Aces of Trades: Mike Posey fights bedbugs as M2 Bedbugs owner, says cases have increased

Jeff Barron, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
·2 min read

LACASTER − Mike Posey knows bed bugs.

"Bedbugs are everywhere," The M2 Bedbugs owner said. "If it's in the public, there's bedbugs somewhere. It doesn't necessarily mean they're there that day, but at some point they're going to be."

Posey started his bedbug extermination company in 2013 and has been busy lately as he said bedbug cases have recently exploded.

"They're coming back," he said. "Before the pandemic, they were kind of in check. During the pandemic people weren't traveling, people weren't going anywhere. They really weren't visiting friends or anything like that and they (bedbugs) were starting to die down a little bit."

But that changed when officials lifted various travel bans and other restrictions. Posey said bedbug cases are now back to pre-pandemic infestation levels.

Mike Posey, owner of M2 Bed Bugs, is with his dog, Turbo, in Lancaster.
Mike Posey, owner of M2 Bed Bugs, is with his dog, Turbo, in Lancaster.

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"You go into a place and some people have hundreds or even thousands," he said. "Those were few and far between at one point. It's getting bad again."

Posey, a Lancaster native, started M2 Bedbugs after returning from working in pest control in New York State.

"I was trying to get hired by other pest control companies in the area," he said. "I don't know why they wouldn't hire me. But I thought that I really don't need anybody. I have the skills and I have the knowledge and the education."

Thus, the birth of M2 Bedbugs. Back then he trained a dog, Turbo, to sniff our bedbugs. Turbo is now retired, but Posey uses other dogs now. Posey also has two employees.

Away from work, Posey is a sports fan. He also enjoys spending time with his family, including his wife, Stephanie.

"It's nothing big that we do," Posey said. "Maybe sit around and stare at each other. But it's just being together."

He also enjoys feeding the fish in the pond on his property.

"We're kind of boring," Posey said.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Aces of Trades: Mike Posey battles bedbugs as M2 Bedbugs owner