MD City Among The Most Roach-Infested In USA, Study Finds

BALTIMORE, MD — As families across Maryland gather for the holidays, there is one guest that is never welcome: the cockroach.

Nevertheless, it's an alarmingly frequent visitor. Pest Gnome, a company that specializes in connecting people to pest exterminators in their area, ranked the most roach-infested cities in the United States. Four California cities made it into the top 25 cities for cockroach service calls.

In Maryland, residents in Baltimore call for help with roach infestations at higher rates than anywhere else statewide. The city ranked No. 16 among U.S. cities for its level of creepy-crawly bugs.

Overall, several densely-populated metro cities made the list, which was determined using data from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Houston topped the list, with 37 percent of homes showing signs of cockroaches in the past 12 months, the study said. Houston is known for its high heat and humidity, and Pest Gnome reported that roaches thrive in such conditions.

Here's the full list:

1. Houston, TX
2. San Antonio, TX
3. Tampa, FL
4. Phoenix, AZ
5. Las Vegas, NV
6. Miami, FL
7. Atlanta, GA
8. Birmingham, AL
9. Dallas, TX
10. Oklahoma City, OK
11. New York, NY
12. Richmond, VA
13. Los Angeles, CA
14. Washington, D.C.
15. Philadelphia, PA
16. Baltimore, MD
17. Riverside, CA
18. Chicago, IL
19. Minneapolis, MN
20. San Jose, CA
21. Boston, MA
22. Detroit, MI
23. San Francisco, CA
24. Rochester, NY
25. Seattle, WA

“Cockroaches are known to transfer disease pathogens, such as the various bacteria that produce ‘food poisoning’ in humans, by contaminating food, food preparation surfaces, dishes and eating utensils,” the Illinois Department of Public Health said on its website.

Why do I have a cockroach problem?

Cockroaches typically find their way into homes while foraging for food or after being accidentally introduced from hiding in or on another object. Cockroaches that are living on your property often find their way inside through cracks in the foundation and exterior walls, spaces around utility entrances, spaces underneath doors, or through vents. Cockroaches can be brought into a home unknowingly in used appliances or furniture, packages, and potted plants.

Where will I find cockroaches?

Wherever there are people, food, and shelter, there is the potential to find cockroaches. Depending on their exact species, cockroaches often live around dumpsters or trash cans, behind tree bark, in compost piles, in gardens, in sewers, and under mulch.

To prevent roaches from roaming in your home, Pest Gnome recommends sealing any points of entry, cleaning up any stray crumbs, fixing leaky pipes and using Raid and roach motels. If all else fails, call an exterminator.