Terminix, one of the largest pest control companies in the world, rang in the new year with a release of the sixth annual ranking of bed bug-infested cities.
ServiceMaster, an American company that provides residential and commercial services and owner of Terminix, released the report.
For the first time in four years, Detroit outranked Philadelphia and snagged the No. 1 spot.
The top 15 bed bug-infested cities in the United States, according to the the listicle, are as follows:
- Detroit, Michigan
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Cleveland-Akron, Ohio
- Los Angeles, California
- Dayton, Ohio
- Chicago, Illinois
- Columbus, Ohio
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, California
- Denver, Colorado
- Toledo, Ohio
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Baltimore, Maryland
- New York, New York
"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."
The cities that made the top 15 were identified using information compiled from over 300 Terminix locations across the U.S. The rankings present cities that had the highest number of calls from Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 17, 2015.
About the Author
