This is a list you definitely want to avoid. Cities with the most bed bugs.

Orkin, the folks who are #1 at pest control have released their annual list Top 50 Bed Bug Cities. For the second year in a row, Baltimore and Washington, DC are atop the list. And we're not talking about wiretapping. (Although DC might rank high in that department as well.) Four New York cities made the list.

New York City is #8, Buffalo is #20, Syracuse is #33, and Albany-Schenectady-Troy is #50.

If you're traveling, Orkin suggests the acronym SLEEP, when it comes to bed bug detection and minimization:

  • Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.
  • Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring, and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.
  • Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on counters.
  • Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and once you return home from a trip. Always store luggage away from the bed.
  • Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting after you return home.

Remember: bed bugs can set up shop anywhere, from upscale, newly built homes to low-income housing, in luxury hotels and cheap dives. So, be vigilant.

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