Top 5 Florida cities for bed bugs

It’s in The Knot’s top 5 best destination wedding spots in the United States.

It’s home to one of the world’s most popular theme parks.

It attracts nearly 1 million seasonal residents or “snowbirds” each winter.

Florida is a popular destination for just about everyone…including bed bugs.

With all of these claims to fame, there is a constant movement in and out of the Sunshine State. Unfortunately, visitors often bring along unwanted guests on their trip, plaguing Florida cities with abounding bed bug problems. In this article, we take a look a the top five cities in Florida for bed bug activity. Did your city make the list?

If you have a problem with bed bugs in your home or business, contact your local Ehrlich Pest Control office today to discuss treatment options.

Coming in at number five is Miami, FL. As a popular spring break destination, it’s understandable that the city would have an incredibly busy airport. Miami International Airport, MIA, was ranked 12 out of the 25 busiest United States airports by tripsavvy. It’s not just domestic passengers traveling into this bustling hub. Next to JFK Airport in New York, MIA has the largest number of global passengers, as it serves as a primary U.S. “gateway” to Latin America. With this many travelers comes quite a few suitcases, a popular mode of transportation for bed bugs. Whether the bed bugs originally hop on in homes or join the trip along the way via hotels or hostels, they’re always up for a trip.

Next on the list is Tampa, FL. Travelers come for the rich pirate history (or maybe a Buccaneers game) and stay for the infamous cigars and delicious Cuban sandwiches. Tampa is the birthplace of the Cuban! Tampa International Airport set a record for number of passengers in 2017 at 19,624,284, contributing to the 8th straight year of growing hotel occupancy rates in the area. This southwestern Florida city is also right across the bay from Clearwater and St. Petersburg, two other popular tourist destinations in the state, with stunning beaches that draw people in from all over the world. The warm average temperature of 73℉ is attractive to beach bums and bed bugs alike.

Cape Canaveral is third on our list of Florida cities with the most bed bug activity. Even if you don’t live here, if you’re a frequent cruise ship passenger, you may have paid a visit or two. Cape Canaveral is the third largest cruise passenger port in the world! In 2016, Florida experienced the reemergence of a pest it hadn’t seen in 60 years. The tropical bed bug spreads faster than ordinary bed bugs, and entomologists suspect it may have returned to Florida through Port Canaveral. In addition to the city being a literal doorway to the rest of the world, Cape Canaveral is home to the Kennedy Space Center, which welcomes over 1.4 million visitors each year on its own.

The number two spot goes to Fort Myers, FL, a riverside city with a substantial list of attractions. A short boat ride from Fort Myers will get you to the Cabbage Key Inn, the rumored inspiration behind Jimmy Buffett’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” Parrotheads come from all over the world to grab a bite and stick a dollar bill to the wall. The area’s rare and expansive selection of seashells also attracts many visitors to Fort Myers and Sanibel. According to National Geographic, many people will go out before the sun rise to look for shells by the glow of a flashlight. Like the other bed bug-plagued cities in Florida, the constant influx of tourists brings with it pests from near and far. However, with tourism bringing in nearly $3 billion to the area, it’s a risk the city has to take. Whether visitors come for the cheeseburgers or the seashells, there’s plenty for them to do in this town. Unfortunately, when they go come, bed bugs do too. Luckily, our Fort Myers bed bug experts are only a phone call away.

Recently passing up New York City and Las Vegas for the most visited U.S. city, it makes sense that the number one city in Florida for bed bugs is Orlando, FL! A world famous tourist destination, Orlando houses Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, which together boasted over 75 million visitors in 2017. That many people means plenty of CO2, a major bed bug attractant. According to Visit Orlando’s CEO George Aguel, 2017 brought 20 new attractions to the city, so even those who have visited Orlando in the past have a new reason to make the trip. The Orlando International Airport follows right behind Miami International Airport at number 13 on tripsavvy’s list of busiest U.S. airports, bringing people (and pests) in from all over the country and the world.

Though it is often hotels that most “feel the bite” of bed bugs, in the case of Florida, bed bugs are starting to pop up in some unsuspected places such as libraries, museums, and retail outlets. But no matter where you find bed bugs, Ehrlich’s bed bug specialists can get rid of them. Every situation is unique, so we believe that the treatment plan should be as well. Ehrlich will develop the most effective and safe plan of action for you and your family. Contact us or give us a call at  888 984 0186 and we’ll send a specialist out to survey your property — getting you on your way to being bed bug-free.

For more about bed bugs, check out our Essential Guide to Bed Bugs.