What comes to mind when you think of Chicago? Deep dish pizza? “The Bean”? “Da Bears?” How about bedbugs?
In its yearly review, pest control company Orkin ranked Chicago as the worst city in America for bedbugs for the fourth year in a row. Other top cities include New York, Philadelphia, the Cleveland-Akron area and Los Angeles.
Bedbugs are a particularly common pest when traveling, but it’s important to stay vigilant in your home as well. Here’s how to tell if they’ve moved into your house.
Bedbugs are fond of hidden places – you can typically find them in the seams or cushions of chairs and couches, in curtains, in wall hangings, in heads of screws near piping, mattresses or box springs or in cracks in bed frames and headboards. An infestation will give off a musty, slightly sweet odor, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Bedbug infestations can happen all year round, but they thrive in warmer months. Aside from a live bedbug sighting, these signs could indicate a bedbug infestation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency:
Take these steps to check for bedbugs when you’re traveling, experts told USA TODAY:
Adult bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed and are long, brown or reddish-brown with flat bodies. They are oval-shaped and have antennas and six legs. Young bedbugs are smaller and may be lighter in color than their adult counterparts – closer to yellow or white than brown.
Bedbug bites are small red, itchy bumps sometimes surrounded by blisters or hives. They show up in places that are exposed when you’re sleeping, like your face, neck or hands. You can treat them with over-the-counter hydrocortisone, itch creams and antihistamines.
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Contributing: Janet Loehrke
