We often hear about lice and the flu bug in school but bed bug incidents are on the rise. They are good at hitching rides on backpacks and all educational facilities are susceptible. Schools across the United States are experiencing problems with bed bugs, but how on earth do they get there in the first place? Bed bugs have been around for a long time, feeding on blood that results in itchy bites and being extremely irritating to their host. They feed on blood every five to ten days and are very resilient because they can live for several months without a blood meal. Bed bugs lay 5-7 eggs each week and can lay 500 eggs over the course of their lifetime! All it takes is one or two bed bugs that sneak onto a backpack or other fabric. When this backpack is set down next to another, the bed bugs can easily hitchhike a ride into another student’s home. These pests aren’t picky about who they choose to travel with and it doesn’t matter how clean your school is. It’s easy for bed bugs to get around unnoticed. They are tiny, and brown and reddish in color. They have oval, flat bodies that make it easy for them to squeeze into the tightest of spots.

Preventing Bed Bugs at School

There are steps you can take to prevent having bed bugs hitch a ride back to your house. When schools and parents work together, bed bug infestations are easier to prevent. Parents shouldn’t let their children to take more items than necessary to school. It’s a good idea to wash backpacks and jackets etc often, using hot water temperatures and high dryer settings for 30 to 45 minutes to kill possible bed bugs. Regularly inspecting your child’s belongings for bed bugs can help catch a problem early. If administrators and teachers happen to see a bed bug, they should put it in a sealed plastic bag for identification and contact a pest control company. All families need to notified if there is an infestation. They also need to know proper care, control and prevention methods. Make sure rooms are cleaned and vacuumed often and rules will need to put in place to prevent future infestations.

Can You Get Sick from Too Many Bed Bug Bites?

There shouldn’t be any shame associated with having a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs don’t care if you’re rich or poor, clean or dirty and they are secretive. When they aren’t feeding, they will stay hidden in cracks and crevices. They will hide in pockets and cuffs, backpacks, purses or any place that provides them with shelter. These items can be carried to school where the bed bugs will hitch rides on other items. Infestations can cause problems.
1. Skin irritations that get itchy. The itching will lead to excessive scratching that can cause secondary skin infestations.
2. Minor allergic reactions are possible that might need medical attention.
3. Severe allergic reactions that will need attention right away.
4. Minor skin irritations can cause stress and make you lose sleep.

Bed Bug Inspections, Exclusion, Control, Removal, Management & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas

It’s imperative to use the right methods in schools, so let professionals take care of it. Work with a pest control company to devise the best plan to take care of an infestation. The plan will need to involve the school and any families or affected staff. Contact A Five Star Termite & Pest Control for correct identification and measures to make sure your educational facility will be treated effectively.