As Americans prepare to travel for the summer holidays, the pest-control company Orkin has released its 2026 Bed Bug Cities List, which ranks US cities by the prevalence of bedbug treatments. For the second consecutive year, Chicago has been named the worst city in the country for bedbugs, retaining the top spot. The findings matter to travellers because bedbugs are commonly encountered in places where people sleep or rest, making hotels and holiday accommodation a particular concern.

Bedbugs are small blood-feeding insects that live close to humans and animals, favouring beds, sofas and nearby furniture, and their bites can cause itching, skin irritation and, in some cases, allergic reactions. The article notes the ongoing scale of the problem by referencing a bedbug outbreak in Paris, where a street was reportedly filled with discarded mattresses in plastic bags. (The provided text is truncated before the full city ranking and further detail are given.)