{"id":239496,"date":"2026-07-09T17:09:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/239496\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T17:09:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:09:08","slug":"where-pittsburgh-ranks-among-worst-cities-for-bed-bugs-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/239496\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Pittsburgh ranks among worst cities for bed bugs in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re heading to Pittsburgh<\/a> for summer vacation, keep an eye out for tiny tourists sharing a room with you and hitchhiking on your luggage.<\/p>\n

Orkin’s 2026 list<\/a> ranking the U.S. cities with the highest rates of bed bug infestations<\/a> put the Steel City among the top 10 worst municipalities for bed bugs.<\/p>\n

Opportunities for bed bugs to spread can increase with higher rates of travel and elevated turnover at hotels and apartments, according to Orkin.<\/p>\n

Here’s what to know about how Pittsburgh ranks.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh ranks among top 10 cities for highest rates of bed bugs<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh ranked at No. 9 on Orkin’s 2026 list, moving up three spots from previous years.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A live adult bed bug crawls around a Petri dish of Jinbo Song, a Phd candidate studying them in the entomology lab at Clemson University under Eric Benson in May 2019. Mr. Song looks at several varieties in different stages.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia was also among the top 25 cities, ranking at No. 22, up three spots from past years.<\/p>\n

Overall, Pennsylvania ranks high as one of the worst states for bed bug risks, according to a recent USA TODAY report<\/a>, which cited a Casino.ca analysis<\/a>. The Keystone State ranked at No. 4 for its bed bug risks, putting it behind Michigan, Ohio and Maryland and above Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois, New York and Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

Which cities have the highest rates of bed bugs?<\/p>\n

These cities have the highest rates of bed bugs, according to Orkin’s 2026 list.<\/p>\n

Charleston, West Virginia<\/p>\n

Charlotte, North Carolina<\/p>\n

Greenville, South Carolina,<\/p>\n

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina<\/p>\n

How to avoid bed bugs while traveling\"Your<\/p>\n

Your suitcase may be full of bed bugs\u2014here’s how to protect it<\/p>\n

Orkin recommends inspecting hotel rooms before unpacking by checking mattresses and furniture for live bugs, shed skins, tiny eggs or dark, ink-like stains. Travelers should also keep luggage on elevated racks away from beds, inspect bags before returning home and place dryer-safe clothing in a high-heat dryer for 30 to 45 minutes after traveling.<\/p>\n

“Travel season brings excitement, but it also makes awareness especially important,” said Dr. Shannon Sked, Orkin entomologist and national technical director.<\/p>\n

Sked said bed bugs rarely disappear on their own, making early detection and prompt professional treatment the best way to prevent infestations from spreading.<\/p>\n

Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com.\u00a0Instagram:\u00a0@finchwalker_<\/a>.\u00a0X:\u00a0@_finchwalker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where Pittsburgh ranks among worst cities for bed bugs in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n