Top Entomologists Call 2012 Pivotal Year in Bed Bug War

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Leading experts participating in a recent Bed Bug Summit have called 2012 a critical year in the goal to control the U.S. bed bug invasion. Entomologists, pest control professionals and manufacturers of products designed to stem the bed bug tide all weighed-in, and agreed that what we do this year will be crucial.

Each year the challenges of fighting bed bugs change and grow, said James Bell, CEO of Protect-A-Bed, a company that makes mattress encasement products to keep bed bugs away from their human prey. Now that the industry has begun working together its easier to see the best way forward.

Some Cities Winning, Others in the Crosshairs

Experts agreed that bed bug reports in some large U.S. cities such as New York will plateau in 2012 due mainly to increased education and prevention. However, they caution that the number of reports is expected to grow in other cities not previously experiencing high levels of bed bug colonies, especially in Southern states.

Out of Home Infestations to Rise

Most of the experts also predicted a significant increase in bed bug colonies outside the home, in places like hotels and office buildings.

According to Peter Trentacoste, assistant vice president of Student Affairs at Northern Kentucky University, staying vigilant for bed bugs is important to keeping the pests out of public places. He explained that in order to fight the bugs, talking about the issue and providing education is a key.

In relation to colleges and universities, there are quite a few places that continue to have their heads in the sand, Trentacoste said. They dont want to talk about bed bugs until they have a major issue.

Bed Bugs Struggle Worse for Some Americans than Others

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Top Entomologists Call 2012 Pivotal Year in Bed Bug War