Chicago Takes Top Spot In 'Top 50 Bed Bug Cities' Ranking

Chicago has once again dominated a pest control company's top bed bug cities ranking in the U.S.

Orkin has released its list of the "Top 50 Bed Bug Cities" for 2023, and Chicago claimed the No. 1 spot for the third year in a row. The list is based on the company's data on where it performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2021, to Nov. 30, 2022, whether residential or commercial, according to its news release.

New York and Philadelphia got second and third places, respectively, trading their spots from last year. Cleveland-Akron, Ohio, took the fourth spot, while Los Angeles rounded up the top five, jumping by a whopping seven spots from its previous ranking.

Many cities moved just a few spots either up or down from their previous ranking, but there were a few like Los Angeles that jumped quite a bit on the list. Youngstown, for instance, moved up 10 spots to rank 27th, while South Bend, Indiana also climbed five spots to rank 28th. Harrisburg (36th) and Lansing, Michigan (42nd), both climbed six spots, while Seattle jumped five spots to rank 39th.

And if there were cities that climbed upward on the Bed Bug Cities list, there were also quite a few that improved. These include Toledo and St. Louis, which both fell seven spots to the 38th and 25th spots, respectively, and Miami, which dropped six spots to rank 45th.

Claiming the last spot on the list was Lincoln, Nebraska, which landed on the 50th spot.

Given this information, the company is urging people to be more aware of bed bugs, especially when they travel.

"Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As people begin to ramp up their travel plans this year, it's important they know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control," Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist, said in the news release. "Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, but are excellent at hiding."

And apart from checking your hotel rooms, people should also take note of other aspects of their travel such as their modes of transportation and even their luggage, Hottel said, calling vehicles such as taxis and airplanes "common bed bug hiding places."

Bed bugs are quite widespread, being present across many parts of the world, including Europe and North and South America, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And although they are so far not known to spread disease, they can cause people to lose sleep and, because of the itching and scratching, may put individuals at risk of a secondary infection.

"A bed bug bite affects each person differently," the agency said. "Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite, to a small bite mark, to a serious allergic reaction."

Some people who get an allergic reaction may even require medical attention.

People who have bed bugs in their homes are advised to have a professional extermination service, the Mayo Clinic noted. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explained, it's best to treat a minor infestation early on. Though it can be quite a nuisance, it's still easier than treating the infestation when it has spread or become established.

The agency also shared some important tips on how to spot an infestation like looking for "rusty or reddish stains" on sheets that mark the bed bugs that were crushed or small dark spots that are actually their excrement.

People should also keep in mind that having bed bugs doesn't necessarily mean that a place is unclean. This is because it's not the dirt that they're attracted to but the warmth, blood and carbon dioxide of a host. However, clutter can give them lots of places to hide in, according to the EPA.