by Brianna Crandall — January 26, 2018 — For the second year in a row, Baltimore tops pest control services provider Orkin’s recently released Top 50 Bed Bug Cities list. New York fell four spots, while Dallas-Fort Worth joined the top 10. San Diego and Albany rejoin the list, after falling out of the top 50 in 2017, and New Orleans and Flint, Michigan, join the list for the first time ever. Orlando has fallen off the list despite public lawsuits from hotel guests.
The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2016, to November 30, 2017. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.
- Baltimore
- Washington, DC
- Chicago
- Los Angeles (+2)
- Columbus, OH
- Cincinnati (+2)
- Detroit
- New York (-4)
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
- Dallas-Fort Worth (+5)
- Indianapolis
- Philadelphia
- Atlanta (+3)
- Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH (-1)
- Raleigh-Durham, NC (-3)
- Richmond-Petersburg, VA (-5)
- Houston
- Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA (+2)
- Charlotte, NC (-3)
- Buffalo, NY (-2)
- Knoxville, TN
- Nashville, TN (+1)
- Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI (+4)
- Pittsburgh
- Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.-Asheville, NC
- Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, IL (+4)
- Phoenix (-1)
- Denver (-6)
- Milwaukee
- Hartford-New Haven, CT (+1)
- Charleston-Huntington, WV (+5)
- Boston (-4)
- Syracuse, NY (+7)
- Dayton, OH (-2)
- St. Louis (+2)
- Seattle (-2)
- Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL (+9)
- Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, MI (new to list)
- Omaha, NE (-6)
- Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Dubuque, IA (-2)
- San Diego (new to list)
- Lexington, KY (+1)
- Honolulu, HI (+5)
- Louisville, KY (-3)
- Las Vegas (+4)
- Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, NC (-4)
- New Orleans (new to list)
- Myrtle Beach-Florence, SC (-9)
- Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL (-14)
- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY (new to list)
Dr. Tim Husen, an Orkin entomologist, remarked:
The number of bed bug infestations in the United States is still rising. They continue to invade our homes and businesses on a regular basis because they are not seasonal pests, and only need blood to survive.
According to Orkin, bed bugs are always in motion. They travel from place to place with ease, including luggage, clothing and other belongings. In addition to single-family homes, bed bugs can be found in apartments, hotels, hospitals and public places like daycare centers, public transit, schools and offices.
Bed bugs are capable of rapid population growth, with an adult female laying two to five eggs per day (up to 500 in her lifetime), often making treatment challenging. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and are typically reddish brown. Their small size and ability to hide make them difficult to see during the day, so it’s important to look for the black, ink-like stains they can leave behind.
Orkin points out that bed bug infestations can happen in any building, regardless of the level of sanitation or quality. Since bed bugs cannot be completely prevented, and they can reproduce quickly and travel on belongings, early detection and treatment is critical, says the company. If a bed bug infestation is suspected, Orkin advises contacting a pest management professional immediately.
For more information about bed bug detection and prevention, Orkin’s Commercial Pest Control services, and the company’s targeted Bed Bug Services for Businesses, which include ongoing monitoring and maintenance visits, visit the company’s Web site. You can also find 100 facts about bed bugs in Orkin’s e-book: 100 Reasons Why Bed Bugs Are Freaky — and Fascinating.
