According to Orkin Canada, an international pest control company, bed bugs are a growing concern.
“A lot of it originates from overseas. After World War II, bed bugs in North America were almost gone,” said Nick Merpaw, service manager for Orkin Canada.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of activity until probably 15, 20 years ago.”
Peterborough is now 21st on the list of Orkin’s top bed-bug cities in Canada. The city has moved up the ranking by four spots, compared to last year.
The rankings are based on the number of service calls Orkin receives for bed bugs.
“I think Peterborough is a growing community, they’re getting noticed now, people are becoming more conscious of them,” added Merpaw.
Jeff Walsh, a Peterborough exterminator with EnviroPes Inc., says the bed-bug problem fluctuates, depending on various conditions including weather, clutter, how often you travel and much more.
“They are attracted to carbon dioxide, so as you exhale, so normally you will catch them more at the head of the bed but they can be anywhere, at rest, when you’re sitting on your chair at work, taxi cabs, buses, anywhere,” said Walsh.
When you’re on vacation, Merpaw says it’s extremely important to do a thorough examination of your hotel room to avoid bringing the bugs home.
“If at all possible, don’t store your clothes inside the dresser drawers, keep your luggage off of the bed, until you do an inspection of the bed. I always carry a flashlight with me whenever I travel — quickly pull back the sheets, look at the seams of the mattress,” Merpaw said.
If you notice the pests or you suffer from itchy, red bites from these blood-feeding bugs, Walsh says to tell your landlord right away or get immediate help from a licensed, reputable company who knows what they are doing.
“Everybody thinks that they’re dirty, and it has nothing to do with that. We treat very high-end homes and unfortunately, it’s luck of the draw, anybody can end up with them,” said Walsh.
As for price, it can cost you a minimum of $500 to $1,000 to get rid of the pests.
Top 10 Canadian cities with bed bugs, according to Orkin:
- Toronto
- Winnipeg
- St. Johns
- Vancouver
- Halifax
- Ottawa
- Hamilton
- Sudbury
- Windsor
- Scarborough
WATCH: Sniffing out trouble in your home and office: K9 bed bug detection
Comments