Summary of Losses from Insect Damage and Costs of Control in Georgia - 1997

XI. Household and Structural Insects

B. T. Forschler and B. Sparks

In 1997, the most important household pests were cockroaches and ants followed by miscellaneous pests including clothes moths, carpet beetles, pantry pests, occasional invaders (ants, millipedes, roaches and spiders) and fleas. The most important ant encountered in households was the Argentine ant followed by the fire ant. Subterranean termites were the most important structural pest followed by "powderpost beetles" (anobiid beetles, old house borers, lyctid beetles), carpenter ants, and carpenter bees. Most of the structural insect control performed by licensed pest control operators involved subterranean termite control. Fumigation treatments were most often directed toward old house borers. Major fabric pests encountered were clothes moths and carpet beetles. The most important pantry pests were Indian meal moths, drugstore beetles, sawtoothed grain beetles, and cigarette beetles.

1. The percentage represents the proportion of each insect pest assigned to the total losses caused by the household and structural pest complex.
2. Anobiid beetles, old house borers, lyctid beetles, carpenter bees, fabric pests, spiders, silverfish, pantry pests, ticks, millipedes, drywood termites, scorpions, flies, etc.

In 1996, the Georgia pest control industry consisted of 950 company offices, 6,696 were employed by pest control companies (4,000 registered employees, 1,294 office workers, and 1,600 certified operators) $158,380,209 was paid in salary and benefits, $225,000,000 produced in annual revenue; and 200,000 wood-destroying organism inspections reports were generated (figures compiled with the cooperation of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia and the Georgia Pest Control Association).

Figures were based on the following estimates:

1. 200,000 wood-destroying organism reports at $55 each = $11,000,000
2. 950 pest control companies in Georgia with an estimated 500 accounts for each company at $60 per account = $28,5000,000 (50% of the accounts are for cockroaches, 40% for ants, 5% for fleas and 5% for miscellaneous pests)
3. Each pest control company handles an estimated 5 miscellaneous treatment jobs each week at $50 per job - $12,350,000 (45% for cockroaches, 30% for ants, 20% for miscellaneous pests, and 5% for fleas)
4. An estimated average of one can of aerosol insecticide was applied in each residence to control household and structural pests. 2,500,000 residences times $5.00 per can = $12,500,000 (1/4 each are for cockroaches, ants, fleas and miscellaneous pests)
5. 75 fumigation jobs at $3,500 each = $262,500
6. 20,000 post-construction termite treatments at $800 each = $16,000,000
7. 50,000 pre-construction termite treatments at $300 each = $15,000,000
8. 500,000 households with termite contract renewals at $50 each = 25,000,000
9. Damage caused by termites was estimated at 20,000 households at $1,000 each = $20,000,000 for other household pests damage due to food contamination, structural damage, damaged to carpets, clothing, books, furniture, etc. was estimated to be $7.00 per residence for 2,400,000 residences = $16,800,000
10. Control costs (a+b+c+d+e+f+g+h+) = $120,612,500
    Damage costs (I) = $ 36,800,000
    Total costs = $157,412,500

^*Some employees are included in multiple categories.