Amid the Paris Bed Bug craze, travelers are more concerned than ever with avoiding these stealthy pests. As Americans look towards travel in 2024 it is critical to know how to identify and thoroughly check for bed bugs in hotel rooms (both internationally and domestically) while being careful not to bring the pests home with them.
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.
What cities have the most bed bugs?
Chicago
New York
Philadelphia
Cleveland-Akron, OH
Los Angeles
Detroit
Washington, D.C. (+2)
Indianapolis (-1)
Charlotte (+5)
Champaign, IL (+1)
Columbus, OH (-1)
Cincinnati (+1)
Atlanta (+3)
Grand Rapids, MI (-2)
Denver
Baltimore (-8)
Richmond, VA (+9)
Greensboro, N.C. (+25)
St. Louis (+6)
Youngstown (+7)
Pittsburgh (-3)
Dallas-Ft. Worth (-5)
Flint, MI (-2)
Raleigh-Durham (-4)
Milwaukee (+15)
Charleston, W.V. (-7)
Greenville, SC (-3)
Norfolk, VA (-5)
Davenport (+8)
Nashville (+3)
Tampa (+10)
Toledo (+6)
Dayton, OH (+1)
Knoxville (-4)
Las Vegas (new to list)
Omaha, NE (-4)
South Bend, IN (-9)
Houston (+6)
Cedar Rapids, MI (-8)
Ft. Wayne, IN (-5)
San Francisco (-19)
Buffalo, NY (-13)
Harrisburg (-7)
Seattle (-5)
Miami
Orlando (+1)
Minneapolis (new to list)
Oklahoma City (new to list)
Louisville, KY
Lexington, KY (-4)
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.
"Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As travel plans ramp up, it's important that Americans know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control," said Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist. "While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended."
Known for rapid population growth, female bed bugs can deposit one to five eggs a day and may lay 200 to 500 eggs in their lifetime. They can survive for several months while waiting for their next blood meal, so they're likely to emerge the moment a food source, e.g., humans or animals, becomes available.
"While the bed bug infestations in Paris have made travelers more conscious of the pests in hotels while traveling internationally, it is also important to take precautions at home," said Hottel. "Second-hand items such as clothing and furniture are also common bed bug hiding places, allowing pests an opportunity to hitch a ride home with new consumers. Examining any new items before they enter your home will help to catch a bed bug infestation sooner, rather than later."
At Home:
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. Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs on your own or during professional inspections. Examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.
During travel, remember the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to inspect for bed bugs:
Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards. Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper. Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on counters. Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and once you return home from a trip. Always store luggage away from the bed.
With nearly 125 years of experience with bed bugs and state-of-the-art tools and products, Orkin is well-equipped to assess your bed bug problem, offer trainings for short-staffed hospitality teams and mount a strategic response to rid your home of the pest and provide maximum protection.
For more information about bed bug prevention and bed bug control, visit Orkin.com. Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest setting after you return home. Here are proactive tips Orkin recommends for homeowners and travelers to prevent bed bugs:
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