with Cleveland (#4) and Raleigh (#20) each moving up four spots on the list.
Toledo and Miami improved the most from last year (Toledo fell seven places to 38th and Miami fell six to 45th).
The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin says it performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022.
The ranking includes both inpatient and commercial treatments.
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According to Orkin, the worst bug cities in the nation
1.Chicago
2. New York (+1)
3. Philly (-1)
4. Cleveland-Akron, Ohio (+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, NC (+1)
15 Denver (+2)
16 Atlanta (-2)
17. Dallas-Ft. value (-1)
18 Pittsburgh (+2)
19. Charleston, West Virginia (+3)
20. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (+4)
21. Flintstone, Michigan (+2)
22. San Francisco (-3)
23. Norfolk, Va. (+2)
24. Greenville, SC (-3)
25. St.Louis (-7)
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26. Richmond, Va
27. Youngstown, Ohio (+10)
28. South Bend, Indiana (+5)
29. Buffalo, New York (-1)
30. Knoxville, Tennessee (-1)
31. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (-1)
32. Omaha, Nebraska (-5)
33. Nashville, Tennessee (+1)
34. Dayton, Ohio (-2)
35. ft. Wayne, Indiana (+1)
36. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (+6)
37. Davenport, Iowa (-2)
38. Toledo, Ohio (-7)
39.Seattle (+5)
40. Milwaukee (-2)
41.Tampa (-1)
42. Lansing, Michigan (+6)
43. Greensboro, North Carolina
44. Houston (-3)
45. Miami (-6)
46. Lexington, Ky. (+1)
47.Orlando, Fla. (-1)
48. Peoria, IL (-3)
49.Louisville, Kentucky (-3)
50.Lincoln, Nebraska
What are bed bugs?
Bedbugs are oval-shaped insects that grow to about 5 millimeters in length as adults. They come out at night and cannot fly, but they can crawl very quickly. They feed on human blood, which causes itchy bites.
According to Orkin, they are known for rapid population growth. Female bugs can lay one to five eggs a day and can lay 200 to 500 eggs in their lifetime. They can survive for several months while awaiting their next blood meal, so they’re likely to emerge when a food source, such as a food source, becomes available. B. humans or animals, becomes available.
“Bugs are extremely resilient, which makes them difficult to control. As people begin to bulk up their travel plans this year, it’s important they know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control,” said Ben Hottel, Orkin’s entomologist. “Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are visible to the naked eye but are excellent at hiding.”
How do you get bed bugs?
Bedbugs can move quickly and have the ability to cling to furniture and other objects.
The critters can be brought into the house from places where people are inactive for time like bus seats, planes or theater cushions etc.
They can also sneak into your home through purses and luggage. Once home, they can hide in bedroom furniture such as mattresses, box springs, and bed frames.
How do you get rid of them at home?
Here’s how to get rid of bed bugs at home, according to WebMD.
- Wash linens, clothes, bedding and curtains in hot water. Then put them in the dryer on the hot setting for at least 30 minutes.
- To remove bed bugs and their eggs, use a stiff brush on the mattress seams.
- Vacuum your bed and the area around it often. Put the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and throw it in a bin outside.
- Wrap your mattress in a bed bug mattress cover. Leave this on for at least a year as bedbugs can survive for up to a year without food.
- Repair cracks in walls or plaster and tape up peeling wallpaper to limit bed bug hiding places.
- Get rid of clutter around the bed.
Contributor: Daryl Perry
Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
