Pest control company Terminix released its annual list of the top 50 worst U.S. cities for bed bugs and it included five Ohio locales, three of which landed in the top 15.

Philadelphia earned the top spot for the second year in a row with New York just behind. The Cleveland/Akron-Canton area came in third. Dayton (11), Columbus (12) and Cincinnati (14) are the other Ohio cities.

Meanwhile, Detroit showed up at 17.

“We have seen a consistent increase in bed bug control service performed since the ‘new normal’ post-COVID-19 pandemic,” said Eric Braun, a Technical Service Manager at Terminix.

Terminix offered these tips for travelers to avoid a bed bug infestation:

Before you settle into your hotel room or AirBnB –

• Inspect the mattress seams, headboard, and nearby furniture for small, rust-colored stains, shed skins, or live bed bugs. Adult bed bugs are around the size of an apple seed, so be sure to examine closely, as they can be easy to miss.
• Use a flashlight (your phone works) to check deep crevices, folds, and corners.
• Look for evidence around nightstands, the edges of chairs or sofas, and in drawer joints.
• Avoid placing your luggage on the bed or floor while you inspect the room.

While traveling –

• Keep your suitcase zipped and consider storing it in a large, sealed plastic bag when not in use.
• When you return home, unpack on a hard surface (not the carpet or your bed) and away from your bedroom (exterior or garage), so you can easily spot any unwanted hitchhikers and not introduce them into sleeping areas.
• Place your clothing in the dryer before washing it. Thirty minutes on high heat should help eliminate any live bed bugs or eggs before you wash them. If you cannot place certain items in the dryer, steam cleaning can also help kill bed bugs.
• Vacuum your suitcase inside and out before storing it, preferably in a space far away from sleeping areas.

The Terminix website also has a guide for determining if you have an infestation at home. and the Environmental Protection Agency offers a list of bed bug myths.

Researchers at Virginia Tech recently published a study indicating bed bugs may have been the first pest to plague humans starting more than 50,000 years ago and a jury recently awarded a California couple a $2 million verdict after their hotel stay included bed bugs.