It’s that time of year again: the school supplies have been purchased, bookbags packed, and the kids sent off to school! You hope they come home from school with new facts and fun memories, but what if they bring home pests?
In today’s post, we cover some of the most common back-to-school pests to watch out for. It’s important information to know, so you can keep an eye out and avoid a major infestation! Keep reading to learn more.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs love to be where the people are—and that includes in schools and dormitories. While it’s rare that a school itself is infested by bed bugs, schools do often act like bed bug waystations. That’s because this pest is also an adept hitchhiker—easily crawling from person to person and then hitching a ride into their home. Dormitories, on the other hand, are often the site of infestations.
When it comes to preventing a bed bug infestation, it’s important to know the signs of bed bugs and inspect for bed bugs regularly. When your child brings items home from school, be sure to inspect them carefully for signs of bed bugs. And when your child moves into their dorm room for the first time, be sure to check the room—especially the mattress and furniture—for bed bugs. If you find any signs, be sure to alert an employee of the university immediately.
For your college-bound kid, remind them to wash linens regularly and know the signs of a bed bug problem. They should use a zippered mattress protector and keep their room clean, as clutter helps obscure signs of an infestation.
If you think your child has brought home bed bugs, read our previous post on getting rid of bed bugs to learn more. Of course, you can also call us for help!
Lice
Head lice is one of the most common pests that plague schools. According to the CDC, head lice is most common among preschool- and elementary school-age children and their families.
This parasitic insect cannot jump or fly; it crawls from person to person. Head lice are spread typically from head-to-head contact (like children hugging or playing). However, lice can also be spread by:
- Wearing clothing (hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair accessories) belonging to someone with lice
- Using lice-infested hair brushes, combs, or towels
- Lying on a bed, couch, pillow, rug, or stuffed animal belonging to someone with lice
To prevent lice, we recommend you remind your child not to share clothing or hair combs with anyone. Also remind children to avoid hair-to-hair contact during play. These tips are especially important during a lice outbreak at school.
If you receive notice that your child’s friends or schoolmates have lice, make sure to check your child regularly with a fine-toothed comb. Look for adult lice crawling on the head as well as nits (eggs) attached to a strand of hair within ¼ inch of the scalp.
Catching lice early makes it much easier to get rid of the problem, and much less likely that the lice will spread to other members of your household. Getting rid of lice involves treatment of the hair with over-the-counter or prescription medications, plus steps to remove lice from surfaces. We recommend machine washing and drying clothing, towels, bed linens, and any other soft items your child wore or used in the last two days before treatment. Make sure to use hot water and heat. Any items that can’t be washed and dried should be sealed away in a plastic bag and stored for two weeks. Also, vacuum the floor and furniture.
Mosquitoes & Ticks
Mosquitoes and ticks are most active during warm months; however, they are still active through the fall, up until the first frost. For that reason, it’s important to watch out for these pests for the next few months—particularly if your children have recess outdoors, spend lots of time playing outside after school, or play outdoor sports.
When it comes to preventing mosquito and tick bites, we recommend spraying outer clothing with a permethrin-based repellent. Consider dressing your kids in long pants, tucked into socks or boots, and a shirt tucked into pants. (This helps keep ticks on the outside of clothing and prevents mosquito bites.) You can also use mosquito & tick repellant spray, which should be picaridin-, DEET-, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus-based.
To check for ticks, look over the whole body, including throughout the hair. Ticks should be removed with tweezers or gloved hands—do not use petroleum jelly, lit matches, fingernail polish, or other “home remedies” to try to kill or remove ticks. If ticks have been attached for more than 24 hours, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention to check for tick-borne disease.
Cockroaches
Just like bed bugs, cockroaches thrive where people are and are good at hitchhiking to new locations. Dorms, in particular, are a veritable buffet for roaches: think of all the food crumbs, clutter, trash, spills, and moisture from large communal showers available!
When your college-bound kid moves into a dorm, make sure to check the room for signs of roaches. Your college-bound child should also know the signs and should be on the lookout for problems throughout the year. Roach prevention involves keeping the room clean and tidy so that the room doesn’t attract roaches. (Clean up spills, crumbs, and clutter.)
Need Help with Pest Problems?
If you need help with pests like bed bugs, mosquitoes, ticks, and roaches, we’re here to help.
Contact Scherzinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.
