Worst Bed Bug Cities Revealed; Who Takes the Top?

They're creepy; they're crawly; and they may be in a bed near you. Orkin recently released its annual listing of the cities with the most treatments for bed bugs. The cities that top the list, however, may surprise you.

It wasn't New York City that made the top of the list- it was only ranked number 10. Chicago was the city that received the number one spot. Other cities on the list included Detroit, Los Angeles, and Denver.

Bed bugs are small- only about the side of an apple seed when fully grown and fed. They tend to live in small crevices, like the space in between a mattress and a bed frame, and will emerge at night to feed. The creatures, despite their name, don't only hide in the bedroom, though. They can also be found in kitchens, bathrooms, movie theaters, and in airplane seats. In addition, cleanliness usually has nothing to do with whether bed bugs will infest an area or not.

In 2012, Chicago received 1,533 calls reporting bed bug infestations. Bed bugs, in general, are difficult to remove and often require a professional to deal with the critters. In a press release issued by Orkin's parent company, Rollins, the organization stated that they saw nearly a 33 percent increase in bedbug business in comparison to 2011.

The study is by no means scientific. Although Orkin serves approximately 1.7 million customers worldwide, they can only give a rough estimate based solely on their customer base. That said, it does give the public a general idea on which cities to watch out for.