Summer is coming up and you're eager to drop your children off at their summer camps. However, you find out from a friend that one of the camps had a bed bug infestation early in the season, and now you're worried that your children may be bringing home bed bugs in a few weeks. Consider these tips to prevent that shock from becoming a reality.
Bed bugs love places with plenty of people, and summer camps are no exception. Kids come and go through the cabin, with many only staying for a period of two weeks. With that in mind, it can be hard for parents to trace a bed bug problem in their home back to a summer camp, Pest World noted. Children are also less observant, and may not have immediately blamed itching on bed bugs. Instead, they may have blamed mosquitoes or an allergic reaction to their bedding. However, if a cabin is infested with bed bugs, that can quickly become trouble. This pest can get into everything, including pillowcases, backpacks and duffel bags. Children may have come to the camp clean, but they might not leave that way.
Undergo a thorough inspection: When your children get home from camp, it's important you go through all of your child's belongings to see if you find any unwanted guests, Hub Pages advised. Be sure to use a flashlight or magnifying glass, as this pest can be overlooked. Of course, if you do find any bed bugs in your child's items right after he or she has returned home from summer camp, it's important that you notify the camp right away. They may not be aware that this cabin or several cabins has an infestation.
Wash and dry: If you notice bugs crawling around, wash all your belongings right away. Place them in hot water followed by a hot dryer cycle. If you can't put something in the washer or dryer, such as a bag, keep it sealed in a plastic container or a plastic baggie. It's important to suffocate the bugs and deprive them of flesh. Of course, you also want to prevent them from spreading within your own home. You can also kill bed bugs by putting items in the freezer. Make sure you wait at least three weeks before you use the item again.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
