Honolulu crawls up Bed Bug Cities list
IHS guest service assistants Wendy Dumlao, left, and Cindy Lewis treat beds for bedbugs. Protocol involves spraying an insecticide, removing all infested linens and belongings and thoroughly washing them before returning them to the shelter. The pests, which are about the size of an apple seed and do not carry disease, feed on people’s blood, leaving behind itchy bites.
Honolulu crept up three notches to No. 42 in the U.S., on the annual Orkin Bed Bug Cities List, released Wednesday.
The pest control company ranked 50 U.S. markets by the number of bed bug treatments it performed during the 2014 calendar year, and Chicago topped the list for the third consecutive year.
The Windy City was followed by Detroit (up two from 2013), Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles (down two from 2013), and at No. 5, the Cleveland, Akron, Canton market in Ohio, which moved up a notch.
“Bed bugs are a serious issue across the country, and they’re very difficult to control,” said Orkin Entomologist and Technical Services Director Ron Harrison, in a statement. “Bed bugs are not limited to any level of cleanliness or income, which means they can be found in any home or hotel. They’re great hitchhikers, and people often bring them inside on their clothes or in their luggage.”
Orkin parent company Rollins Inc. saw an 18 percent increase in bed bug treatment revenue during 2014, amid other evidence that bedbug infestations are growing.
