Orkin Launches "National Pest Month" with Top 10 Cities List

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Mar 28, 2013, 02:31 ET

ATLANTA, March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta-based pest control leader Orkin has declared April "National Pest Month." The company is kicking off the month with a Top 10 List of U.S. cities based on the number of pest treatments Orkin performed in 2012:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130328/CL85382-INFO )

Orkin is declaring April as National Pest Month. The company is kicking off the month with a Top 10 List of U.S. cities based on the number of pest treatments Orkin performed in 2012. (PRNewsFoto/Orkin, LLC) (PRNewsFoto/ORKIN, LLC)

1. Chicago	6. New York
2. Los Angeles	7. Detroit
3. Atlanta	8. Houston
4. Miami/Fort Lauderdale	9. Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville, N.C.
5. Washington, D.C.	10. Dallas/Fort Worth

Four of the top five cities on the list also rank highest for certain kinds of pests, also based on Orkin treatment data:

Chicago claims the most treatments for ants, bed bugs, rodents and spiders;
Atlanta the most treatments for mosquitoes;
Los Angeles the most treatments for cockroaches and termites; and
Washington, D.C. the most treatments for ticks.

"Pests are looking for food, water and shelter to survive and thrive," said Orkin entomologist and Technical Services Director Ron Harrison, Ph.D. "Once coupled with warm, spring weather, homes and businesses can become the perfect haven for pests."

This doesn't mean other cities are immune to increased pest activity. In a recent survey conducted by Orkin in 2012, two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents across the U.S. began seeing bugs between April and June.

"We know that pests become more active as the weather gets warmer. There are more food sources, and many of the pests breed," said Harrison. "As people do their spring cleaning, they should also prepare their homes and backyards against unwanted guests."

Whether your city is ranked or not, Harrison recommends homeowners take the following precautions to keep pests out of their homes:

Remove excess clutter in storage areas where pests can inhabit.
Seal pest entry points like cracks or crevices around doors and windows.
Clean up any crumbs or spills immediately.
Eliminate sources of standing water (inflatable pools, bird baths) so that mosquitoes cannot breed.
After traveling, examine luggage for bed bugs and store items in an area far away from the bedroom.

Russell Research conducted Orkin's survey from November 16-19, 2012 among 1,027 adults (ages 18 and over) living in private households across the continental U.S. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, Mexico, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. With more than 400 locations, Orkin's almost 8,000 employees serve approximately 1.7 million customers. The company serves homeowners and numerous industries, including food and beverage processing, foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, retail, warehousing, property/facilities management, schools and institutions. Orkin is proud to be recognized by the National Pest Management Association as a QualityPro and GreenPro-certified company, addressing not only our customer's pest control needs, but also their concern for protecting the environment. Learn more about Orkin at http://orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL).