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Bed Bugs

Kid scratching bed bug bites

Back to School Can Bring in Bed Bugs

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Kids bring home all sorts of things from school, including some weird stuff sometimes. Now that your kids are back in the classroom, please know that children share lots of things at school, including the dreaded beg buds. Bed bugs are excellent travelers and can live up to a year between feedings. If one child at a school has a home dealing with bed bugs, it’s very possible for bed bugs to latch onto children’s clothing or backpacks onto the belongings of other students. Here are some tips to make sure your children are not bringing home surprise guests this winter.

Identifying Bed Bugs

It is always best to try to identify a bed bug infestation as early as possible, as it will be easier and cheaper to rid yourself of the problem. Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and are brownish red in color. Young bed bugs that haven’t matured yet are smaller in size and are translucent in color. They will be difficult to see unless they are moving.

If you see bed bugs, there are likely more that you cannot see. A professional could take over from here and treat your home to get rid of the bed bugs. If you have seen bed bugs on your furniture, call Ideal Partners to get rid of the problem before it becomes an expensive infestation.

Where to Find Them

Bed bugs love to hitchhike on students’ clothing and backpacks. Check these places for signs of bed bugs. Other places that these pests like to hide include mattresses, sheets, and furniture. Look for black speckling, which could be bed bug droppings. Another telltale sign is blood specks around the seams of furniture where bed bugs have been crushed.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shares some great information on where bed bugs like to hide, including common misdiagnoses. Bed bug bites look very different on different people. They can look like mosquito or chigger bites, so don’t panic right away at the first sign of bug bites, and instead check with professionals if you think it could be bed bugs.

What to do About it

The bed bug’s biggest vulnerability is that it cannot withstand high heat. If you’re worried about your child bringing them home, place their clothes in the dryer for 15-20 minutes on the highest heat to kill the bed bugs. Remember, backpacks are usually the main culprit, so the easiest way to prevent spreading is to keep backpacks away from bedrooms and living rooms. Read here for more tips to prevent bed bug spread if one of your children has brought them home from school.

If you’ve tried these steps and are still having trouble fighting a bed bug invasion, the experts at Ideal Partners can help. Give us a call for a free estimate and to have an inspection or treatment done on your home to help kill insects before they have a chance to start an infestation.

Termites

Spring Time Means It’s Pest Time

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Spring means sunshine and warmer weather. It’s a time when everybody comes out to play, including a whole calvary of dreaded Texas pests. Here’s a list of some of the most prevalent spring pests and tips on how you can help prevent your home from becoming their home.

  1. Cockroaches:
    • In a word, clean. Clean your kitchen, take out your trash daily, and make sure that outside dumpsters are not too close to your house. Wash your dishes often. Keep your food in sealed containers. Clean up crumbs and spills. Clean.
    • Look for and seal cracks and crevices in doors, windows, and foundations. Little critters consider these openings as welcome mats into your home.
    • Clear out the clutter, especially in attics, garages, and storerooms. This includes old books, magazines, clothing, newspapers, cardboard boxes, etc. Throw away anything that you have been meaning to throw away or donate.
  2. Termites:
    • Avoid stacks of lumber, mulch, and cardboard close to the foundation of your house. That’s all-yummy food for termites.
    • Use termite-proof paint or stain for your wooden fence.
    • Keep moisture away from your house. Check for any plumbing leaks and make sure all sprinkler heads are facing away from your home. Seal gaps around water and gas lines.
    • Clear out the clutter.
    • Get Ideal Termite Extermination Treatment. Learn more at
      https://www.idealpartners.com/residential/pest-control/termite-treatment/
  3. Ants:
    • Seal Gaps and Cracks
    • Remove Food sources
    • Clean counters and mop floors with 50/50 vinegar and water solution.
  4. Fleas & Ticks:
    • Make sure to keep the bedding for your furry pets clean and be sure to keep them up to date on their shots and flea and tick medication.
    • Wear long-sleeve shirts and spray yourself with pest and bug spray if venturing into wooded areas. These little guys are hitchhikers and would love more than a ride to your home.
    • Check your luggage before and after you travel to avoid unwanted pests.
    • Learn more about ticks and steps to take if you find a tick here.

And the best advice of all is to schedule a visit from the specialists at Ideal Partners. They can help you keep pests out of your yard, home, garage, attic and anywhere else they tend to enter and gather. https://www.idealpartners.com/residential/pest-control/programs/