As the weather begins to warm once again and the spring season unfolds, pest activity increases. And, with schools closed for a week or two, the empty cafeteria, classrooms, and hallways become perfect spaces for pests to explore.
Pest control for schools is an important task that shouldn’t be overlooked. Protecting your students from germs and potential allergens from pests needs to remain a top priority. You certainly don’t want a student returning from break to find a spider has taken over their desk, or for your staff and faculty to encounter mice in the kitchen or teacher’s lounge.
If you don’t want to come back to a school infested with insects or other vermin, learn why you should hire professional pest control to protect your school this coming spring break.
Why are Schools a Target for Pests?
Schools are large buildings with plenty of nooks and crannies to hide, and crumbs or food scraps can often be left behind by students, staff, and faculty.
There are also long stretches of time when there is hardly anyone in the building, giving the pests free rein. Between nighttime expeditions, long weekends, and free-for-alls over break, schools are ideal locations for pests to establish themselves. This is especially true as the weather warms and critters and creepy crawlies begin looking for places to eat, sleep, and reproduce.
The Importance of Pest Control for Schools
You may be reading this article and thinking that you can control any pest problem that you have. However, you don’t know how many insects and rodents could be romping around your school at any time. Plus, they can be impossible to find if you aren’t trained where to look. For the safety of your students and staff, it is important to hire trained pest control services for the following reasons:
Best Educational Experience for Your Students
If one of your students sees a pest, they will likely cause panic in the classroom. This panic will distract both your students and educators from the work they need to get done.
Some students may not want to come to school or will struggle to pay attention because they know there are pests in the building. You may notice teachers going home sooner, too, to avoid being exposed to the vermin in your school. None of these help the school achieve its goal of giving students the best possible education.
Create a Healthy Environment
Insects and rodents carry several diseases that could invade your school and harm the students and staff. The dander of some rodents can cause children to have allergies or asthma attacks, as well. Plus, some of your students or staff members may be allergic to the bites or stings of certain pests and would need to be rushed to the hospital following exposure. Pest control for schools is the only way to help prevent this.
Limit Damage to Belongings
Pests like to chew, and many pests defecate while eating or exploring their surroundings. This means that textbooks, schoolwork, and more are likely to take some damage, and those droppings can pose a threat to students’ health if the pests are carrying disease.
Termites, for example, can ravage all wooden furniture and structures in your school, meanwhile small rodents can chew through electrical wiring and cause electrical fires. The only way to keep your school safe is to hire a professional pest control company who knows where pests tend to hide and have superior methods of protecting your school with commercial pest management services.
Keep the School Open
If you let a pest problem get out of control, you run the risk of having to close for a few days or longer to have the infestation treated. An unsafe school can bring about hefty fines, impact funding, and develop a negative reputation in your community.
Hiring pest control companies to treat your school over spring break allows them to eliminate pests while students and staff are away, therefore not interfering with lesson plans or daily routines.
And, as summer approaches, regular pest control can help keep your school safe when pests begin to venture indoors in search of food, water, and protection from the scorching sun.
Common Springtime Pests
Insect and rodent species will vary based on where you live. However, these are the most common types of pests that have been seen across the United States during the spring months:
- Ants
- Bed Bugs
- Beetles
- Cockroaches
- Hornets
- Moths
- Silverfish
- Spiders
- Termites
- Ticks
- Wasps
- Small rodents such as mice, rats, squirrels, etc.
These are commonly seen pests, but you may encounter other kinds of rodents or insects in your school during the spring months. If you see any kind of pest in your school, don’t hesitate to call your local professional pest control company.
Typical Signs of a Pest Infestation
There is a practice used by most pest control companies called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This combines the methods of both looking for the warning signs of pests and treating them accordingly to help prevent major breakouts.
While you can train your staff on these methods, that shouldn’t be their main priority. Instead, the professionals who have been trained and use these practices every day will be much better at treating and preventing major infestations in your school.
Here are some signs that you need to call a professional for your school’s spring pest control:
- Insect or rodent droppings
- Bite marks on wires, food containers, furniture, or walls
- Insect shells or shredded skin
- Seeing dead or living pests
- Finding nests or an abundance of webs
- Sounds in attics or walls
- Increased and unexplained insect bites on students and staff
Why is Spring the Best Time to Get Pest Control?
Spring pest control is the optimal time for destroying nests and colonies while they’re newly established and still small. This way, the pest control expert can best identify where in your school pests are drawn and not only remove the issue, but implement measures to prevent future infestations, as well. Pests that had sheltered in your school to survive the winter will also begin to emerge, bringing to light previously unknown issues.
Additionally, nearly all schools have some form of spring break. This gives pest control companies time to search the school uninterrupted and treat pests without the risk of exposing students and staff to pest treatment products. Furthermore, students won’t be distracted from learning. Instead, when they come back from spring break, you can be assured there are no pests in your school.
If you fear that your school may be on the verge of a pest infestation or simply want the peace of mind that your school is pest-free, spring break is the best time to call in a local pest control company for commercial pest control services. These professionals know the signs to look for, common places to check, and how to properly treat the pests they find.
To ensure the best learning environment for your students, have the building checked by an expert. We highly recommend scheduling your commercial pest management services in advance, as spring pest control is often in high demand and may impact your ability to receive pest control for your school during the break.
Contact Dewey for Pest Control for Your School
If pests are disrupting class or posing a health risk in the school cafeteria, you need Dewey Pest Control. Servicing cities all over California, our trained pest control technicians will inspect your school, identify potential attractants that are feeding your pest infestation, hone in on possible points of entry, and develop a treatment plan to rid your school of pests so students can focus on learning without creeping, crawling distractions.
Keep your school and students safe from unwanted infestations and call or contact Dewey Pest Control to schedule your free consultation today!