Four Michigan cities rank among a 2023 top 50 list for United States cities with bed bugs released by a national pest control company called Orkin.
Detroit settled in at No. 6 on the list, down two spots from last year. Making it the sixth worst city in the county for bed bugs, according to Orkin. Grand Rapids ranked at No. 12, down one spot.
Flint ranked No. 21, up two spots and Lansing came in at No. 42, up six spots from last year.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control,” Ben Hottel, an entomologist for the company, said in a Monday press release. “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.”
Orkin’s Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List is based on treatment data from the metro areas where the company performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2021, to Nov. 30, 2022. The ranking includes residential and commercial treatments.
Photo provided/Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Chicago, New York City and Philadelphia rank in the top three spots on the list for the third year in a row.
Los Angeles saw the largest jump this year, moving up seven spots into the top five, with Cleveland at No. 4 and Raleigh at No. 20 each moving up the list by four spots.
“While it’s important to be aware of bed bug infestations within hotels, practicing precautions in other aspects of travel is also important,” Hottel continued. “Taxis, buses and airplanes are also common bed bug hiding places, allowing these pests an opportunity to hitch a ride with unsuspecting travelers. Examining clothing and luggage regularly while traveling can help to catch a bed bug infestation in the early stages.”
During travel, Orkin recommended the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to inspect for bed bugs:
Bed bugs crawl around in 4 Michigan cities more so than most in US
