Terminix Shares Tips for College Students to Beat the Bite This Back-to-School Season
MEMPHIS, TN--(Marketwired - August 17, 2016) - This fall, it's not just fraternity brothers and sorority sisters returning to college campuses.
As eager students and emotional parents arrive for move-in weekend, they may encounter some unanticipated and unwanted roommates: bed bugs. Orientation runaround, mismatched furniture, cramped living quarters and messy communal spaces are cornerstones of the college experience, but they also make campuses extremely vulnerable to infestations. Bed bugs can spread easily from one building to the next by crawling through cracks in the walls or floor and hitching rides on backpacks and clothing -- completely unbeknownst to the students around them.
Terminix®, America's number one provider of pest and termite control services, treats a wide range of university facilities each fall, from basketball courts and training centers to libraries and lecture halls. And every year, the number of bed bug service requests received by its branches continues to rise.
"College campuses are very interconnected, making a single infested futon a significant threat," said Tom Jeffords, regional technical specialist at Terminix. "Fortunately, there are some protective measures students and their families can take before they even set foot on campus to prevent the spread. By carefully following our tips, students can beat the bite and focus on their studying -- or whatever."
Back-to-School Bed Bug Tips From Terminix
Do:
Don't:
To help students determine the risk of infestation on their campus, Terminix recently revealed the worst cities in America for bed bug activity. Many of these cities are home to large universities, so college students in these areas should use extra precaution as they head back to school.
The top 15 cities* reporting bed bugs this year are:
If you suspect a bed bug infestation, contact your residence hall director or landlord right away. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eliminate and, without the help of a professional, can hide undetected for months. Pest control technicians from Terminix are trained to identify favorite bed bug hiding spots and will use specialized tools to treat a budding infestation. Facilities managers can call Terminix at 1-877-TERMINIX to schedule a free inspection.
If bed bugs are discovered during the initial inspection, Terminix will develop a powerful, customized treatment for the space. Terminix bed bug services use a proprietary RapidFreeze® solution, which is fast, effective and nontoxic. RapidFreeze uses carbon dioxide (CO2) to freeze bed bugs in their tracks and prevent eggs and nymphs from hatching. RapidFreeze is perfect for use in dorm rooms, apartments, houses, public buildings and commercial facilities. For more information on Terminix bed bug treatments, visit Terminix.com/bed-bug-control.
*The list of top cities for bed bugs was created by compiling inbound lead data from the more than 300 Terminix branches across the country. The rankings represent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) with the highest volume of calls from Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 17, 2015.
About Terminix
Terminix is the leading provider of termite and pest control services in the United States. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Terminix services approximately 2.8 million residential and commercial customers in 47 states and 22 countries. Terminix provides pest control services and protection against termites, rodents and other pests threatening human health and/or safety. Terminix is a business unit of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (
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