5 Ohio cities on list of top bed bug spots

OHIO (WJW) — It’s not a list you want to be on but five Ohio cities are on Orkin’s top 50 2020 bed bug cities list.

Orkin said the list is based on treatment information from the metro areas where the company performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2018 – November 30, 2019.

Columbus came in at #5;

Cincinnati was #8;

Cleveland was #11;

Dayton came in at #49 and Toledo at #50.

**See the whole list, here**

“While bed bugs have not been found to transmit any diseases to humans, they can be an elusive threat to households,” Chelle Hartzer, an Orkin entomologist, said in a press release. “They are excellent hitchhikers, and they reproduce quickly which make it nearly impossible to prevent bed bugs. Sanitation has nothing to do with where you’ll find them.”

Hartzer said the key to preventing a bed bug infestation is early detection.  According to Orkin, signs there may be bed bugs include small black spots which may indicate bed bug feces or nymph bed bugs in places like mattress seams, bed frames and furniture.

Orkin recommended looking for the black, ink-like stains they leave behind.

Below are tips from Orkin:

FOR HOMEOWNERS:

  • Inspect your home for signs of bed bugs regularly. Check the places where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames.
  • Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs on your own or during professional inspections.
  • Inspect your residence regularly—when you move-in, after a trip, when a service worker visits or after guests stay overnight.
  • Examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home. This is a common way for bed bugs to be introduced into homes.
  • Wash and dry your bed linens often, using the hottest temperature allowed for the fabric.

FOR TRAVELERS:

  • Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.
  • Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.
  • Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on counters.
  • Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and once you return home from a trip. Always store luggage away from the bed.
  • Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting after you return home.