Youngstown amongst worst U.S. cities for mattress bugs

INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN) — Cities stretching from the Midwest to the Northeast recently topped an annual list that doesn’t exactly come with bragging rights.

In its annual list of the worst bug cities in the US, pest control company Orkin ranked Chicago #1 for the third straight year, followed by New York and Philadelphia, which swapped places from the previous year.

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To create its list, Orkin reviewed cities where it conducted residential and commercial bed bug treatments from December 2021 through November 2022.

The biggest jumps on the list this year were Los Angeles, which rose seven spots to be the fifth worst bug city, and Youngstown, Ohio, which climbed 10 spots to 27th.

Among the cities that improved the most on the list were Toledo, Ohio, which fell seven spots to 38th, and Miami, which fell six spots to 45th.

Here are the 50 bug cities on this year’s list and how their ranking has changed compared to last year:

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

Orkin says bedbugs are “primarily nocturnal insects that come out of hiding to take blood meals from sleeping humans.” Bugs typically range in color from red to dark brown and are 3/16 inch long. They can easily move from place to place by holding on to clothing, luggage, and other personal belongings.

“Cabs, buses, and airplanes are also common hideouts for bed bugs, giving these pests a chance to ride along with unsuspecting travelers,” said Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel.

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If you’re traveling in 2023, Orkin recommends you remember the acronym SLEEP to identify bed bugs and prevent them from returning to your home: Inspect your hotel room for infestations; lift and search in hiding places; Lift your luggage away from the bed and the wall; Check your luggage when repacking and returning home, and place any items of clothing in your luggage in the dryer for 30-45 minutes upon return.

For more information about bed bugs, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, and Orkin has bed bug management tips on their website.