Bed Bugs On The Rise In Knoxville

According to a recent poll, Knoxville is one of the worst bed bug infested cities in the United States. In fact, we came in 24th place. But the bad news doesn’t stop there. We were in 34th place last year. That is not good news at all.

You may be comforted to know that Knoxville wasn’t the only city here in Tennessee to find itself on this unflattering list. Nashville placed 22nd, but the reasons these two cities have bed bugs may actually surprise you.

For a very long time, bed bugs have been considered dirty pests that only infest dirty homes and businesses; but science has completely proven that theory wrong. These bugs don’t go where the filth is–like cockroaches do–they go where the blood is. Since these bugs live almost exclusively with humans, what better place to be than a city filled with humans? But, population isn’t the only factor. If it were, Memphis would have made it onto the list.

So, what makes Knoxville so attractive to bed bugs? We have less that 200,000 people. That isn’t much when compared to the 653,450 of Memphis or the 678,889 of Nashville. We don’t know for sure, but there is a good chance it is connected to the job boom. According to CNN Money, Knoxville has the best employment outlook in the nation.

Why do bed bugs care if the job market is doing well? They don’t actually, but increased job opportunities means more people are coming into Knoxville. Bed bugs are hitchhiking bugs that travel with people. Usually, they will do it in a piece of luggage, a pocket book, or a duffle bag; but when people move, they bring everything with them. That means that they will bring beds, furniture, and other popular places of bed bug infestation.

We won’t pretend to know all of the many ways bed bugs increase when population increases, or how a thriving job market factors into this. We also recognize that tourism, the hospitality industry, low gas prices, and other things factor in as well. But what we do know is that bed bugs are not a bug we ever have to live with. There are bed bug control methods and treatments that can get rid of these blood-eating pests and keep them from getting a foothold in the first place.

If you need help protecting your Knoxville home or business from the influx of bed bugs, let Russell’s Pest Control help. We have a proven track record of protecting folks from bugs. You’ll be able to sleep well with Russell’s Pest Control on the job.