Windsor continues to improve, but remains on a dubious list when it comes to bed bug infestations.
Pest control company Orkin released its fourth annual list of the 25 worst Canadian cities when it comes to bed bugs. The company ranks each city based on the number of treatments performed from January to December of each year.
Windsor ranked 21st on the list in 2020, down from 11 in 2019 and ninth in 2018 — with Toronto, Sudbury, Oshawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg rounding out the top five.
Ontario Regional Manager Bruno Levesque says Windsor saw a significant drop.
"You've had a decline in the bed bug population within Windsor," says Levesque. "All these stats are based on the amount of jobs that we had booked for bed bugs through our residential and our commercial customers."
He says he's not surprised to see the year to year difference in Windsor and other cities.
"We can relate the decline to the bed bugs throughout all of Canada to the lockdown that we've had with the coronavirus," he says. "There's been a lot less traveling within Canada and abroad so less chances of people coming in contact bed bugs and bringing them home."
According to the company, signs of a problem include tiny dark coloured stains, cast skins or live bed bugs.
Orkin says you should check mattress tags and seams, under seat cushions, behind headboards, creases of drawers, buckling wallpaper or carpet for bed bugs.
The pest control company recommends you inspect all second-hand furniture before bringing it into your home.
Also, before returning home after travel, residents should examine their bags and inspect their clothing and other items for bed bugs.
- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi