Worst FL Cities For Bed Bug Infestations: Report

FLORIDA — A nightmare for homeowners and travelers staying in hotels on vacation, bed bugs are a tiny pest that can carry a big price tag to remove them from your home.

Miami Beach landed in the top 10 for infestations at No. 69, while 17 other Florida cities ranked among the worst cities for bed bug infestations in the country, according to a new study by Pest Gnome.

Miami ranked 22nd overall, while Fort Lauderdale ranked 53rd. Other Sunshine State cities and their rankings in the top 350 are:

• Orlando, No. 60
• Hollywood, No. 68
• Jacksonville, No. 78
• Hialeah, No. 105
• St. Petersburg, No. 135
• Tampa, No. 165
• Gainesville, No. 185
• Deerfield Beach, No. 190
• Miami Gardens, No. 210
• Pembroke Pines, No. 228
• Tallahassee, No. 242
• Sunrise, No. 269
• Pompano Beach, No. 287
• Miramar, No. 290
• Clearwater, No. 336

To rank the cities, researchers looked at the 500 biggest U.S. cities and compared them based on three categories: the number of accommodations, multi-unit residential buildings, and population density. They also considered access to exterminators.

New York City topped the list. Major metros like New York, which placed first, and Los Angeles, which came in second, also led the pack for most bed bug-related Google searches. There were 105,510 average monthly Google searches for bed bug-related keywords in the past year in New York, according to Pest Gnome.

Houston was third, Chicago came in fourth on the list, and San Francisco was fifth.

View the full report.

“Travel is expected to soar this summer, even as bed bugs have been increasingly troubling vacationers worldwide since their noticeable resurgence last October,” according to Pest Gnome. “Bed bug outbreaks are hard to control and can occur in hotel accommodations and shared living spaces like apartments and retirement homes.”

For more information about the ranking and how to avoid bed bugs, visit Pest Gnome’s website.

Bed bugs are about 3/16 inch long and red to dark brown. The nocturnal insects feed on blood, unwittingly provided by sleeping humans. They can travel in luggage, purses and other personal belongings.

While traveling, it’s important to examine clothing and luggage regularly.