NYC Bed Bug Registry Infestation Maps, Residential and Hotel

NEW YORK CITY Sleep tight, New York City and don't let the growing swarms of bedbugs bite.

Bedbug complaints in the city quietly creeped up to the highest monthly level since October 2019, according to city data.

The post-COVID record 540 complaints in August the last month with updated data came just before bedbug bug outs exploded on social media over infestation fears in Paris.

"It's not always your fault, and we all now collectively share that nightmare," she said.

The return of bedbug fears in New York City is in many ways a throwback to pre-coronavirus pandemic days.

Complaints about bedbugs handled by the city's Housing Preservation & Development department cratered in April 2020 as COVID-19 ground life to a halt, data shows.

They rebounded by September that year and fit back into a pattern of steady decline going since at least 2014, according to data.

By the time 2022 rolled around, New York City was no longer in the top 10 of Orkin's top cities for bedbugs.

"Even the bed bugs left New York City in 2021," stated a Patch story from the time.

But bedbugs didn't stay away long.

Complaints crawled up in 2022 before exploding this year, data shows. The Big Apple now ranks second on Orkin's "Top 50 Bed Bug Cities" list for 2023.

New York City's brief bedbug lull now looks more like a blip than anything else amid what one 2022 study deemed the pest's "global resurgence."

The recent Paris bedbug panic was fueled by viral videos of tiny bugs on trains. French officials said cases from public transit were unfounded, but a government study found roughly one household in 10 was infested with bedbugs between 2017 and 2022 in France, the Associated Press reported.

Some New Yorkers in recent weeks have posted TikTok videos urging people who visit Paris to check for bedbugs.

But at least TikTok user blasted those fears, comparing it to anti-Asian attacks from the early days of COVID-19.

"Just because someone was in Paris doesn't mean they have bedbugs," the user said in a video that garnered 69,000 "likes."

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NYC Bedbug Complaints Creep Up To Years-Long High, Data Shows

Indiana City Among the Most Rat-Infested in 2024  wkdq.com

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Indiana City Among the Most Rat-Infested in 2024 - wkdq.com

Here's a story that'll make your skin crawl if you live or spend time in New York City, thanks to a recent list that no city wants to be near the top of.

For the second straight year, the five boroughs were ranked the second-worst city in the U.S. for bed bugs, pest control services company Orkin found in its annual "Top 50 Bed Bug Cities" list.

The list is based on the number of infestations the company has treated in each city, which includes homes and businesses, from Dec. 2022 through Nov. 2023.

At least the Big Apple was not the worst city that unenviable position goes to Chicago for the fourth year in a row, Orkin found. In fact, the top six cities on the list (Chicago, NYC, Philadelphia, Cleveland-Akron, Los Angeles and Detroit) finished in the exact same spots as last year.

It was not a great year for North Carolina when it came to bed bugs. Charlotte made the biggest jump of all cities in the top 10, climbing five spots to be ranked ninth. Greensboro was the biggest climber of all cities, jumping 25 spots on the list, according to Orkin.

As for cities heading in the right direction, San Francisco and Buffalo dropped 19 and 13 spots, respectively, as both barely made the top 50.

Bed bugs continue to be a constant worry for travelers since Paris was flooded withbed bug infestationsin late 2023, but the issue is also present on this side of the Atlantic.

Here's the rest of the top 10:

According to Orkin, bed bugs are less than a quarter-inch long and red-to-dark in coloring. They are mostly nocturnal and come out from their hiding spots to bite sleeping humans or other animals for their meals. Orkin said the pests are hematophagous, which means blood is their only food source.

Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As people begin to ramp up their travel plans this year, its important they know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control, said Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist. Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, but are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended.

The bugs caneasily travelfrom place to place, clinging to items such as luggage, purses and other personal belongings. They also multiple quickly and can survive a long time without eating, according to Orkin.

Females can deposit one to five eggs a day and may lay 200 to 500 eggs in their lifetime. They can survive for several months while waiting for their next blood meal, so theyre likely to emerge when a food source, e.g., humans or animals, become available, Orkin stated.

"While its important to be aware of bed bug infestations within hotels, practicing precautions in other aspects of travel are also important. Taxis, buses and airplanes are also commonbed bug hiding places, allowing these pests an opportunity to hitch a ride with unsuspecting travelers. Examining clothing and luggage regularly while traveling can help to catch a bed bug infestation in the early stages, said Hottel.

In addition to being present in the sheets of a bed, bed bugs can also live in bedside table drawers and electrical outlets in walls, but fortunately, there are ways to detect them and to keep them from traveling home with you.

Exterminators encourage use of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. when inspecting for bugs while you travel and when you return home:

For more information about bed bug prevention and bed bug control, visit EPA.gov.

Kiersten Riedford of NBC Chicago contributed to this report.

Originally posted here:
NYC Bed Bugs: See where five boroughs rank on Orkins list - NBC New York

Bedbugs are small insects that are common in New York City. Adult bedbugs have flat, brown oval bodies and are about the size of an apple seed. They are usually active at night and feed on blood in order to grow and reproduce.

Bedbugs do not cause or spread diseases, but their bites can lead to infections. Some people do not have a reaction to bites and may be unaware that bedbugs are in their home until they see them.

Bedbugs like to hide inside of mattresses, under the mattress seams, and especially in the cracks and crevices on the box springs. Other than beds, these bugs often hide in cracks in furniture, floors, walls and other areas near where people sleep or lounge.

If you spot bedbugs in a residence or public place, you can submit a bedbug complaint online or by calling 311.

Bed bug infestations can be safely controlled. You can wash clothes and, in most cases, treat furniture to get rid of bedbugs. You should only throw away furniture if there are no acceptable treatments that can rid them of bedbugs, or if advised to do so by a pest management professional.

The New York City area has more than a thousand pest control companies and thousands of licensed pest management professionals. To get rid of bedbugs, you need to be clear with companies about what you want done and monitor the service you get.

The chance of picking up bedbugs when you travel is low, but it is important to take simple precautions. Bedbugs can hitch a ride on clothing and luggage, especially in places where travelers sleep. They are rarely found in planes, trains and motor vehicles. If you have bedbugs at home and will be traveling, take precautions so you do not spread them to other places.

Bed bug data from the NYC Community Health Survey can be viewed on theEnvironmental Public Health and Sustainability Tracking Portal.

Read more:
Bedbugs - NYC Health

The resources on this page can help you prevent bedbug infestations and safely control them when they occur.

Bedbugs can enter homes by latching on to used furniture, luggage, clothing and by traveling along connecting pipes and wiring.

Ask your landlord or building manager to seal any cracks and crevices to prevent bedbugs and other pests from entering the home. Never take in furniture found on the street. If you think you have been around bedbugs, immediately wash and dry your clothing for at least 30 minutes on high heat, or store them in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash them

Provide tenants with information on how to identify and prevent bedbugs. Help tenants if they cannot move furniture themselves or need help getting rid of clutter.

Encourage tenants to report bedbugs as soon as they think they have a problem. If an apartment is found to have bedbugs, notify and inspect all units that are across, above and below the infested one.

Hire a pest management professional to treat for bedbugs. Give advance notice to tenants of the planned use of pesticides. Be wary of companies that make unrealistic claims about controlling infestations with just one visit. Seek a company that provides a warranty as well as a follow up visit.

Inspect your units after vacancy. Make sure vacant units are thoroughly cleaned and free of pests before a new tenant moves in.

Tenants in New York City have the right to a bedbug-free environment. Bedbugs are specifically named in the list of insects that building owners are legally required to eradicate.

New York City lists bedbugs as a Class B violation. This means they are considered hazardous. The landlord has 30 days to correct this problem. The landlord must get rid of the infestation and keep the affected units from getting infested again.

Property owners must provide tenants with a written bedbug history notice (PDF). This should disclose any bedbug infestations that have occurred in their building in the past year.

You can file a bedbug complaint online or by calling 311.

Follow this link:
Bedbugs: Information for Tenants and Building Owners - NYC Health - NYC.gov

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. They feast on human blood while you sleep, and they can be tough to spot. But since New York City recorded the second-highest number of bed bug treatments of any U.S. city last year, according to a recent study, New Yorkers should certainly be on the lookout for the pests.

Bedbugs are hematophagous, which means blood is their only meal ever. And theyre known for rapid population growth, with females depositing one to five eggs each day.

Chicago holds the top spot on Orkins Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List for the third year in a row, while Philadelphia landed in third place.

Identifying bed bugs

Orkin provided the following proactive tips for homeowners and travelers to prevent bed bug infestation. Though theyre difficult to spot, the pests are visible to the naked eye, experts say.

When you check into a hotel room, Orkin said you should conduct a full inspection before unpacking. The experts say to use the acronym S.L.E.E.P. when inspecting for bed bugs.

1. Survey the hotel room for signs of infestation, including colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.

2. Lift and look in the mattress, box spring, furniture, behind baseboards, pictures and even in torn wallpaper.

3. Elevate luggage away from the bed and walls. Its safest to store bags on a counter or in the bathroom.

4. Examine your luggage carefully when you return home, and store it away from your bed.

5. Place all dryer-safe clothing into the dryer immediately when you return. Run dryer for at least 30 to 45 minutes at the highest setting.

Bed bugs are 4 mm to 5 mm in size, are dark brown and wingless, and have a flat, oval-shaped body, according to Orkin.

Symptoms of bed bug bites

Some people who are bitten by bed bugs develop itching, red welts or swelling the day after being bitten. Remember, though, that bites may not become obvious for several days or at all on some individuals. And many people do not react at all to the bite of a bed bug many bites leave no mark and go completely unnoticed.

Bed bug cities

Chicago holds the top spot on Orkins Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List for the third year in a row, while Philadelphia landed in third place.

Los Angeles saw the largest jump this year, moving up seven spots in to the top five, with Cleveland (4) and Raleigh (20) each moving up the list by four spots.

Below is the list of the metropolitan areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2021 to Nov. 30, 2022.

1. Chicago

2. New York

3. Philadelphia

4. Cleveland-Akron, Ohio

5. Los Angeles

6. Detroit

7. Indianapolis

8. Baltimore

9. Washington

10. Columbus, Ohio

11. Champaign, Illinois

12. Grand Rapids, Michigan

13. Cincinatti

14. Charlotte

15. Denver

16. Atlanta

17. Dallas-Fort Worth

18. Charleston, West Virginia

19. Raleigh-Durham

20. Flint, Michigan

21. San Francisco

22. Norfolk, Virginia

23. Greenville, South Carolina

24. St. Louis

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