Tampa Has the Biggest Bed Bugs Problem in Florida

Oh lucky us. When it comes to bed bugs, there's good news and bad news for us in the Tampa area.

Let's start with the bad news. According to research done by Orkin pest control, Tampa has the biggest problem among Florida cities when it comes to bed bugs. Miami and Orlando also made the list of the 50 cities with bed bug issues, but their problems leveled off this year. They say Tampa shot up 10 spots to #31 in the country this past year. Orkin compiled data from their treatments performed from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023 both for homeowners and businesses.

That's where we get to the GOOD news. Although Tampa's bed bug situation is the worst in Florida, other cities around the United States have it way worse. In fact, one city has the dubious distinction of topping the bed bug list for the FOURTH year in a row. Sorry Chicago! Here's the rest of the Top 10 cities you might wanna check under the mattress before you go to sleep.

10. Champlaign, Illinois
9. Charlotte, North Carolina
8. Indianapolis, Indiana
7. Washington, D.C.
6. Detroit, Michigan
5. Los Angeles, California
4. Cleveland, Ohio
3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2. New York, New York
1. Chicago, Illinois

Orkin says it's not easy to find bed bugs. They are creatures of the night and their ONLY food source is your BLOOD! They're usually less than a quarter inch long and are a red to dark brown in color. They cling to luggage so the experts say travelers really should pay extra attention when unpacking after a trip. They are GREAT at hiding. The other thing that presents a challenge is that bed bugs can go a REALLY long time without a meal... we're talking several MONTHS!

Orkin has these tips to avoid bed bugs invading your bedroom. First, when you get to a hotel, inspect for small ink-colored stains on your mattress and on soft furniture. As for your luggage, keep it far away from the wall. Your best place to put luggage is in the bathroom or on a counter. Finally, when you get home, toss everything in the dryer for at least a half hour on the warmest temperature setting. [Source: USA Today]

When it comes to roaches, I like calling them Palmetto bugs. Sounds classier right? If you live in Florida you have seen many roaches, but what city is the most infested? I live in St. Petersburg and it did not make this list. "Here is the most roach-infested city in Florida."  Can you guess the city? You will see below.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center, "Finding roaches is not a sign that your house is dirty. Even if you clean regularly and maintain a tidy home, cockroaches can usually find food and water without much trouble. This allows them to thrive in many environments."

Roaches have been on this earth for over 200 years.  The common cockroach can survive forces up to 900 times greater than its own body weight. Roaches can also squeeze through openings. On top of all of this their reproduction abilities, are very quick. These are all the reasons roaches are hard to eliminate.  Roach infestations are most common in summer months because they thrive in hot temperatures! 

I once went to a guy's house and woke up to a roach in my wig. I felt so dirty! He apologized but at that point, I was already disgusted. His house was actually not dirty, so I don't know why there was a roach in my wig.

Have you ever been in a situation like this? Is a person having roaches in their home a deal breaker? I want to hear your stories! Feel free to email me Babs@wild941.com. As you read above, someone having roaches in their home doesn't necessarily mean their house is dirty.

Below are the 5 most roach-infested cities in the United States. The results below are based on a survey done by the American Housing Association. 

The mix of heat and people in Phoenix gives cockroaches a perfect place to roam.

Atlanta comes in at number 4 on this list! It is the fourth most roach infested city in the United States.

Miami is the most roach infested city in Florida. It also comes in at #3 as the most roach infested city in the United States.

Houston is the second most roach infested city in the United States. 38 percent of residents have encountered cockroaches at some point.

New Orleans is the number one roach invested city in the United States. More than 41 percent of residents have reported seeing cockroaches.