Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has (again) been named one of the top cities in America for bed bug infestations
Where do bed bugs come from? How they get could get into your home
Does the thought of bed bugs keep you up at night? Here’s what to know.
Here’s something that’ll give you the creeps ― bed bugs are on the rise in Milwaukee.
On Monday, the international pest control company Orkin released its annual list of the 50 most bed bug-infested cities in the United States. Milwaukee was named the 25th-most bed bug-infested city, moving up 15 spots from 40th-most infested last year. The only city to rise more spots in the rankings was Greensboro, N.C., which moved up 25 spots from 43rd to 18th.
The most bed bug-infested cities list is based on Orkin’s data on which metropolitan areas they performed the greatest number of bed bug treatments in between Dec. 1, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2023. The ranking includes both residential and commercial pest control treatments.
What U.S. city has the most bed bugs?
Chicago topped Orkin’s list for the fourth year in a row. It’s been a rough year for the Windy City in terms of pests. Chicago was also named America’s most rat-infested city by Orkin last year. Way to hit Milwaukee’s southern neighbor/rival when they’re down.
New York and Philadelphia held the second and third spots, respectively, for the second year in a row.
What are America’s 50 most bed bug-infested cities?
- Chicago
- New York City
- Philadelphia
- Cleveland-Akron, Ohio
- Los Angeles
- Detroit
- Washington, D.C. (+2)
- Indianapolis (-1)
- Charlotte, N.C. (+5)
- Champaign, Ill. (+1)
- Columbus, Ohio (-1)
- Cincinnati (+1)
- Atlanta (+3)
- Grand Rapids, Mich. (-2)
- Denver
- Baltimore (-8)
- Richmond, Va. (+9)
- Greensboro, N.C. (+25)
- St. Louis (+6)
- Youngstown, Ohio (+7)
- Pittsburgh (-3)
- Dallas-Ft. Worth (-5)
- Flint, Mich. (-2)
- Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (-4)
- Milwaukee (+15)
- Charleston, W.Va. (-7)
- Greenville, S.C. (-3)
- Norfolk, Va. (-5)
- Davenport, Iowa (+8)
- Nashville, Tenn. (+3)
- Tampa, Fla. (+10)
- Toledo, Ohio (+6)
- Dayton, Ohio (+1)
- Knoxville, Tenn. (-4)
- Las Vegas (new to list)
- Omaha, Neb. (-4)
- South Bend, Ind. (-9)
- Houston (+6)
- Cedar Rapids, Mich. (-8)
- Ft. Wayne, Ind. (-5)
- San Francisco (-19)
- Buffalo, N.Y. (-13)
- Harrisburg, Pa. (-7)
- Seattle (-5)
- Miami
- Orlando, Fla. (+1)
- Minneapolis (new to list)
- Oklahoma City (new to list)
- Louisville, Ky.
- Lexington, Ky. (-4)
What do bed bugs look like?
Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. They’re quite small, measuring roughly 1-to-7 millimeters, or up to 1/4 of an inch, long. The little pests have a flat, oval body and dark, protruding eyes, as well as short antennae.
Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown in color after feeding on blood. Young bugs are whitish-yellow and closer in size to a poppy seed.
You can learn more about the appearance of bed bugs throughout their life cycle on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
Why are bed bugs a problem?
Bed bugs feed on human blood, often when people are sleeping. The bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease, the EPA says, but they can cause itchy bites that irritate human hosts.
Bed bug bites can affect each person differently. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite, to a small bite mark, to a serious allergic reaction, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say. While the bugs aren’t dangerous, an allergic reaction to several bites may require medical attention.
Additionally, sometimes excessively itching the bites can increase the chance of a secondary skin infection, the CDC warns.
Another sinister thing about these pests is that they travel easily without human detection.
“Bed bugs are usually transported from place to place as people travel,” the CDC says. “The bed bugs travel in the seams and folds of luggage, overnight bags, folded clothes, bedding, furniture and anywhere else where they can hide. Most people do not realize they are transporting stow-away bed bugs as they travel from location to location, infecting areas as they travel.”
Bed bugs can also spread quickly. Female bugs can deposit one to five eggs per day and can lay as many as 500 eggs in their lifetime, Orkin says. The bugs can survive several months between blood meals.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As travel plans ramp up, it’s important that Americans know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control,” Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel said. “While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended.”
How do I know if I have a bed bug infestation on my hands?
Most people don’t realize they have a bed bug problem until their skin breaks out in itchy red welts. These bite marks can take as many as 14 days to appear, according to the CDC.
The CDC and EPA recommend you check your bed sheets or mattress for the following signs:
- Dark spots (about this size: •), which are blood-filled fecal matter excreted by bed bugs.
- Pale yellow exoskeletons, which look like tiny eggshells, that baby bed bugs shed as they molt.
- A musty, sweet odor that bed bugs produce through glands on their lower body.
- Blood stains where bed bugs have been accidentally crushed.
- Live bed bugs in the seams, piping and folds of your mattress.
How do I prevent a bed bug infestation?
Here are some tips Orkin and American Pest Solutions recommend:
- Inspect your home for signs of bed bugs regularly. Check the places where bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames.
- Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs on your own or during professional inspections.
- Vacuum frequently.
- Examine all secondhand furniture and clothing before bringing it inside your home.
- Bed bugs will lay eggs in dirty clothing but hate the heat, so wash and dry your laundry on the hottest temperature setting when returning from a trip.
- Inspect your bedding and luggage carefully if you’ve been traveling. Look for signs of bed bugs. If you see signs of bed bugs on items that can’t be washed, keep those items outside of your home until they can be treated.
How do I get rid of bed bugs if I find them?
If you find bed bugs, it is recommended you call a professional exterminator as soon as possible.
If you can, dispose of any beds, mattresses and cloth-covered furniture that bed bugs have infested. Wrap contaminated items in plastic to prevent any bugs from escaping, and label the items as “bed bug infested” so others don’t unknowingly bring the pests into their homes.
Finally, bed bugs hate the heat, so if you find them on your clothes, it is recommended you dry your clothes on a high-heat setting.
Indianapolis Star reporter John Tufts contributed to this report.
More: Milwaukee is one of the most rat-infested cities in America, but not as rat-infested as Chicago, Orkin says
More: Ticks are active across Wisconsin right now. The good news? There are several ways to prevent the bloodsuckers from biting
MILWAUKEE – For decades, the standard response to crime in America followed a predictable script: police make an arrest, the court hands down a sentence and a jail door closes.
That revolving door rarely solves the root problem for people battling substance use or mental health crises. That’s where treatment courts come in.
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What is treatment court?
By the numbers:
Instead of handing down prison time, treatment courts’ specialized programs use legal accountability to push people into intensive, supervised recovery. Data shows it’s working.
According to the National Institute of Justice, treatment courts slash re-arrest rates by up to 58% compared to traditional court sentences. It isn’t just a temporary fix, either – research shows lower crime rates stick around for years after a treatment court participant graduates.
Milwaukee County Courthouse
So, how does the program get people to actually stick with it? It comes down to high stakes and strict supervision.
Participants face regular drug testing, mandatory check-ins with a judge and a requirement to secure housing or employment before they can graduate. People are six times more likely to stay in treatment long enough to actually get clean because of that pressure.
Milwaukee County graduates
Local perspective:
Milwaukee County hosted its annual treatment court graduation ceremony on Friday, honoring the people who successfully completed the programs. They were commended for their commitment to recovery and stability.
“Today, we gather to honor the remarkable achievements of the individuals who have shown an incredible strength, resilience and determination on their journey towards recovery and a brighter future,” said Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley. “A future that positively impacts their families, and our community.”
The program is designed to help Milwaukee County residents rebuild their lives and reconnect with their families.
The Source: Information in this story is from Milwaukee County and the National Institute of Justice.
July 3 drone show at McKinley Beach
Watch the first-ever July 3 drone show at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County will again opt for drones over fireworks for its Independence Day festivities this summer.
The county had its first-ever Fourth of July drone show in 2025, with officials saying at the time that drones would be better for the environment, safer and less costly than fireworks.
The show costs about $150,000 less than fireworks, Milwaukee County officials told the Journal Sentinel this week.
“Milwaukee County is at its best when we come together to create memorable, inclusive experiences for everyone,” County Executive David Crowley said in an April news release. “This drone show is another example of how we’re investing in our parks, our neighborhoods and our shared sense of community pride.”
How did residents react to last year’s drone show?
Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith said in a news release last year the show is “an exciting and environmentally conscious way to celebrate our community.”
“Unlike traditional fireworks, drone shows reduce noise and air pollution while still delivering an unforgettable experience,” Smith said. “It’s about making memories and ensuring everyone feels welcome in these shared spaces.”
But the Journal Sentinel polled readers after last year’s show and a majority responded that they would prefer the county bring back fireworks.
This year’s show will debut pyrotechnic drone technology, adding spark effect for an “even more dynamic and visually stunning performance,” the news release says.
How long is the Milwaukee drone show?
The show is 45 minutes long and features 900 drones, county officials said. It is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. July 3 along the lakefront at McKinley Beach.
Milwaukee police audit shows Flock camera uses
The Milwaukee Police Department released a sample Flock camera audit showing outlier uses tied to serious crimes as scrutiny continues over officer misuse and community privacy concerns.
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Police Department is giving the public a closer look at how officers use license plate reader cameras, part of an effort to be more transparent about how the technology affects community safety.
What we know:
For the first time, FOX6 got a look at a sample of audit results from the MPD involving the license plate reader system, also known as Flock.
The transparency effort comes after former officer Josue Ayala was charged with using the license plate readers to track someone he was dating and that person’s ex. Earlier this month, the department said a second officer was under investigation for possible misuse of the Flock camera system.
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On Thursday, May 28, FOX6 obtained MPD’s Flock audit report from April. It is something the department does every month.
In the report, MPD shared 24 “outlier uses” of the system. Those are possible red flags. The list is not all of them, but it gives a glimpse into how MPD uses the Flock system and how the department checks for misuse.
Of the 24 outlier uses, some plate numbers were associated with a wanted homicide suspect, a felony narcotics trafficking suspect and a suspect vehicle used in the abduction of a 5-year-old. According to the audit, that vehicle was located, the child was returned safely and a suspect was arrested.
The audit also listed a homicide investigation in which detectives developed plate numbers for both a suspect and victim, as well as a plate connected to a person wanted for second-degree sexual assault who was later arrested.
What they’re saying:
“Those audit logs are what was used to hold the officer accountable,” said Paris Lewbel, Flock Safety spokesperson.
Lewbel said Flock Safety is partnered with 220 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin.
“We think it is important that communities are talking about their technology and how they use it,” Lewbel said.
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The company does not release how many cameras there are, but Lewbel said there have been fewer than 15 misuse cases across the country among the 140,000 users on the platform.
“Within the FLOCK system from day one, we built an immutable audit log in the system that allows law enforcement command staff and internal affairs in these cases to be able to see exactly what is being searched in the law enforcement system and FLOCK system specifically,” Lewbel said.
Dig deeper:
In Milwaukee, license plate readers have faced pushback from people who fear the data could be misused. Critics have called the system an invasion of privacy, saying it tracks innocent people as the debate over how the cameras are used continues.
FOX6 asked the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday whether the second officer under investigation had been charged. The office replied, “not at this time.”
What you can do:
The full list of outliers from the audit is available on the FOX Local app.
The Source: FOX6 obtained the Milwaukee Police Department’s Flock audit report and utilized prior coverage.
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