Bed Bug Infestations Earn Tampa National Ranking

TAMPA, FL — Mosquitoes might not be the only nasty, pesky, biting bugs for folks in the Tampa Bay area to worry about. Terminix on Friday released its list of top 20 bed bug-infested cities across the country. Tampa was the only Florida town to earn the dubious placement.

Based on the number of service requests the pest control company received during the first half of the year, the rankings point out Terminix's busiest cities for bed bug calls. The list paints an especially bad picture for Ohio. Cleveland and Cincinnati earned first- and second-place dishonors, respectively. Detroit, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Denver, Colorado, rounded out the top five.

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Tampa area residents can breathe a little sigh of relief. The city doesn’t come in on the rankings until the number 18 spot. Atlanta, Georgia, is just a bit bed buggier, according to Terminix, with a number 17 placement. San Diego, California, came in 20th place.

Bed bug infestations have been on the rise since the late 1990s, according to Terminix. The cause, the pest control company says, remains unknown. Things like resistance to insecticides and upticks in international travel may play a role.

“Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate,” Paul Curtis, director, technical services at Terminix, said in a statement. “And, they can travel to new locations very easily—hitching a ride on clothing, handbags, suitcases and taxis, which can create substantial infestations in no time.”

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Bed bugs are noted for being able to hide rather well. Signs of infestation include a musty odor, blood spots on sheets and sightings of the critters themselves. Bed bugs are about the color and size of an apple seed.

Terminix’s rankings were created by compiling data from the company’s 300-plus branches across the country.

To read the full ranking report, check out Terminix’s press release.

Image via the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention