Ten Years Later, Bed Bugs Still Stir Up Emotions of Residents/Tenants, PCOs Report

CLEVELAND – In speaking with pest management professionals, PCT receives a wide array of responses when it comes to tenant/resident attitudes concerning bed bugs. Does the discovery of bed bugs still elicit strong visceral responses from tenants/residents? How have education/awareness efforts changed the public perception of bed bugs? Are tenants/residents becoming increasingly desensitized to living with the bed bugs?

In PCT’s latest reader poll we asked: When it comes to bed bugs, how would you describe the attitude of residents/tenants today compared to 10 years ago? Eighty-eight percent indicated residents/tenants are more freaked out (42 percent) or equally concerned (46 percent) by bed bugs, while another 12 percent said residents/tenants were indifferent about bed bugs. 

“It seems from our phone calls that it depends on the situation. Homeowners and business owners (hotels, doctor’s offices, etc.) still get freaked out when there is a bed bug sighting and want us out immediately. Renters, on the other hand, are pretty indifferent about it, almost like they are resigned to having them and they are OK to wait on inspection/treatment.” — Doug Foster, president, Burt's Termite & Pest Control, Columbus, Ind.

“Many customers are still equally concerned as ever if they have not dealt with bed bugs in the past, but people that have had experience with them do seem to be more indifferent than I recall in the past. This is just my perception and not based on any fact.” — Christian Wilcox, technical director, McCauley Services, Bryant, Ark.

“I believe people are equally concerned about bed bugs living with them. The response from the clients, whenever they feel or see any activity, immediately we get a phone call. The questions are always the same: How much? Do I have lots of bed bugs? Are you going to eradicate them? How long will it take you to do a heat treatment? Is it safe to put chemicals inside my house?” — Macy Ruiz, technical services manager, Rentokil Terminix, Pineville, N.C.

“While customers have become more educated about bed bugs and many of the myths have been debunked, they are still equally concerned.  I believe most people still get freaked out about the idea of having bed bugs and want treatment as soon as possible whenever they think they have them.” — Kevin Hathorne, BCE, technical director, Terminix Service, Inc., Columbia, S.C.

“As our industry has become more educated about the organism (thanks PCT, et. al) and learned strategies and techniques for control, we have become better at educating the public. Today, the various types of bed bug services have better SOPs and a track record of success. This has reduced the PCOs level of anxiety about taking on bed bug work and, in turn, calmed the nerves of countless people faced with this pest in their homes. Tenants in multifamily housing situations seem to have largely become accustomed to bed bugs as a reality of the rental world. Many renters have been through bed bug inspections, preventative treatments (adjacent unit treatments), and infestations of their own at this point. Much of the fear has been dispersed through this exposure and years of media coverage. Bed Bugs are no longer a ‘boogie man’ of mythic capabilities and undefined attributes.” — Andy Sanefski, president of PerimeTek Pest Management, East Syracuse, N.Y.

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