San Diego Lets the Bed Bugs Bite

Pest control company Orkin names the top 50 cities for bed bugs in the U.S.

Pest control company Orkin has released their annual list of the most bed bug-ridden cities in the U.S. and it turns out San Diego lets the bed bugs bite -- but not as much as other cities.

Orkin ranked America’s Finest City number 26 on the list, which is based on the number of bed bug treatments the company performed in 2011.

The top spot for bed bugs went to Cincinnati, Ohio. Chicago took home second place, while Detroit came in third for bed bug infestation and Denver ranked fourth.

Los Angeles took the fifth spot on the list, up a whopping 20 spots from last year, when it came in at number 25. Dallas/Fort Worth took 7th place, a drastic change from 50th place last year.

Perennial bed bug hotspot New York City dropped two places to ninth, while the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area took the 12th spot.

Overall, the number of bed bug incidents climbed 33.6-percent over the previous year.

"The changes in some cities' rankings show bed bugs continue to be a problem in most areas of the U.S.," said Orkin entomologist and Technical Services Director Ron Harrison.

"Several of the top 50 cities have large, busy airports, and there could be a correlation between increased travel and bed bug activity."

To avoid bringing bed bugs home from a trip, Orkin advices travelers to remember the acronym “S.L.E.E.P.”

It stands for the following: “Survey” bed surfaces for small, rust-colored spots on the sheets. “Lift” and look for pesky bed bugs in hiding spots such as underneath the mattress or furniture, “Elevate” luggage or a rack or chair, away from the bed. “Examine” luggage carefully while repacking. “Place” all clothing from luggage immediately in the dryer for at least 15 minutes on the highest setting as soon as returning home from a trip.

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