CHICAGO — There aren’t many lists on which Chicago beats out New York City, but here’s one: bedbugs.
For the fourth year in a row, Chicago tops the list of 50 Bed Bug Cities, according to pest control company Orkin.
The list ranks cities by the number of bedbug treatments Orkin serviced after detecting bedbugs from January through December last year.
New Yorkers better watch out, however, as the Big Apple is creeping up on Chicago, snagging a No. 4 ranking on the list and rising 14 notches from last year.
Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., ranked second and third on the list, respectively, and are among six cities that made a double-digit jump compared to 2014.
Dayton, Ohio, Louisville, Ky., and Sacramento, Calif., all dropped significantly in the past year to 27th, 29th and 45th, respectively.
Orkin reminded consumers that bedbugs are not necessarily a sign of uncleanliness. They have been found in upscale homes and hotels, movie theaters, schools and in public transit, the company said in a statement.
“Bedbugs are the great hitchhiker of the bug world, and they are very difficult to control without professional help,” said Ron Harrison, an Orkin entomologist.
“Bedbugs can travel in luggage and other personal belongings to enter your home,” Harrison said. “They don’t just hide in beds — they can be found in furniture, bed posts, rugs and even electrical outlets.”
Bedbugs are not known to spread human diseases like other pests, according to Orkin, but some people have reactions to bedbug bites, including swelling and itchy red welts.
The persistent critters have been making their way back into human dwellings since the late 1990s, Orkin said. Recent surveys by the National Pest Management Association said 99.6 percent of pest professionals surveyed treated for bedbugs last year. Another NPMA survey found that 1 out of 5 Americans has had a bedbug infestation in their home or knows someone who has encountered bedbugs.