Happy Bed Bug Awareness Week!

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) urges pest management professionals (PMPs) to observe National Bed Bug Awareness Week, June 7-13.

As part of the campaign, the NPMA and the University of Kentucky recently released the results of their biennial Bugs Without Borders survey, which surveys U.S. PMPs on the prevalence of bed bugs in Americans’ daily lives. The 2015 survey found that bed bug infestations in the United States continue at high rates, with 99.6 percent of respondents having treated for bed bugs in the past year. That number, which has been consistent for the past few years, is significantly higher than 15 years ago, when only 25 percent of pest professionals reported treating for bed bugs.

“Our survey has found that residential settings and hotels continue to be the top places where pest professionals are finding and treating for bed bugs,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “As summer travelers eagerly visit destinations, new and familiar, it’s important to remind them that the best way to stem the spread of bed bugs is to be vigilant during and after their trip.”

More information can be found at AllThingsBedBugs.org, the NPMA’s resource on everything bed bug related, from prevention tips to current news.

In addition, the media coverage of Bed Bug Awareness Week is revving up in local markets. Stuart Flynn, general manager with Bug-N-A-Rug Exterminators, Wilmington, N.C., shared with his local newspaper Star News an experience to which I’m sure many readers can relate: “I started in this industry in 2010 and we might have had one (bed bug) call a week back then. Now we get 10 to 15 calls a day. Our crew might be working up to three jobs on any given afternoon.”

Now, it’s your turn: How are YOU celebrating Bed Bug Awareness Week? Are you including a mailing stuffer in invoices? Are you posting on your social media outlets and website? Are you sending a newsletter to existing and potential customers? (Most importantly, will there be cake in the office?!) Sound off below, because we want to know!