Today we're featuring a special guest blog from our friends at the non-profit organization Safer Pest Control Project about how to handle bed bugs in schools without harsh pesticides.
Overreaction to bed bug sightings in schools can cause panic and lead to bad decisions that can put your child at risk for unnecessary pesticide exposure. For instance, a school in Brooklyn, NY made headlines for making a decision to spray everything in the school with a liquid pesticide without notifying parents or staff. (See the full story here.) Not only was this dangerous, but spraying for bed bugs in schools is not typically considered an effective treatment.
What to do instead? Make sure your principal and school staff know how to properly respond to bed bugs in the school. We’ve created a school and childcare specific fact sheet [pdf] that can help you and your school make good decisions on proper bed bug management.
One might expect a “bed” bug to remain largely confined to bed areas, but in fact they're excellent hitchhikers and pop up just about everywhere, including office buildings, movie theaters, department stores and, yes, schools and childcare facilities. Bed bugs do not live on people as lice do, but they sure like to travel! One bed bug can easily latch onto a backpack or jacket and fall off in any number of places between home and school.
To minimize frustration, headaches and paranoia, your school or childcare facility can address this potential problem now, before it happens. Education is the key to bed bug prevention and control. We have great resources on our website that you can use for free to help you get the ball rolling. Educating faculty is a priority because they should know what to look for in school in order to identify a potential infestation at home (bites on student, lots of itching) as well as educating parents to know how to identify a problem at home (droppings or stains, eggs, bugs, bites).
If you think a student is bringing bed bugs to school or has a problem at home, don't panic. Notify the parents immediately to discuss your concerns. If confirmed, the parents, students and faculty should take precautions to ensure no bug unwittingly comes to school.
For more information and materials to educate staff and parents, check out Safer Pest Control Project’s website: www.spcpweb.org.
I don't even know how I stopped up here, however I assumed this post used to be good. I don't realize who you are but definitely you are going to a famous blogger in the event you aren't already. Cheers!
Posted by: let me watch this | September 14, 2013 at 03:13 PM
Nice weblog here! Additionally your website quite a bit up very fast! What web host are you the use of? Can I get your affiliate link on your host? I desire my site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
Posted by: free movies online | September 15, 2013 at 05:47 PM