CHICAGO: #1 FOR BED BUGS; AGAIN!

The 10 worst cities are generally in the Midwest and Ohio Valley area. The city with the highest activity is, once again, Chicago.

The full top 10 cities for bed bugs this year are:

1.     Chicago, Illinois

2.     Los Angeles

3.     Detroit

4.     Cleveland, Ohio

5.     Indianapolis

6.     Springfield, Illinois

7.     Washington, D.C.

8.     Columbus, Ohio

9.     Pittsburgh

10. Grand Rapids, Michigan

In addition to Chicago, Illinois has two more additions to the list: The state’s capital, Springfield, ranks No. 6, up three spots from last year and Peoria, at No. 28, up five.

There are also three new additions to the list: Tampa, Florida, at No. 46, Kansas City, Missouri, at No. 49 and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at No. 50.

Travel season brings excitement, but it also makes awareness especially important. Bed bugs are resilient pests that can be difficult to control once introduced into a home or hotel room, and they are skilled at hiding in cracks, crevices and personal belongings. A quick inspection of hotels or short-term rentals while traveling, or belongings before unpacking at home, can help travelers reduce the chance of bringing bed bugs home.

Most bed bugs can be found anywhere people live or travel, but densely populated cities and environments with high resident and visitor turnover, like apartments, dorms and hotels, can create more opportunities for bed bugs to spread

Bed bugs often target sleeping humans and can easily spread by hitchhiking on luggage, purses and other personal belongings.

While traveling, follow the S.L.E.E.P practice to protect yourself:

• Search: Look around the room for signs of infestation, including bed bugs themselves. They are small, flat, oval-shaped insects that are reddish-brown and about the size of an apple seed as adults.

• Lift: Be sure to check under sheets, curtains and cushions during your search.

• Elevate: Keep your luggage on racks or shelves and away from the bed or other furniture.

• Examine: When repacking and after returning home, review your luggage for any signs of bed bugs.

• Place: Run all of your dryer-safe items from your luggage through the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes when you get home.

  
  

  Bed bugs are not known to spread diseases to people, but they can leave you itchy and tossing and turning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains. In some, bed bugs can cause allergic reactions.