Chicago leads in bedbugs for 2nd consecutive year

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Chicago ranks top U.S. city for bed bugs (Reuters file photo / January 16, 2014)

1:30 p.m. CST, January 16, 2014

Chicago has earned the creepy-crawly distinction of being ranked first in bedbug infestations for the second year in a row, according to pest control company Orkin.

Los Angeles came in second on Orkins list of cities where it does the most business, and Columbus, Ohio was third. New York, the nations biggest city, fell dramatically in the rankings. It came in 17th last year, falling from 10th place in 2012.

The list released by Orkin ranks the cities by the number of bedbug treatments Orkin performed from January to December 2013.

Chicagos rash of bedbug infestations led the City Council last summer to pass an ordinance requiring condo associations to have a formal plan in place for detection, inspection and treatment.

Bedbugs can hide in a number of places in a home, including mattress seams, picture frames and electrical outlets. About the size of an apple seed when fully grown and fed, they can be tricky to spot.

Signs of an infestation include rust-colored stains on sheets or other surfaces on or around a bed and a sweet musty odor, according to the CDC. The bugs tend to spread quickly because they inject an anesthetic when they bite, which prevents a person from realizing that they've been bitten.

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Chicago leads in bedbugs for 2nd consecutive year

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