Bed Bug Awareness Week supported by new PPMA survey results

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June 1, 2018

Bed Bug Awareness Week, June 3-9, is an annual event that spreads awareness and provides prevention advice about bed bugs. The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA), the public outreach part of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), released the findings of its 2018 Bugs Without Borders survey.

Below are some highlights from PPMA’s 2018 Bugs Without Borders survey:

  • Almost all (97 percent) pest management professionals (PMPs) have treated bed bugs in the past year. A majority say that overall bed bug service work (69 percent) and the prevalence of these pests (66 percent) is increasing.
  • Bed bugs may be confused with other pests, as 84 percent of PMPs were initially contacted about a different type of pest before identifying them as bed bugs. The majority of these mis-identified pests (71 percent) were about fleas, followed by cockroaches (28 percent).
  • More than half of PMPs noted that they receive the most bed bug complaints in summer, as increased travel during this time of the year may help spread bed bugs from vacation destinations or colleges to homes.
  • The top three places where PMP encounter bed bugs are single-family homes (91 percent), apartments/condominiums (89 percent) and hotels/motels (68 percent).
  • Bites are the most commonly reported sign of an infestation (92 percent) and more than half of people reach out for treatment after discovering bites and welts on their bodies. Although some people immediately develop a skin reaction, others may take two to three days before showing obvious symptoms or any at all, meaning that people could be unaware of a bed bug problem until a full-blown infestation has taken root.
  • Typically found in couches and bed frames, bed bugs can also be found in: stuffed animals, wheelchairs, airplanes, school buses, purses and inside bedside lamps.

Let us know what you’re doing for #BedBugWeek on social media or email us at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net.

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