Bet your skin will be crawling after reading this. Pest control company Terminix has released its sixth annual ranking of U.S. cities most infested with bed bugs, based on volume of calls to their offices across the country. After being close to eradicated in the 1940s, bed bugs have made a big comeback in America. “We’ve seen a steady increase in bed bugs since the 1990s, which has been influenced by increased international travel and infestations left untreated,” said Paul Curtis, manager of technical services at Terminix. “Most of the cities in our top 15 are big tourist and business destinations, making travelers even more at risk for encounters with bed bugs — whether it’s on the plane, at their hotel, in a movie theater or riding in a taxi. The name ‘bed bug’ is deceptive, as these pests can thrive just about anywhere.” Are you itching to know which cities made the list?
15. New York, NY
New York has long been plagued with a bad bed bug reputation, and not just in the proverbial flea-bag motels. Even some of the swankier hotels have struggled with controlling these bloodsuckers. As a major travel hub, you never know who was sleeping in the bed before you, and there’s only so much the housekeeping staff can do. Regular fumigations happen, but you might want to examine your mattress, box spring, drapery, carpet boards and even drawers closely before settling in, or while you’re taking a bite out of the Big Apple during the day, something might be taking a bite out of you in the night.
