MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just in time for late-summer vacations and students returning to college campuses, Terminix®, a leading provider of termite and pest control services in the United States and a ServiceMaster (NYSE: SERV) company, released a list of the top 20 bed bug-infested cities in America, based on service requests the company received during the first half of 2017.
The list includes cities across the United States and features the following five top cities: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Las Vegas, and Denver. Four states scratched their way onto the list with more than one city: Ohio, Arizona, Pennsylvania and California.
The top 20 cities for bed bug infestations in the United States* are:
| 1. Cleveland, Ohio |
| 2. Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 3. Detroit, Mich. |
| 4. Las Vegas, Nev. |
| 5. Denver, Colo. |
| 6. Houston, Texas |
| 7. Phoenix, Ariz. |
| 8. Indianapolis, Ind. |
| 9. Oklahoma City, Okla. |
| 10. Philadelphia, Pa. |
| 11. Baltimore, Md. |
| 12. Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| 13. Washington, D.C. |
| 14. Tucson, Ariz. |
| 15. San Francisco, Calif. |
| 16. St. Louis, Mo. |
| 17. Atlanta, Ga. |
| 18. Tampa, Fla. |
| 19. Memphis, Tenn. |
| 20. San Diego, Calif. |
The bed bug experts at Terminix say that bed bug infestations have significantly increased since the late 1990s, and while researchers are unsure of the exact causes, factors such as increased international travel and insecticide resistance likely bear some responsibility.
“Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate,” said Paul Curtis, director, technical services at Terminix, “and they can travel to new locations very easily—hitching a ride on clothing, handbags, suitcases and taxis, which can create substantial infestations in no time.”
Without the help of a professional, bed bugs can hide undetected for months. Signs of an infestation include reddish-brown blood spots on sheets or mattresses, a strong musty odor, or sightings of the pests themselves, which are the size, shape and color of an apple seed. Home or business owners who suspect a bed bug problem should contact a pest control company as soon as possible to schedule an inspection.
*This list was created by compiling actual services data from more than 300 Terminix branches across the country. The rankings represent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) with the highest number of actual services between Jan. 1, 2017 and June 30, 2017.
Terminix
Terminix is the leading provider of termite and pest control services in the United States. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Terminix services approximately 2.8 million residential and commercial customers in 47 states and 22 countries. Terminix provides pest control services and protection against termites, rodents and other pests. Terminix is a business unit of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV), a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services. Terminix is the Official Pest Control Specialist of Minor League BaseballTM. To learn more about Terminix, visit www.Terminix.com.
ServiceMaster
ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV) is a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services, operating through an extensive service network of more than 8,000 company-owned locations and franchise and license agreements. The company’s portfolio of well-recognized brands includes American Home Shield (home warranties), AmeriSpec (home inspections), Furniture Medic (furniture repair), Merry Maids (residential cleaning), ServiceMaster Clean (janitorial), ServiceMaster Restore (disaster restoration) and Terminix (termite and pest control). We serve residential and commercial customers through an employee base of approximately 13,000 company employees and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 33,000 additional people. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. Go to www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at twitter.com/ServiceMaster or facebook.com/ServiceMaster.
