Why Bed Bugs Are on the Rise in New Jersey
Why are bed bugs so common in New Jersey?
Bed bugs have been a common problem in American homes and businesses for over two hundred years now. Lately, a large uptick in bed bug infestations has been reported since pandemic-related travel restrictions loosened. With increased travel, bed bugs have more opportunities to latch onto people and objects and spread to new places.
A few states, however, have been hit especially hard by this recent increase. New Jersey is one of the newest hot spots of bed bug activity, along with California, New York, Florida, Ohio, and Maryland. The East Coast is generally known to have an issue with bed bugs for a few key reasons:
- Skyscrapers & centralized infrastructure
- High-density apartment buildings
- Frequent travel through the area
Cities in the northeast of the country tend to be densely packed with aggregate buildings and living situations. Humans spread bed bugs through contact with mattresses, luggage, furniture, clothing, and even seats on public transport. They can also be transferred between rooms through air ducts or by crawling on walls and ceilings, making it difficult to eliminate an infestation on your own in close living quarters. California is also a bed bug epicenter because of its robust tourism industry and position as the Western gateway to mainland America for planes.
Similarly, New Jersey is also home to one of the country's busiest ports for cruising and shipping. Ocean liners can unknowingly transport thousands of people and products carrying bed bugs right into the ports of NJ. Even scarier, one bed bug can multiply to over 30,000 in just six months, allowing them to easily get out of hand very quickly if left untreated.
Bed bugs are also adapting and becoming resistant to certain kinds of bed bug control methods and treatments. They can grow immune to certain pesticides, meaning professional pest control contractors need to keep evolving their tactics for total eradication. At Cowley's, we combine effective heat therapy and targeted chemical treatments to keep bed bugs out of your New Jersey home or business.
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