Terminix® Introduces Environmentally-Friendly Service That Reduces Mosquito Populations by More Than 90 Percent

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May 19, 2014, 08:13 ET

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Terminix®, the world's largest pest control provider, today announced the nationwide rollout of a new environmentally friendly mosquito service for both residential and commercial customers. The service will include the use of a new, patented mosquito control technology.

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Terminix now offers an eco-friendly mosquito service. Visit terminix.com. (PRNewsFoto/Terminix)

Unlike other mosquito control products that simply repel, the active ingredient in the Terminix solution kills more than 90 percent of mosquitoes within the three weeks following application in areas surrounding a customer's home or business. Field trials for this new control technology were conducted in 2012 and 2013 by researchers in Israel, and by government agencies in the United States.

A phased rollout of the service began in April in select southern markets, with nationwide availability at more than 300 Terminix branches by early June. The mosquito service is available as an annual contract with monthly service applications made by a Terminix professional during the designated mosquito season based on the customer's locale. Pricing is based on a customer's geographic location and size of the treated area.

"As the world's largest pest control provider, we're in a leadership position to bring innovative, industry-leading products to the marketplace," said Bill Derwin, Terminix president. "This new mosquito service will offer our customers yet another line of defense against these dangerous and annoying pests."

The centerpiece of the new Terminix mosquito service is an Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait, or ATSB®, a patented technology distributed exclusively to Terminix by Universal Pest Solutions, LP. This environmentally friendly solution contains sugar from fruit extracts and microencapsulated garlic oil that is safe around people, pets and food. While only female mosquitoes bite, both male and females require regular feeding on plant sugars for survival. The sugar in the solution acts as a bait and the microencapsulated garlic acts as a gut toxin. Following the sprayed application of the solution to a customer's non-flowering vegetation and non-porous surfaces by a Terminix professional, the mosquitoes are attracted to the bait, eat it, and then die – more than 90 percent in the three weeks following an application.

While the science behind the solution seems simple, Terminix experts say it has taken more than five years to formulate a commercial product that effectively baits and kills one of the world's most dangerous and annoying pests. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that, worldwide, mosquitoes kill more humans than any other animal on Earth—including sharks, crocodiles, snakes, and even humans, combined. In the United States, West Nile virus has been reported in every mainland state since first being detected in 1999. Mosquitoes also transmit other devastating viruses to humans such as encephalitis, dengue, Chikungunya and yellow fever.

"Our customers are concerned not only about protecting their families against the annoyance of mosquitoes, but also keeping their families safe from the diseases these pests may carry," said Dr. Stan Cope, entomologist for Terminix. "This new Terminix mosquito service is the first-ever, environmentally friendly, proactive solution to controlling mosquitoes."

Cope has worked closely on the research and development of ATSB and came to Terminix with an impressive background in pest management, specifically, mosquito control. He served as a medical entomologist with the U.S. Navy, retiring with the rank of captain. In his time with the military, Cope had oversight of all aspects of pest management for the Department of Defense, directed federal research programs and led global licensing agreements for pest control related products. He's also currently vice president of the American Mosquito Control Association.

For more information about the new Terminix mosquito service, including how to schedule service, visit www.terminix.com.

About Terminix®
Terminix® is the world's largest pest control provider. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Terminix services approximately 3 million residential and commercial customers in 47 states and 14 countries. Terminix provides pest control services and protection against termites, rodents and other pests threatening human health and/or safety. Terminix is a business unit of The ServiceMaster Company, one of the world's largest residential and commercial service networks. The company's brands include Terminix®, American Home Shield®, ServiceMaster Clean®, Merry Maids®, Furniture Medic® and AmeriSpec®. To learn more about Terminix, visit www.Terminix.com.

About ServiceMaster®
The ServiceMaster Company, LLC is a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services, operating through an extensive service network of more than 7,000 company-owned, franchised and licensed locations. The company's portfolio of well-recognized brands includes Terminix® (termite and pest control), American Home Shield® (home warranties), ServiceMaster Restore® (disaster restoration), ServiceMaster Clean® (janitorial), Merry Maids® (residential cleaning), Furniture Medic® (furniture repair) and AmeriSpec® (home inspections). The company serves approximately 5 million residential and commercial customers through an employee base of approximately 13,000 company associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 33,000 additional people. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. Go to www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at www.twitter.com/ServiceMaster or www.facebook.com/TheServiceMasterCo.

About Universal Pest Solutions, LP
Universal Pest Solutions, LP is headquartered in Dallas, Texas with field offices in Boston, Mass. Founded in 2007, the company identifies and develops distinct insect control technologies and equips its customers with tools and products to effectively control mosquitoes and other nuisance insects.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7228651-terminix-environmentally-friendly-reduces-mosquito-populations

SOURCE Terminix