New York Has One of the Worst Bed Bug Problems in America

A hair-raising report has New Yorkers feeling squeamish.

It's no secret New York has a big problem with pests - particularly rats.

But the state is also home to a critter that is even more dangerous and harder to eradicate.

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America's least favorite pest, the bed bug, has been slowly taking over cities and wreaking havoc on residents.

According to a new report from Terminix, they have identified the top bed bug-infested cities in America.

Unfortunately, New York has one of the worst bed bug problems.

Terminix Releases List of the 50 Most Infested Cities

The report was compiled using data from their over 300 branches nationwide.

Claiming the #1 spot this year was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This marks the 2nd time the city topped the annual list.

In second place and notching a new record high on the list was New York City. The area experienced a horrific infestation in 2009 and, since then, have been doing its best to keep these blood suckers at bay.

A recent report from Pest Gnome claimed New York was losing its fight against bed bugs and ranked the Big Apple #1 in the country for having the worst problem.

The other Empire State cities to make the rank were as follows

Yonkers
Buffalo
Syracuse
Albany

Top 15 New York Cities Most Concerned With Bed Bugs

New York ranked 36th across the nation for bedbug concerns, so the experts at MattressNextDay took a deep dive into the New York cities most likely to face bedbug concerns in 2024 based on Google searches.

Which cities in New York State are the most concerned? Here's a look at the Top 15 who are searching for Bed Bugs the most:

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler

How to Spot Signs of a Possible Bed Bug Infestation

Once established, these blood sucking pests can prove difficult to eradicate.

The first line of defense is early detection, with exterminators saying checking under mattresses and in between their folds are the preferred hiding spot of bed bugs.

These creatures also like to scurry where the headboard meets the bed frame.

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The red flags are finding blood spots on the sheets and mattress. Another sign is a signature smell bed bugs apparently emit - which is described as booth sweet and musty.

If your mattress smells like that, chances are you may have a problem.

Brian Kersey/Getty Images

Other giveaways are seeing tiny pale yellow eggs or eggshells around your bedding - as well as white, oval eggs no larger than an apple seed.

Bed bugs also leave behind excrement that is described as tiny black dots.

If you find any evidence - don't panic. Instead, call an exterminator so the bugs can be served an official eviction notice.

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These 50 US Cities are Crawling with Bed Bugs

Every year the pest control gurus at Orkin put together a list of the Top 50 Bed Bug Destinations in the United States. Which areas do you travel to that you should take extra care to watch out for these blood-sucking insects? Let's countdown to the most bed-bug-riddled city in the United States.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow