Category Archives: Bed Bugs North Carolina

Summer travel season is right around the corner and AAA is already predicting which vacation destinations will be hot picks for Idahoans in 2024. As you make your plans, we just want to give you a heads up that four of those destinations, including one in the Pacific Northwest, appear on a list of Americas Bed Bug Capitals.

The good news is that while these tiny bugs are absolutely repulsive, theyre more annoying than dangerous. According to the CDC, theres a good chance that if you were a bed bugs snack overnight you may not know that when you wake up. Bed bugs inject humans with anesthetic and an anticoagulant, so their bites are unlikely to wake you up and or leave behind blood marks. Within a couple of days, those bites may swell or become itchy, like a mosquito bite would.

READ MORE: If You See Any of These 5 Bugs in Idaho, Kill Them Immediately

That said, bed bug bites can be linked to more serious, non-visible symptoms like insomnia and anxiety.

Thats a good question and probably the whole reason youre reading this article to begin with. When you travel to an area known for high infestations of bed bugs, you risk bringing them home to YOUR house. Bed bugs have skinny flat bodies, so the number of places they can hide and hitch a ride is nearly infinite.

Theyll get into the seams of your luggage, folds of your clothes or inside a pillowcase on the pillow you brought from home. They can survive for a while without feeding, so theyll just hang out until you unpack. When you least expect it, theyll emerge, bite you again and start spreading in your bedding, furniture or other areas of your home.

This list is important to pay attention to because bed bugs arent prejudiced. You may feel like youll avoid them by booking a fancy five-star hotel, but the truth is theyre just as likely to infest luxury accommodations as they are homeless shelters or college dorm rooms.

Like we mentioned, these guys are tiny so spotting them with the naked eye isnt easy. The CDC says that not only are they known to hide in the areas listed above, they can also hide in cracks, crevices, indentations in headboards or behind wallpaper while they wait to feed. The most tell-tale sign that a room has a bed bug problem is rusty colored blood spots on the mattress or furniture. You may also find their molted exoskeletons or smell a sweet, must odor.

While spotting them with your own eyes can be difficult, some of them can get as large as the size of Lincolns head on a penny, so its not impossible.

And that brings us to Orkins annual bed bug report, which ranks cities based on the number of bed bug treatments they performed between December 1, 2022 and November 30, 2023.

Four of the cities on AAAs list of the most popular Memorial Day Destinations for Idahoans overlap with the bed bug list. Denver is the 10th most popular destination and its ranks #15 on the bed rug report.

Seattle ranks eighth in popularity and #44 for bed bugs.

Dreams of a Disney vacation make Orlando the fifth most popular destination for Idahoans, but the city ranks #46 for bed bugs.

Finally, what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegasexcept for bed bugs. Vegas is the #3 destination from Idahoans and just ended up on the bed bug report for the first time, ranking #35.

Planning a trip elsewhere? Here's a look at Orkin's full list to help you prepare to be on the look out for signs of bed bug infestations when you arrive at your hotel or Airbnb.

Every year the pest control gurus at Orkin put together a list of the Top 50 Bed Bug Destinations in the United States. Which areas do you travel to that you should take extra care to watch out for these blood-sucking insects? Let's countdown to the most bed-bug-riddled city in the United States.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

According to statistics from the United States Department of Transportation, this is how the major airlines serving the Boise Airport ranked in terms of on-time departures in 2023.

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

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Seattle, Washington is Crawling With Bed Bugs - 107.9 LITE FM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Charlotte ranks ninth on Orkin's 2024 list of the top 50 cities with the most bed bugs, based on the pest control company'streatment data tracked from December 2022 to November 2023.

Across the country, Greensboro ranks 18th and the Raleigh-Durham area ranks 24th on the list.

Bed bugs are considered a traveling pest, hitching a ride on luggage, clothes, purses and backpacks, making their way into hotels and homes.

Jay Patel is co-founder of Hotel Refugein Charlotte. With a 100 sanitation rating hanging on the wall in the five-room pilot hotel, he says he and the staff work hard to ensure bed bugs and other pests and rodents are something guests don't encounter.

"We're comfortable knowing it's not a dangerous or harmful pest, but nevertheless, we do our best to make sure nobody ever has to interact with them," Patel said.

The hotel operator says in the rare event a guest brings in bed bugs, that room and any rooms beside the infested one, would be out of service until the room is treated.

Patel says his staff check for bed bugs as part of standard protocol, like changing the sheets between guests. Each room has a protective mattress cover and mattress pad underneath the fitted sheet.

"There is a zipper that goes around the corner, and so nothing can kind of get in and out of this getting as many levels of barriers as we can," Patel said.

He says when checking into hotels, or at home, people can check the corner creases and seams of the mattress, which is where bed bugs hang out during the day before exploring the other areas of the mattress at night.

"Once you can clear that, you generally can be rest assured that there's nothing in that sleeping area," Patel said.

Orkin recommends following the acronym S.L.E.E.P. when staying in hotels:

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North Carolina cities in top 25 areas for bed bugs - Spectrum News

North Carolina city ranks in top 20 with most bed bug calls

Updated: 8:16 PM EST Jan 24, 2024

ALL RIGHT MICHELLE, THANKS. TONIGHT, A MOTHER IN GRIEF SAYS SHE FINALLY HAS A SPARK OF HOPE. HER DAUGHTER, VICTORIA BROWN, DIED JUST DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS ON HIGHWAY 52. AND NOW THE MAN POLICE SAY WAS DRIVING THE CAR THE 19 YEAR-OLD WAS IN IS CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE MURDER. WXII 12 S MARIA DEBONE JOINS US WITH THE CHARGES AND REACTION FROM VICTORIAS MOM, MARIA. WELL, ON DECEMBER 22ND OF LAST YEAR, WINSTON-SALEM POLICE RESPONDED TO A CRASH ON HIGHWAY 52 AND NORTHBOUND NEAR AKRON DRIVE. THE DRIVER, CODY JONES, SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES, BUT VICTORIA, WHO WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, DIED ATTHE SCENE AND HER MOTHER SAID THIS IS JUST BROKEN. THEIR FAMILY, NOW 23 YEAR-OLD CODY JONES, WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AND CHARGED WITH DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED, RECKLESS DRIVING, FELONY DEATH BY VEHICLE AND SECOND DEGREE MURDER. HE APPEARED IN COURT TODAY AND IT WAS REVEALED THERE THAT JONES HAD A PAST HISTORY OF RECKLESS DRIVING AND EVEN HAD PLED GUILTY TO SPEEDING INCIDENTS IN 2019 AND 2020. JONES AND VICTORIAS FAMILY WERE PRESENT IN COURT TODAY. INCLUDING VICTORIAS MOTHER DEANA. JUST, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE FOR HIS HIS FAMILY TO KNOW AND HIM TO KNOW WHAT THEY WHAT PRECIOUS LIFE THEY HAVE TAKEN FROM US. WERE GOING TO JUST HOLD HER NAME HIGH AND WERE NOT GOING TO WERE NOT GOING TO LET, UM, HIM TAKING HER LIFE AWAY FROM US STOP OUR MEMORIES WITH HER, FROM LIVING. AND DEANNA NOW WEARS A VICTORY FOR V BRACELET IN HONOR OF VICTORIA, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN 20. IN APRIL. AND SHE SAID SHE VOWS TO BE AT EVERY ONE OF CODYS NEXT COURT APPEARANCES. AND THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE ON FEBRUARY NINTH, LIVE IN WINSTON-SALEM, MARIA DEBONE WXII 12 NEWS. MARIA. THANK YOU. A MAN IS BEING CHARGED FOR MURDER IN SEAGROVE RANDOLPH COUNTY. DEPUTIES SAY YESTERDAY THEY FOUND RICHARD GREENE, THE SECOND ON OSBORNE MILL ROAD, WITH INJURIES. HE DIED THERE AT THE SCENE.3 DEPUTIES LATER ARRESTED THIS MAN, TONY JOHNSON, FOR GREENES DEATH. A MAN HAS DIED IN A FIRE IN ASHEBORO. THE ASHEBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS ROMAN STUDNICKI WAS SITTING IN A WHEELCHAIR ON A PORCH ON SOUTH PARK STREET WHEN A FIRE STARTED IN OR AROUND THAT WHEELCHAIR. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BUT DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR A SURRY COUNTY MAN LEFT WITH NEARLY NOTHING FOLLOWING A HOUSE FIRE IN LOW GAP, GREGORY LOW WOKE UP AROUND 430 MONDAY MORNING TO A HOME FULL OF SMOKE AND FLAMES. HE WAS ABLE TO SAVE HIS TWO SMALL DOGS AND GRAB A HANDFUL OF CLOTHES FROM THE DRYER, BUT HE LOST MOSTLY EVERYTHING ELSE BUT A CELL PHONE AND WALLET. HE HAS BEEN LEFT WITH NOWHERE TO CALL HOME, AND IN RESPONSE, THE COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER TO COLLECT DONATIONS THROUGH A FUNDRAISER SET UP BY HIS FAMILY FRIEND. ITS BEEN OVERWHELMING. THEY, THIS COMMUNITY AND THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAS REALLY STEPPED UP AND AND AND SURPRISED EVERYBODY. WERE REALLY IM JUST MAINLY JUST GLAD TO BE STILL ALIVE. AT LEAST I DID WAKE UP WAS ABLE TO GET OUT AND GET MY TWO LITTLE DOGS OUT, SAVED THEM. I JUST THANK GOD REALLY. FOLLOWING THAT FIRE, GREGORYS FAMILY FRIEND DID SAY HIS OXYGEN LEVELS WERE EXTREMELY LOW. HE DID SUFFER FROM SOME CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. YOU CAN FIND THAT LINK TO THE GOFUNDME TO SUPPORT GREGORY IN THIS STORY ON WXII 12.COM. THE UNC GREENSBORO COMMUNITY IS PROTESTING ON CAMPUS TONIGHT. THEYRE TRYING TO STOP THE UNIVERSITY FROM CUTTING SEVERAL PROGRAMS. OUR KELLY KENDALL JOINS US LIVE TONIGHT AT THAT PROTEST. KELLY, HOWS THE CROWD AT THIS HOUR? WELL, DEVONTE, THE CROWD HAS SOMEWHAT DISPERSED NOW, BUT I AM STANDING IN THE SPOT WHERE EARLIER TODAY, STUDENTS, STAFF, ALUMNI ALL GATHERED HERE OUT OF COLLECTIVE FRUSTRATION THAT AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT 20 PROGRAMS COULD BE CUT FROM THE UNIVERSITY. HOW DO YOU SPELL GREEDY? U N C G THESE SHOUTS CAN BE HEARD OUTSIDE OF UNCGS ALUMNI HOUSE, WHERE EVEN ON THIS DRIZZLY DAY, THE MOOD IS CLEAR. ANGER IS WHAT IM HEARING RIGHT NOW. ANGRY. AND NOW IM JUST DISGUSTED BY THE BEHAVIOR. SO INSIDE A FACULTY SENATE MEETING IS TAKING PLACE. THE PROTESTERS CHOSE THIS MEETING FOR ONE PURPOSE. PEOPLE HERE TODAY ARE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE FACULTY SENATORS TO USE THEIR VOICE AND EXERCISE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE TO WEIGH IN AND EITHER APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF PROGRAM WAS RECOMMENDED FOR DISCONTINUATION ANTHROPOLOGY. RELIGIOUS STUDIES, AND PHYSICS, AMONG OTHERS, ARE ALL POTENTIALLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. ACCORDING TO A MESSAGE SENT OUT LAST WEEK BY UNCGS CHANCELLOR FRANKLIN GUILLUM. THE RESPONSE MOORE MESSAGES, ONE ANTHROPOLOGY PROFESSOR SHOWED ME 104 PAGES OF LETTERS FROM STUDENTS, STAFF, FACULTY AND OTHER HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS WHO WANT TO SEE THESE PROGRAMS STAY. WITH JUST OVER A WEEK UNTIL THE FINAL DECISION ON CUTS IS MADE, RALLY ORGANIZERS LIKE AZARIAH JOURNEY SAID THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE FIGHTING, BUT OUR GOAL FOR THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS IS TO EDUCATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, MAKE SURE OUR FACULTY AND PROFESSORS KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT THEM, AND ALSO MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AND GOOD TROUBLE AS WE CAN. THE FACULTY SENATE MEETING IS HAPPENING NOW, BUT PROTESTERS TOLD ME THEY HOPE THE FACULTY WILL DECIDE TO TELL ADMINISTRATORS. THAT THEY DO NOT APPROVE OF THE PROGRAM CUTS, OR AT LEAST ENCOURAGE THEM TO DELAY THE PROCESS. THE FINAL DECISION ON CUTS WILL BE MADE ON FEBRUARY FIRST

North Carolina city ranks in top 20 with most bed bug calls

Updated: 8:16 PM EST Jan 24, 2024

Between caffeine, social media, and daily stressors; it can be hard to get your mind to rest at night. But if you live in Greensboro, there could be unwanted guests aggravating that restlessness!Bed bugs are becoming more common in Greensboro, according to a study by Pest Control Company Orkin.Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.Greensboro saw a massive jump this year in the number of people reporting and asking for bed bug removal. To be exact, the Gate City moved up 25 spots, into the top 20 worst cities for bed bugs. It now sits at number 18 in 2024, compared to 43 in 2023. Chicago, for the fourth year in a row, ranked the absolute worst place if you want to avoid those creepy-crawly bed bugs.Are bed bugs a problem in other North Carolina cities?Yep! Charlotte ranked 9th for most bed bug calls per city. The Raleigh-Durham area ranked 24th. North Carolina's warm weather and humidity draw in the pests, according to A-1 Pest Control. So common, in fact, that researchers from North Carolina State University found between 32 to 211 bug species in every home they studied in Raleigh for a study. How do we know about Greensboro's bed bugs?The list is based on data from areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2022 to November 2023. Orkin took into account bed bug calls from both homes and commercial businesses.Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.What are bed bugs, really?Bed bugs are small, oval insects that can be reddish-brown or black. They feed on human blood, at night, according to Terminix-Triad. They're called bed bugs because they often hide in between sheets, if not couches. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |RELATED STORIES

Between caffeine, social media, and daily stressors; it can be hard to get your mind to rest at night. But if you live in Greensboro, there could be unwanted guests aggravating that restlessness!

Bed bugs are becoming more common in Greensboro, according to a study by Pest Control Company Orkin.

Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.

Greensboro saw a massive jump this year in the number of people reporting and asking for bed bug removal. To be exact, the Gate City moved up 25 spots, into the top 20 worst cities for bed bugs. It now sits at number 18 in 2024, compared to 43 in 2023.

Chicago, for the fourth year in a row, ranked the absolute worst place if you want to avoid those creepy-crawly bed bugs.

Yep! Charlotte ranked 9th for most bed bug calls per city. The Raleigh-Durham area ranked 24th. North Carolina's warm weather and humidity draw in the pests, according to A-1 Pest Control. So common, in fact, that researchers from North Carolina State University found between 32 to 211 bug species in every home they studied in Raleigh for a study.

The list is based on data from areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2022 to November 2023. Orkin took into account bed bug calls from both homes and commercial businesses.

Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.

Bed bugs are small, oval insects that can be reddish-brown or black. They feed on human blood, at night, according to Terminix-Triad. They're called bed bugs because they often hide in between sheets, if not couches.

NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |

RELATED STORIES

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North Carolina city among worst with bed bugs - WXII12 Winston-Salem

If you're squeamish about bugs or tiny crawling critters, you may want to look away. A new report lists a few cities in North Carolina as being some of the worst places in America for bed bugs.

Pest control company Orkin released its annual list of the U.S. cities with the most reported cases of bed bugs, using data gathered from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023, of cities with the most bed bug treatments. Three cities city in the Tar Heel State are among the worst in the country for bed bugs:

Bed bugs are typically around 3/16 inch long and red to dark brown in color and are mostly nocturnal, coming out at night to "take blood meals from sleeping humans," the site states. A bed bug fiasco in Paris last year had people more concerned than ever about the pests. Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel notes that while people may be aware of the bugs while traveling, it's important that they also take precautions at home to ensure their space stays bed bug-free.

"Second-hand items such as clothing and furniture are also common bed bug hiding places, allowing pests an opportunity to hitch a ride home with new consumers," said Hottel. "Examining any new items before they enter your home will help you catch a bed bug infestation sooner, rather than later."

So what else should you do to minimize the risk of infestation? Orkin suggests regularly checking your home for signs of bed bugs, inspecting mattress seams, headboards, baseboards and even electrical outlets and picture frames. Experts also recommend decluttering your home to make spotting the insects even easier.

These are the Top 20 "worst cities for bed bugs," according to the report:

Check out Orkin's full report to learn more about bed bugs and how to spot them.

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3 North Carolina Cities Among The 'Worst Cities For Bed Bugs' In The U.S. | News Radio 570 WWNC - iHeart

Bed bugs got their name because they gravitate to the sleeping areas near people initially. Common hiding spots for bed bugs include headboards, mattresses, and box springs. If you dont eliminate an infestation quickly, the bed bugs will travel to other parts of a home, including upholstered furniture, floors, behind baseboards, in wall voids behind outlets, and inside keyboards and electronics.

Bed bugs tend to come out at night and prefer to stay hidden. Catching a live bed bug in the open is nearly impossible. If you do see one crawling over your bedding, the infestation in your home may be so severe that getting rid of them will take more effort and time (and maybe some professional help).

Checking some of their favorite hiding spots more closely is one way to check for bed bugs. Monitoring any bite marks on your family, your pets, or yourself is another way.

Bed bugs thrive in places where people rest long enough to allow the bugs to finish feeding undisturbed. Feeding times for bed bugs are between 3 to 10 minutes.

After feeding, bed bugs tend to hide out of sight in nooks and crevices you may not expect. Knowing how bed bugs eat and survive will help you look at the common living areas below for any indicators of a bed bug infestation.

Beds

Your bed is most desirable to a bed bug looking to grow its brood. Food sources are always close by and there are so many places to burrow until its time to feed again or lay eggs.

Check for unusual spots on the sheets, pillow, mattress pad, mattress, and every seam and crevice of your bed. This includes your headboard, bed frame, the floor, especially if you have an area rug or carpet, and other places around your bed.

Couches

Your average favorite show on TV lasts about 25 minutes, which is plenty of time for bed bugs to feel sated until their next meal. Any upholstered piece of furniture where people hang around on a regular basis works well for bed bugs. This could be an armchair, ottoman, or even a wheelchair. Check every side of your seat and under the cushions for dark spots.

Baseboards and door hinges

So long as it is close to their blood supply, bed bugs will be there. Thats why baseboards, particularly in the bedroom and living areas where you frequently relax, are decent spots for bed bugs to live. Theyre not only excellent and convenient hiding spots but also the fastest way to travel from one room to another.

Bed bugs can choose any unusual spot that has crevices, including door hinges, so long as it is close enough to you, their food source.

Electrical fixtures

A spreading bed bug infestation can travel through walls and floors into adjacent rooms. Another access point besides baseboards are light sockets, outlets, and switches. These little nooks are great places for the bugs to hide until they are ready to feed when youre sitting next to outlet by your desk, in your favorite chair, or fast asleep in bed.

Electronics

Your laptop can easily house bed bugs in all of your keyboard crevices. Other places that have little electronic spaces for plugs (and bed bugs) are TVs, computer CPUs, and fans or air purifiers. If any of these electronics came from an infested area, bed bugs may be hiding in there.

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Bed Bug Control | Hawx Pest Control