The Alliance’s Latest Research Reveals Common Bed Bug Misidentification and Emerging Trends in Infestations
In partnership with Faith Oi at the University of Florida, the Professional Pest Management Alliance developed the Bugs Without Borders survey with insights from 375 pest management professionals nationwide about their pest experiences. Through the survey, the Alliance found that 90% of pest pros are called to treat "bed bugs" that turn out to be something else entirely. Carpet beetles (60%), flies (48%), and cockroaches (32%) are the usual culprits behind false alarms. However, when bed bugs are correctly identified, 24% of pest professionals rank them as the single most difficult pest to control, nearly double the difficulty of German cockroaches and twice as challenging as rodents.
The survey also revealed critical insights about America's most common pest problems:
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Rodents are the most commonly treated pest, with 96% of pest control companies addressing them last year, accounting for 14.6% of all pest control calls. Only 11% of homeowners call for preventative rodent control — most wait until they hear scratching in walls or see droppings, by which point the infestation is already serious.
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Termite damage often stays hidden until it's extensive, yet only 23% of homeowners call for preventative termite inspections. Most homeowners' insurance doesn't cover termite damage, making early professional detection critical.
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Invasive species are on the rise, with 42% of pest management professionals reporting increased problems over the past year. Red imported fire ants, brown marmorated stink bugs, and Argentine ants are causing growing concerns for homeowners nationwide.
To learn more about the Alliance and its research programs, contact Jim Fredericks jfredericks@pestworld.org.
