I work in pest control in the NY/NJ market, and something I've noticed over the past several years is that our industry is changing faster than ever.
This week alone there were reports about New York remaining one of the country's bed bug hotspots, while other reports showed rodent complaints declining citywide but actually increasing in certain neighborhoods.
That tells a much bigger story. Pest pressure isn't uniform anymore.
One neighborhood can be dealing with heavy rodent activity while another a few blocks away sees almost none. Construction, sanitation, aging infrastructure, travel, weather patterns, vacant buildings, food availability, and even changes in waste collection all influence what we're seeing.
The same goes for bed bugs. Hotels, apartments, dorms, healthcare facilities, and multifamily housing continue to face challenges because bed bugs travel wherever people travel.
One thing I've learned is that pest control today isn't really about spraying anymore.
It's about inspections, identifying conditions, exclusion work, monitoring, sanitation, data collection, customer education, and using treatments strategically. That's why Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has become the standard for long-term success.
Technology has also changed the industry. Digital reporting, remote monitoring, better documentation, and improved communication are allowing technicians to identify trends much earlier than we could years ago.
I'm curious what others are seeing.
Whether you're in pest control, property management, hospitality, facilities, or just a homeowner:
What pest issue has become noticeably worse in your area over the past few years?
For me, it's how localized everything has become. Two properties on the same block can have completely different pest pressures, which makes one-size-fits-all pest control less effective than ever.