Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse has moved up in the rankings on a list no one wants to be on Americas top 50 cities for bed bugs. <\/p>\n
Syracuse ranks 21 on the 2012 list released today by Orkin, a pest control company. It ranked 23 on the 2011 list. <\/p>\n
Orkin ranks cities in order of the number of bed bug treatments it performed from January to December last year. <\/p>\n
Chicago ranked No. 1. Other cities in New York on the list include New York City (10), Buffalo (28) and Albany (42). <\/p>\n
The ranking came as no surprise to Sharon Sherman, executive director of the Greater Syracuse Tenants Network. <\/p>\n
We have a crisis in Syracuse, Sherman said. Its out of control. <\/p>\n
Sherman said bed bug infestations are rampant in rental housing in lower income neighborhoods, particularly on the citys North Side. About 20 percent of the calls she receives from tenants are related to bed bugs. <\/p>\n
Orkin said sanitation is not a factor when it comes to development of bed bugs. The insects are not limited to bedrooms. They can be found in kitchens and bathrooms. The bloodsuckers also show up in places other than homes such as hospitals, movie theaters, airplanes and gyms. <\/p>\n
Bed bugs can multiply quickly, so early detection is critical to preventing a larger infestation, the company said. <\/p>\n
The following cities are ranked in order of the number of bed bug treatments Orkin performed from January to December 2012 along with their shift, if any, in ranking compared to January to December 2011. <\/p>\n
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