Bed bugs are small bugs that feed on blood. They can get into your home, hotel, or any other place you sleep. They are extremely hard to get rid of, and their bites can be itchy, cause allergic reactions, and make you feel bad. As per a new report from the pest control business Orkin, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston are two of the fifty worst cities in the U.S. for bed bugs.
Dallas Ranks 17th Worst City in the Nation for Bed Bugs
On Orkin’s 2023 Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List, Dallas-Fort Worth came in at number 17, down one spot from the previous year. With the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport ranking as the fourth busiest in the world, the metroplex is a key hub for travel. This implies that a large number of visitors may inadvertently carry bed bugs from other afflicted regions or discover them in local hotels, motels, or Airbnb rentals.
Travelers are advised by Orkin to check their clothing, bedding, and luggage for evidence of bed bugs, such as shed skins, eggs, fecal stains, and live or dead bugs. To prevent coming into contact with bed bugs, they also advise utilizing a baggage rack or putting bags in the bathtub as opposed to the floor or the bed. In the event that you believe you have bed bugs in your house, you should get in touch with a professional pest control provider right away because doing it yourself can frequently be hazardous or inefficient.
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Houston Ranks 44th Out Of All Cities For Bed Bugs
Houston dropped three spots from the previous year to rank 44th on Orkin’s ranking. With the George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranking as the 15th busiest airport in the United States, the city is also a popular tourism destination. In addition, Houston is home to a number of internationally popular tourist destinations, including the Space Center, the Museum District, the Galleria, and the NRG Stadium. These guests could inadvertently bring bed bugs with them or come across them in lodging facilities like hostels, motels, or Couchsurfing services.
Before making a reservation, Orkin suggests guests to read internet evaluations of their potential lodging and look for any complaints or incidents of bed bugs. Additionally, they advise against putting any personal belongings on the bed or the floor and to use a flashlight to look for any indications of bed bugs on the mattress, box spring, headboard, and furniture. You should report any signs of bed bugs to the management and either choose to stay somewhere else or request a different room. Bed bugs can spread quickly to neighboring rooms or buildings, so you should contact a professional pest control agency as soon as you suspect you have bed bugs in your house.
| City | Ranking (2023) | Change from Previous Year |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 17th | Down 1 |
| Houston | 44th | Down 3 |
Precautions Against Bed Bugs
- Examine your baggage rack: Before departing, check your hotel room’s luggage rack for bed bugs.
- Examine used furniture: Check used sofas, beds, and furniture for indications of bed bug infestation before bringing them home.
- Employ protective covers: To get rid of lots of hiding places, cover box springs and mattresses with a protective cover.
Cut down on hiding spots: Make your house clutter-free. A crowded home makes it more difficult to find and treat bed bugs since there are more locations for them to hide. - Clean and dry your bedding with heat: Make sure to wash and air dry your blankets, bedspreads, bed linens, and any floor-touching apparel on a regular basis. As a result, there are fewer bed bugs. Laundry baskets and hampers can serve as hiding places for bed bugs and their eggs. Keep in mind to clean them after doing the laundry.
- Steer clear of DIY freezing: DIY Freezing might not be a dependable bed insect repellent. Bed bugs can be killed by freezing, but it takes a long period of extremely low temperatures to do it. Use a thermometer to ensure that the temperature is precisely low enough to kill bed bugs, as home freezers might not be cold enough. Bed bugs may be killed by placing items outside in freezing weather, but there are a lot of variables that can influence this approach’s effectiveness.
- Apply heat to eliminate bed bugs: Raising the indoor temperature with the thermostat or space heaters won’t accomplish the job. Achieving an effective heat treatment requires specialized equipment and extremely high temperatures. If the contents of the bags are heated enough, black plastic bags in the sun may be able to kill bed bugs in tiny goods or luggage. When a bed bug’s body temperature reaches 45°C (113°F), it dies. In order to eradicate bed bugs using heat, the area or container needs to be much hotter to guarantee that the bugs, wherever they may be hiding, receive constant heat.
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In Summary
No matter where a person lives or travels, bed bugs are a serious issue that can impact anyone. They are a byproduct of globalization and human mobility rather than an indication of bad hygiene or uncleanliness. Orkin lists Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, two Texas cities, in the top 50 American cities with infestations of bed bugs. To prevent bringing bed bugs home with them or coming into contact with them while staying in their lodging, travelers should be informed of the risks and take preventative measures.
If homeowners think they may have bed bugs, they should move promptly and get professional aid because these pests are notoriously hard to get rid of on their own. We can stop these pests from spreading and shield our loved ones and ourselves from their bites and impacts by being watchful and proactive.