Bed Bug
Bedbugs are some of the least discriminatory insects you can come across. They hitch a ride in near anything, from purses and shoes to shopping bags and pants pockets, and are more than happy to set up in either the dirtiest or most pristine of house settings. And unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on perspective – they’re very difficult to get rid of.
The bedbug plague has been gaining steam and shows no sign of slowing down yet. “We are on the threshold of a bedbug pandemic, not just in the United States but around the world,” says Missy Henriksen, a spokesperson for the National Pest Management Association.
Getting rid of them once they’ve taken root is far from cheap, either. Total revenues for bed bug exterminations are up 250% from just three years ago. One company has dealt with over 800 cases of bed bugs this year, up from 50 cases five years ago. Another trained a beagle to sniff out bed bugs with greater efficiency than a human technician, and at $200 per hour of his services, can’t keep him in the building. Depending on how many repeat visits it takes, one home could pay hundreds and into the thousands of dollars to get rid of their infestation.
Of course, at prices that high, there is a booming new market dealing in alternative solutions and preventative measures. The available products run the gamut from $10 sprays, to $160 mattress liners, to $500 machines that aim to mimic a sleeping human and lure the bugs out of hiding.
The cost is higher for business who find themselves infested, as revenues from forced closing time can easily exceed the cost of the extermination itself. As it stands, the bed bug business is likely to be big for some time yet.
