Recently, Orkin, an Atlanta-based pest control service with branch offices all over the United States, conducted a study to see which cities had the worst bed bug related issues. Unfortunately, Atlanta ranked among the top worst cities, and actually moved up three spaces from the same study conducted last year.
Atlanta ranked as the 13th worst city in the U.S. for bed bugs, with Chicago taking the number one spot.
How did they do this study?
According to Orkin, “The bed bug cities list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2022 – Nov. 30, 2023. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.”
A little about bed bugs
Orkin reports, “Bed bugs are typically 3/16 inch long, red to dark brown in color and are mostly nocturnal insects that come out of hiding to take blood meals from sleeping humans. These pests are hematophagous, which means blood is their only food source. Clinging to items such as luggage, purses and other personal belongings, bed bugs can travel from place to place with ease.”
They also elaborate, saying that bed bugs can reproduce extremely quickly, producing eggs daily. They can also live for months without access to food, so “they’re likely to emerge the moment a food source, e.g., humans or animals, becomes available.”
How do I make sure I don’t get bed bugs?
According to Orkin, there are som things you can do to make sure you’re not at risk for bed bugs.
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Inspect your home for signs of bed bugs regularly. Check the places where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames. Inspect when you move in, after a trip, when a service worker visits or after guests stay overnight.
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Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs on your own or during professional inspections.
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Examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.
For the full list of the worst cities for bed bugs, as well as more information on bed bugs, check out Orkin’s website here!