So much has changed in the last two years, but that doesn’t mean that pests have taken a break! Here are the pest control trends of 2022.
Trend Factors
In 2021, the pest control market was valued at an estimated $20.6 billion and is expected to reach $30 billion by 2027 with a 5.2% market increase. A possible reason for this growth may be due to the great shakeup of the pandemic with many city dwellers working remotely and choosing to move around the country. This in turn raised many previously sleepy, rural towns into suburban status, attracting pests with an increase in the prospect of food resources.
Rodents
For the second year in a row, pest control calls for rodent problems are on the rise. Rodents survive in some of the harshest conditions and during shutdown, rats and mice took the lack of people as a chance to move in – especially in empty school, government, and commercial buildings. The added safety of empty buildings without predators also allow rodents to breed without consequence, with walls keeping them warm in winter and extending their breeding season. Do you suspect you have a rat problem? Call Innovative Pest Management!
Bugs
As travel restarted in a post-pandemic world, some bugs come along. Bed bugs are a hot topic of conversation, surviving months without a meal, dormant in hotels or public transportation. An unexpected consequence of the labor shortage is that fewer cleaning staff at hotels, colleges, hospitals, senior living facilities, and more creates an ideal breeding ground for bedbugs, ticks, and dust mites.
Another bug that likes to travel, especially here in the northeast, is the Spotted Lanternfly. Originally found in Pennsylvania in 2014, this invasive pest has spread to neighboring states and regions, hitching a ride on cars and trucks going between states and settling into a comfortable, predator-free life elsewhere. The egg masses of lantern flies look like mud smear on trees and homes, making them easy to spot, but difficult to remove. Lantern fly removal is crucial before they breed, as this bad bug is devastating to agriculture. So remember, the next time you travel look over your luggage, clothes, and car before crossing state lines and spare yourself a pest headache later!
