It’s back to school for thousands of students across Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. From kindergartners on their first day of school to college seniors, schools and campuses are alive with activity as the year kicks off.

Why Are Pests Attracted to Schools

The reality is that pests are part of the “lesson plan” for schools big and small. Pests are attracted to school environments because of the readily available sources of food, water, and shelter that are available.

There are many locations in a school setting that attract pests. Cafeterias and college dining halls where food is delivered, stored, prepared, and served are bound to produce crumbs, spills, leftovers, and garbage that can attract a variety of pests including rodents, flies, and cockroaches.

Student lockers, desks, and dorm rooms are also areas where flies, cockroaches, and rodents can feed on a leftover peanut butter and jelly sandwich or an open bag of potato chips.

As classrooms spring back to life, there is one pest that is not making the honor roll this semester – bed bugs.

Expelling Bed Bugs

How much of a problem are bed bugs in schools? Research from the National Pest Management Association has shown that 47 percent of pest management professionals indicated they have gone to college dorms for bed bugs. While 41 percent have been called to schools or daycare centers to manage a bed bug problem.

Bed bugs are highly mobile pests that thrive in heavily populated and trafficked locations such as classrooms, dormitories, and even buses. Their ability to hitch a ride home in a backpack, gym bag, or in a student’s shoes makes them a challenge to control.

Rottler Pest Solutions recommends the following tips to prevent bed bugs and other pests from becoming a problem this school year:

Regularly inspect student belongings – backpacks, gym bags, lunch boxes – for signs of bed bugs and other pests.
If your child’s school has reported a bed bug infestation, consider storing all school-related items in plastic storage bins.
Wash and dry cloth items returning from school in warm temperatures.
Remind your children not to leave food or snacks in backpacks, lockers, or desks. An open package of chocolate chip cookies or a spilled soda is like an open book test for mice, ants, or cockroaches.

For college students Rottler recommends following these steps to keep bed bugs and pests in check:

• Before putting sheets on your dorm or apartment bed, inspect the mattress seams, particularly at the corners, and box springs for telltale stains or spots from bugs.
• Thoroughly inspect the entire room before unpacking, including behind the headboard and in sofas and chairs.
• Inspect any “secondhand” furniture for bed bugs and pests. Bed bugs can easily hide in couch cushions. So do a thorough check before bringing it into a dorm room or off-campus housing.
• When returning home for fall break or a weekend to “restock” on food, place bedding and clothing in garbage bags and inspect them for signs of pests in the garage before bringing them in the house; wash and dry everything in warm temperatures. For best practices keep items within a laundry bag, or pillowcase when placed in the washing machine.

Contact Rottler Pest Solutions

Make your school year pest-free and call 1-877-ROTTLER, email, or chat online with a Rottler pest specialist today about how you can give pests a failing grade this school year.