6 Tips for Preventing Spring Break Pests

Whether you are looking for a change in scenery or a reprieve from the mundane with a staycation, some rest and relaxation could be just the ticket. Whatever your plans for spring break, don’t let pests crash them. Bed bugs and mosquitoes are two pests you should be vigilant about preventing.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs aren’t your average household pests, but bed bug incidents are increasing. There has been a 71% rise in bed bug reports since 2001, and 68% of pest control professionals report finding bedbugs in hotels and motels, according to the NPMA. Bed bugs are found in all 50 states, which makes them particularly hard to avoid. Even worse? They don’t discriminate – they have been found in five-star hotels and quaint motels. Contrary to what many people believe, they aren’t attracted to dirt or filth, they’re attracted to their main food source, blood.

Here are our top three tips to avoid these pesky pests:

1. Learn how to identify them. Often confused with other pests, bed bugs can be difficult to identify if you don’t know what you’re looking for. They have small, flat, oval-shaped bodies without wings. Usually brown, they can have reddish coloring if they have recently fed. They feed on blood and multiply quickly, so early detection is imperative before the insect problem grows into an infestation.
2. Perform a thorough inspection. Start from the head of the mattress and work your way down, focusing on seams, tufts, and cracks where bed bugs most often hide. Look for the pests themselves, or signs of their presence. Signs of an infestation include blood stains on sheets or bedding and tan or off-white shells that resemble hollow bugs. Additionally, larger infestations will usually be accompanied by a musty, sweet odor that has been likened to the smell of berries.
3. Handle the hitchhikers. Bed bugs are known to travel easily from place to place, especially on articles of clothing or bedding. When you arrive home, wash your clothes at a temperature above 125°F, and dry them on high heat. Inspect your luggage well before bringing it into your home to make sure you don’t have any stowaways, and store it in a non-living space, such as an attic, basement, or garage.

Mosquitoes

Fortunately, bed bugs can’t transmit diseases to humans. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can. These buzzing pests are one of the deadliest creatures in the world because of the many diseases they carry, such as Zika, West Nile virus, and dengue fever.

Like bed bugs, they are found in all regions of the U.S. and feed on blood. Because of the danger mosquitoes can pose to humans, prevention is key. While mosquito season begins in early spring and peaks in summer in most areas, if traveling to tropical areas, it’s likely they are a problem year-round.

Here are our top three tips to prevent mosquitoes from ruining your spring escape:

1. Protect yourself. Apply a mosquito repellent with DEET, especially if you’re outside during prime mosquito time: dawn and dusk. This is probably the best mosquito pest control method you can employ. Note the DEET concentration level of the product you’re using. For protection against both mosquitoes and ticks, the CDC recommends using a repellent with 20% or more. Wearing light-colored clothing can also deter these pests from biting you.
2. Seal entry points. The best way to prevent mosquitoes from coming indoors is to secure your area after a thorough inspection. Check that all window screens are intact, and make sure to keep doors and other barriers closed.
3. Eliminate standing water. To keep the mosquito population to a minimum, eliminate places where they breed. Mosquitoes lay eggs in and around standing water, and just a thimbleful is enough to harbor mosquito larvae. Check children’s toys or playgrounds, pet dishes, fountains, flowerpots, storm drains and gutters for pools of water, and drain small wading pools between uses.

Remember, if you’re in need of a trustworthy pest control company, we can help. Request a quote or call 855-855-4873 and one of our pest control professionals will work with you to address the problem.