The Akron and Cleveland region finds itself among the top areas in the country for bed-bug related calls.
The pest control company Terminix examined its calls in 2015 to determine the top metropolitan areas where consumers sought help for bed-bug infestations. The worst in the country was Detroit.
Akron and Cleveland scratched their way to No. 3 on the list.
Last year, Northeast Ohio was ranked fifteenth in the country.
Ohio apparently is popular spot for bed bugs to reside — claiming four of the Top 10 spots.
Dayton ranked No. 5, while Columbus edged out Cincinnati to claim the No. 7 spot relegating the Queen City to No. 9.
The list of dubious distinction was determined by compiling “inbound lead data from the more than 300 Terminix branches across the country” that were recorded between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 17, 2015.
“We’ve seen a steady increase in bed bugs since the 1990s, which has been influenced by increased international travel and infestations left untreated,” said Paul Curtis, manager, technical services at Terminix, in a statement. “Most of the cities in our top 15 are big tourist and business destinations, making travelers even more at risk for encounters with bed bugs -- whether it’s on the plane, at their hotel, in a movie theater or riding in a taxi. The name ‘bed bug’ is deceptive, as these pests can thrive just about anywhere.”
Akron schools warned parents in October to be vigilant of bed bugs and even sent out a district-wide automated call to alert parents that it would be distributing educational materials to combat the issue. At the time, school officials said a dozen instances of bed bugs had been found in 12 different schools over the year.
Cleveland, meanwhile, had several well-publicized incidents of bed bugs being discovered in its municipal and county facilities in 2015.
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547.