Bed Bugs Found in TVs, School Buses, and Hospital ORs -- And Homeowners Frequently Misidentify Them

The National Pest Management Association's Bugs Without Borders research shows bed bugs are spotted in unexpected places and remain the toughest pest to eliminate

FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bed bugs are not just a bedroom problem. Pest control professionals are finding them in hospital operating rooms, MRI scanners, sound booths, DMV waiting areas, and even the sleeper cabs of big rig trucks, according to new research from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

The Bugs Without Borders survey, which gathered insights from 375 pest management professionals nationwide, found that 90% of professionals are called to treat "bed bugs" that turn out to be something else entirely. Carpet beetles (60%), flies (48%), and cockroaches (32%) are the usual culprits behind false alarms. However, when bed bugs are correctly identified, 24% of pest professionals rank them as the single most difficult pest to control, nearly twice as challenging as German cockroaches and rodents.

"Bed bugs are master hitchhikers that spread fast and hide everywhere — not just in mattresses," said Jim Fredericks, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for NPMA. "We're seeing them in libraries, school buses, electronics, and even cat towers. Bed bugs are often misidentified by the untrained eye. As a result, homeowners who attempt DIY solutions are likely treating the wrong pest entirely, wasting money while the real problem spreads."

Other Key Findings:
The survey also revealed critical insights about America's most common pest problems:

• Rodents are the most commonly treated pest, with 96% of pest control companies addressing them last year, accounting for 14.6% of all pest control calls. Only 11% of homeowners call for preventative rodent control — most wait until they hear scratching in walls or see droppings, by which point the infestation is already serious.
• Termite damage often stays hidden until it's extensive, yet only 23% of homeowners call for preventative termite inspections. Most homeowners' insurance doesn't cover termite damage, making early professional detection critical.
• Invasive species are on the rise, with 42% of pest management professionals reporting increased problems over the past year. Red imported fire ants, brown marmorated stink bugs, and Argentine ants are causing growing concerns for homeowners nationwide.

When asked what homeowners should prioritize, pest professionals emphasized three key prevention steps: seal entry points around foundations and windows (64%), reduce clutter that provides hiding spots (52%), and invest in preventative professional pest control (37%).

"DIY treatments often fail because homeowners misidentify the pest, use the wrong products, or miss hidden infestation sites," said Fredericks. "By the time they realize it didn't work, the problem has gotten worse and more expensive to fix. Professional pest control combines accurate identification, effective treatment, and long-term monitoring to protect homes before small problems become full-blown infestations."

The complete Bugs Without Borders consumer report is available here. To find a licensed pest control professional, visit PestWorld.org.

About the Survey
The Bugs Without Borders survey gathered insights from 375 pest management professionals across the United States. Conducted in spring 2025 by the National Pest Management Association in collaboration with the University of Florida, this survey builds on previous iterations from 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 to track how pest threats are changing over time.

About the National Pest Management Association
The NPMA, a non-profit organization with more than 4,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry's commitment to the protection of public health, food and property from the diseases and dangers of pests. For more information, visit PestWorld.org or follow @PestWorld on Facebook, X, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube, and @PestWorldOfficial on Instagram.

SOURCE National Pest Management Association