I almost had a panic attack over the weekend when I saw what I thought was a bed bug! To the naked eye, they’re tiny, black, and a gift sent from Satan. Luckily for my wife and I, it was a piece of fuzz, but that didn’t stop me from getting into a karate stance when I saw it (quit laughing).

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I’ve had a close call with bed bugs in the past; my workplace (luckily I was part time there at the time) had an infestation of them, so ever since that happened (over 10 years ago) I’ve been a little on edge.

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Especially with the end of Summer and beginning of fall, the peak time of the year for them (even though they can stay active all year, thank you, climate-controlled environments).

Because of my paranoia (and let’s face it, if you’re facing an enemy that the main way to defeat it was to destroy almost everything you own), I keep an eye on Orkin’s annual bed bug report to see which city is the worst when it comes to the worst of insects.

Worst Places In The Country For Bed Bugs

Chicago has claimed the top spot again (which is fine; they can keep that trophy), but how do some of our bigger cities in the Pacific Northwest fare? We had two cities that cracked the top 30. Not good, but could have been a lot worse.

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In Washington, Seattle ranked in at #30, where as in Idaho, South Bend claimed the 29th spot.

How Do You Get Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are hitchhikers and can latch on and follow you home. Orkin recommends S.L.E.E.P. while you’re traveling and staying in places like hotels and motels.

S.L.E.E.P. stands for:

• Search (for signs of infestation)
• Lift (sheets and curtains)
• Elevate (your luggage off the floor and bed)
• Examine (your luggage when packing up)
• Place (all your dryer-safe stuff in the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes when you’re home, on the highest heat possible).

For more on these insects that serve NO beneficial purpose to Earth, visit Orkin.com.