Terminix Releases Its List of the Top 50 Most Bed Bug-Infested Cities

New research also reveals one-fifth of Americans have had a bed bug
encounter

MEMPHIS, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–To kick off the busy summer travel season and Bed Bug Awareness Week,
Terminix^®, a leading provider of termite and pest control
services and a ServiceMaster^® (NYSE: SERV) company, today
announced its 2019 ranking of the top 50 most bed
bug-infested cities in the country.

Philadelphia reclaimed the top title it last held in 2014, while
Cleveland fell to No. 7 after two years as No. 1 on the list. New York,
Dallas, Indianapolis and Cincinnati rounded out the top five spots. Ohio
dominated the list with six cities in the top 50, and Florida followed
closely behind with five.

Terminix based its rankings on the number of services rendered in each
city in the past year*. The top 50 cities for bed bug infestations in
the United States are:

“Bed bugs continue to pose concerns for public health, as their presence
is felt across the country, in cities large and small,” said Matthew
Stevenson, president of Terminix Residential. “Since pioneering this
annual list almost a decade ago, Terminix has proven itself as a leader
in bed bug detection, treatment and eradication. We’ve helped bring
awareness to an epidemic that can lead to a variety of negative physical
health, mental health and financial consequences.”

New research reveals one-fifth (22%) of Americans polled have had a bed
bug encounter, and the odds are much higher for those with children
(35%). Despite the high incidence rates and increased awareness of bed
bugs, this research shows nearly half of the country who travel (48%) do
not know what precautions to take to guard against them.**

As the summer travel season approaches, Terminix experts warn that bed
bugs can be found in more than just bedding and mattresses. They can
easily hitchhike from place to place via personal belongings, such as
jackets, purses and luggage, or hide in upholstered furniture and behind
baseboards.

Terminix offers the following tips to mitigate the risk of being bitten
or transporting bed bugs:

• Check hotel headboards, mattresses and box springs for live bed bugs,
  their exoskeletons and/or dark blood spots.
• While full-grown bed bugs are about the size, shape and color of an
  apple seed, travelers should also look for newly hatched nymphs, which
  are cream-colored and the size of letters on a penny, as well as small
  translucent eggs, which may be found in the tucks and folds of sheets.
• Hang all clothing. Leave nothing lying on the bed or furniture.
• Avoid storing clothing in a hotel’s furniture drawers.
• Store suitcases on a luggage rack as far away from the bed as possible.
• Vacuum suitcases when returning home, and immediately wash clothing in
  hot water.
• Between trips, store luggage in a sealed plastic bag in a garage or
  basement, away from bedrooms.

If you suspect you have bed bugs, have your home inspected by a trained
professional. Bed bug infestations are extremely unlikely to be
controlled by over-the-counter treatments.

For more information, visit Terminix.com
or call 1-800-TERMINIX.

*This ranking was created by compiling bed bug-specific data of
services rendered at more than 300 Terminix branches across the country.
The rankings represent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) with the
highest number of actual services between April 16, 2018 and April 15,
2019.

** Data gathered in March, 2019, through an online survey of
1,516 randomly selected American adults who are Springboard America
Community panel members and was executed by Maru/Blue. For comparison
purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of
error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of
20. The results have been weighted by education, age, gender and region
to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure a
sample representative of the entire adult population of America.
Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About Terminix

Terminix is the leading provider of termite and pest control services in
the United States. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Terminix
services approximately 2.8 million residential and commercial customers
in 47 states and 18 countries. Terminix provides pest control services
and protection against termites, rodents and other pests. Terminix is a
business unit of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (SERV),
a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services.
Terminix is the Official Pest Control Partner of Minor League Baseball™.
To learn more about Terminix, visit www.Terminix.com.

About ServiceMaster

ServiceMaster (NYSE: SERV) solves the homeowner’s dilemma. Every day, we
visit tens of thousands of homes and businesses through our extensive
service network of expert professionals. Our well-recognized brands
include AmeriSpec (home inspections), Copesan (commercial national
accounts pest management), Furniture Medic (furniture and cabinet
repair), Merry Maids (residential cleaning), ServiceMaster Clean
(janitorial and residential floor cleaning), ServiceMaster Restore
(disaster restoration), Terminix (termite and pest control), and
Terminix Commercial (commercial termite and pest control). Like, follow
or visit us at facebook.com/ServiceMaster, linkedin.com/ServiceMaster,
twitter.com/ServiceMaster,
or servicemaster.com. ServiceMaster
is the Official Home Services Provider of Minor League Baseball™.

Contacts

Valerie Middleton | 901.487.3749 | vmiddleton@terminix.com
Emma
Mazour | 612.244.2104 | emma.mazour@icfnext.com