MARYLAND — A nightmare for homeowners and travelers staying in hotels on vacation, bed bugs are a tiny pest that can carry a big price tag to remove them from your home.
Three Maryland cities ranked among the worst cities for bed bug infestations in the country, according to a new study by Pest Gnome.
Baltimore is the worst city in the state and the 51st-worst city overall for bed bug infestations, according to the study. Columbia ranked 218th overall, while Frederick ranked 358th. Nearby Washington, D.C., ranked No. 9 overall.
To rank the cities, researchers looked at the 500 biggest U.S. cities and compared them based on three categories: the number of accommodations, multi-unit residential buildings, and population density. They also considered access to exterminators.
New York City topped the list. Major metros like New York, which placed first, and Los Angeles, which came in second, also led the pack for most bed bug-related Google searches. There were 105,510 average monthly Google searches for bed bug-related keywords in the past year in New York, according to Pest Gnome.
Houston was third, Chicago came in fourth on the list, and San Francisco was fifth.
“Travel is expected to soar this summer, even as bed bugs have been increasingly troubling vacationers worldwide since their noticeable resurgence last October,” according to Pest Gnome. “Bed bug outbreaks are hard to control and can occur in hotel accommodations and shared living spaces like apartments and retirement homes.”
For more information about the ranking and how to avoid bed bugs, visit Pest Gnome’s website.
Bed bugs are about 3/16 inch long and red to dark brown. The nocturnal insects feed on blood, unwittingly provided by sleeping humans. They can travel in luggage, purses and other personal belongings.
While traveling, it’s important to examine clothing and luggage regularly.
