Detroit ranked No. 7 in list of cities with most bed bugs

DETROIT – Detroit is ranked No. 7 in a list of U.S. cities with the most bed bugs, according to pest control leader Orkin.

The list is constructed based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2015, to Nov. 30, 2016.

The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.

The Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area in Michigan also made the list, checking in at No. 27.

Here is the list of the 50 most affected cities.

"We have more people affected by bed bugs in the United States now than ever before," Orkin entomologist and director of technical services Ron Harrison said. "They were virtually unheard of in the U.S. 10 years ago."

Orkin said bed bugs are "great hitchhikers because they travel from place to place with ease, including luggage, purses and other belongings. Bed bugs can be found anywhere, from single family homes, apartments and hotel, to public places like movie theaters, public transit and libraries and offices."

Orkin released the following recommendations for detecting and preventing bed bugs.

At home:

• Inspect your home for signs of bed bugs regularly. Check locations where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress seams and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames.
• Decrease clutter around your home to make bed bug inspections and detection much easier.
• Inspect all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.
• Dry potentially infested bed linens, curtains and stuffed animals on the hottest temperature allowed for the fabric.

While traveling (S.L.E.E.P.):

• Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Look for black or brown spots on any furniture.
• Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring, bed skirt and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.
• Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest place is in the bathroom.
• Examine your luggage while repacking and once you return home from a trip.
• Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting after you return home.

Sign up for ClickOnDetroit breaking news alerts and email newsletters