Chicago has received a flattering amount of accolades and acknowledgments in recent months, ranging from being awarded first place in Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Big City in the United States ranking for the seventh year to being named one of the world’s top 10 most beautiful cities in fall.
Unfortunately, however, most of us are all too aware of the many unflattering associations with Chicago from its notorious winter weather to its position as the rattiest city in North America.
That last title was thanks to a study by Orkin last year which ranked metro regions by gathering data based on rodent-related issues between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023.
Now, to our dismay, American pest control company Orkin is at it again crowning Chicago with another undesirable title.
This time we’ve taken the top spot in a study that researched something perhaps even more despicable and distressing than rats. Bed bugs.
Orkin’s Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List placed The Windy City in the #1 spot ahead of New York in second and Philadelphia in third, joining Paris in the unsavory global bed bug spotlight.
“Amid the Paris Bed Bug craze, travelers are more concerned than ever with avoiding these stealthy pests” reads the study.
“As Americans look towards travel in 2024 it is critical to know how to identify and thoroughly check for bed bugs in hotel rooms (both internationally and domestically) while being careful not to bring the pests home with them.”
The Midwest had a surprising number of cities on the list and a total of 5 in the top 10. Cleveland came in fourth, Detroit in sixth, and Indianapolis in eight while Champaign, Illinois was named the city with the tenth most bed bugs in the nation.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control,” said Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist. “While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended.”
“Check the places where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets, and picture frames” Orkin advises.
“Inspect when you move in, after a trip, when a service worker visits, or after guests stay overnight, and always examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.”
Read the full Top 50 Bed Bug Cities list.
[Featured image from Shutterstock]