Toronto leads Canada in bed bugs, but COVID crawls back sightings

Article content

Toronto may still top the list of 25 bed bug cities in Canada, but on the bright side, that doesn’t mean the number of critters is going up.

In fact, according to an annual survey by pest control company Orkin Canada, some “hitchhikers” couldn’t catch a ride in 2020, with bed bug sightings across the country down by nearly 20% over the previous year.

And what’s to thank for that? COVID-19 restrictions.

“As a result of their ability to latch on to people, clothing and furniture, all it takes is an airline or bus seat, an unsuspecting office, or a house or hotel with changing visitors, for bed bugs to travel great distances,” Orkin said in a news release Tuesday.

“Travel bans, stay-at-home orders, and a general shift to working remotely have resulted in less opportunities for these hitchhikers to move around, for the first time since Orkin Canada released its annual survey five years ago.”

However, Orkin Canada said it’s expected that once the economy reopens, bed bugs cases will rise again.

“Due to their ability to double in population about every 16 days, it should not be difficult for bed bugs to regain their grip on the Canadian market,” the company said.

Behind Toronto in the top 10, in order, are Sudbury, Oshawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg, St. John’s, Scarborough, Whitby, Edmonton and Ottawa.

Compared to the previous year, Toronto and Vancouver kept their No. 1 and 4 spots respectively, while Ottawa fell from 5 to 10 and Whitby rose from 20 to 8.

The survey results are based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments carried out by the company from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

Toronto Public Health didn’t provide a comment about the survey, but directed media to the city website that provides instructions for preparing an insect sample for bed bug identification. It said the three steps are prevention, identification and treating the problem.

“It is possible for anyone to have an infestation of bed bugs, regardless of income or housing. Bed bugs and bed bug infestations are not considered a health hazard,” the department says on the website. “However, secondary health concerns include skin infections and allergic reactions from insect bites, as well as the stress and anxiety of dealing with extreme infestations.”

People can use proactive prevention tips such as careful examination of bags and clothing, drying potentially infested bed linens or clothing on the highest heat setting, and inspecting all second-hand or returning office furniture, said Orkin Canada.

jyuen@postmedia.com