Buffalo finds place on ‘bedbug cities’ list

blog by S.J. Velasquez • January 16, 2013 @ 10:24am

Bedbug treatments by exterminators are on the rise across the country, and Buffalo is no exception.

According to a news release from Rollins, Orkin’s parent company, Buffalo ranks 28th on the bedbug cities list. The list of 50 cities was compiled by Rollins and is based on the number of bedbug treatments by the pest control company in each city.

Compared to 2011, the number of bedbug treatments performed by Rollins increased by 33 percent nationwide in 2012. The following cities are the top 10 on the list compiled by Rollins:

1. Chicago
2. Detroit
3. Los Angeles
4. Denver
5. Cincinnati
6. Columbus, Ohio
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Cleveland/Akron/Canton
9. Dallas/Ft. Worth
10. New York

“This list shows that bed bugs continue to be a problem throughout the U.S.,” said Orkin entomologist and technical services director Ron Harrison. “Based on the diversity of cities on the list, we all need to be very cautious when we travel—whether it is business or pleasure, or to visit family, friends or vacation. We need to be vigilant wherever we are and take the proper precautions.”

The list of 50 cities also indicates whether a city has moved up or down on the list. Buffalo moved up one spot on the list from last year, which isn’t so drastic of a change compared to other cities such as Indianapolis and Knoxville, both which moved up 10 or more spots in the ranking.

“Education and prevention are key,” said Dr. Harrison. “Inspect your bedroom regularly, and be cautious when traveling. Adult bed bugs resemble apple seeds in size and color, while newly-hatched babies can be about the size of a pinhead and pale in color. Check mattress seams, sheets and furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames.”

To find out if bedbugs have been spotted in apartment complexes and hotels near you, visit sites like bedbugreports.com and bedbugregistry.com.

TAGGED: bedbugs, buffalo, exterminators, hotels, insects, orkin, pest control, top 50

S.J. Velasquez

Comments

I Choose Buffalo January 16, 2013 @ 1:17pm

I had bedbugs back in 2007 and it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I ended up getting rid of multiple pieces of furniture and other belongings because I just couldn’t be sure if the bedbugs were gone (and I was moving to a new apartment, so I didn’t want to risk taking the bugs with me).

Luckily I never had another outbreak, and I hope to keep it that way! My fiance and I are moving to Buffalo in a few months, so I’m glad you guys are lower on the bedbug-prevalence list than our current location of Washington, DC. :)

Zandria
http://ichoosebuffalo.com
S.J. Velasquez January 16, 2013 @ 5:06pm

Zandria,

You aren’t alone. I’ve had a few run-ins with bedbugs while traveling internationally. I take plenty of precaution not to bring anything home with me. Because I travel frequently, I even purchased a Paktite machine to treat my smaller pieces of luggage upon returning home from a trip.