According to a survey by the Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC), the state is experiencing an upward trend in reports of rodent and bed bug infestations. The most frequently reported pest problem continues to be ants. The finds are part of the PCOC’s “What’s Bugging California Survey, 2018,” the first annual industry survey of the state’s licensed pest control operators. Chris Reardon, PCOC’s executive director, states,
The results confirmed what we have been hearing anecdotally for the past year – that rodents are thriving and becoming more difficult to control throughout the state. Our customers are also reporting greater problems with bed bugs.
A little over half (51.25%) of the respondents in the survey said the most rapidly growing reason for commercial and residential customer calls were to eliminate infestations of rat and other rodents. The second fastest growing problem was for bed bugs (25.62%), which are difficult to get rid of. The survey results were taken from responses of 160 representatives from major pest control companies from across the state. According to the survey, the top five most problematic pests were: ants, rats & rodents, wasps & hornets, cockroaches, and bed bugs. It’s important to control these pests to prevent the spread of diseases and maintain public health.
