Pests such as insects, rodents, fungi, and weeds can affect the school environment and the people who work and learn there. These pests can cause human health problems, structural damage, and plant damage.

Pests of Concern in Schools

You will need to know what pests you are facing before deciding how to control them. These pest fact sheets will give you a brief overview of some pests that may be issues at your school, including their life cycle, health concerns, and information about control.

• Ants.
• Bed bugs.
• Bees and wasps.
• Biting midges.
• Cockroaches.
• Flies.
• Lice.
• Millipedes.
• Mosquitoes.
• Rodents.
• Termites.
• Ticks.

Where to Look for Pests in Schools

Pests find homes in many places in and around schools, such as:

• Cafeterias - pests are attracted to food and water in confined locations, such as between appliances and in cabinets.
• Classrooms - pest populations increase in untidy areas, such as desks and closets.
• Lockers - clutter and food can quickly collect in lockers throughout the school year, providing a safe harbor and breeding grounds for pests.
• Gyms and locker rooms - these areas can be warm and poorly ventilated, providing breeding grounds for pests.
• Dumpsters - waste receptacles and surrounding areas are vulnerable to pest problems, especially when they are in close proximity to school buildings.
• Exterior conduits - all openings to the outdoors provide easy entry access for pests.
• Landscapes, school grounds and athletic fields - neglected landscapes can attract a wide variety of pests, including those that destroy school structures.
• Buses - present unique pest control challenges when schools initiate programs such as Breakfast on the Bus.

Basic Information on Pest Control in School

By using integrated pest management instead of solely relying on extensive pesticide applications, schools can reduce pest populations and reduce the use of pesticides, making schools safer for children and school personnel.

IPM reduces the use of pesticides by first monitoring pest populations to determine where, when, and what kind of controls should be applied. Schools can reduce pest infestations by identifying and removing conditions that will attract pests.

Preventive measures are easy to implement and often improve the overall maintenance of the school. These measures can include:

• Restricting where food is eaten.
• Moving dumpsters and food disposal containers away from the school.
• Repairing and maintaining leaking pipes.
• Pressure cleaning food service areas.
• Sealing cracks and crevices.
• Instituting sanitation measures.
• Cleaning gutters and directing water flow away from buildings to prevent saturation.
• Educating students and staff about how their actions affect pest management and control.

In addition to adopting preventive measures, the IPM approach includes evaluating a school's pest management practices and choosing lower-risk methods of pest removal and prevention. When developing an IPM program, schools should consider methods that:

• Minimize health risks to humans and the environment.
• Minimize disruption of the natural, outdoor environment.
• Are least toxic to species that are not pests.
• Prevent a recurrence of the pest infestation.
• Are safe and easy to apply effectively.
• Are cost-effective.

Basics

Ants are insects of the family formicidae. Like some types of termites, bees and wasps, ants are social insects and live in colonies made up of thousands of members.

Like other insects, ants have:

• Three body segments:
  • head;
  • thorax; and
  • abdomen.
• An exoskeleton.
• Six legs attached to their thorax.
• Two antennae.

Life Cycle

Ants have four life stages:

• eggs;
• larvae;
• pupae;
• adults.

There are three different types of adult ant:

• Workers (also known as soldiers), which are females.
• Males (also known as drones).
• Queens, which are females.

Infestations

Many different types of ants are considered pests including:

• Pavement Ants.
• Yellow Crazy Ants.
• The Pharaoh Ant.
• Carpenter Ants.
• Argentine Ants.
• Odorous Ants.
• Red Imported Fire Ants.

Health Concerns

Ants can contaminate food, but most common species in the United States generally do not cause public health hazards. Species of ants that are dangerous to human health include:

• Fire Ants.
• Red Imported Fire Ants.
• Black Imported Fire Ants.
• Southern Fire Ants.

When fire ants bite, they inject formic acid into the skin, which can cause welts and allergic reactions, and results in white pustules that often last several days.

In some cases of severe allergic reaction, fire ant stings can be fatal if not treated.

Basics

Bed bugs have long been a pest – feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and generally irritating their human hosts. They are successful hitchhikers and can move from an infested site to furniture, bedding, baggage, boxes and clothing.

Although they typically feed on blood every five to ten days, bed bugs can be quite resilient, living for several months without feeding.

The common bed bug is Cimex lectularius.

Life Cycle

Bed bugs produce 5-7 eggs per week and can lay up to 500 over the course of their life. They grow fastest and lay the most eggs at 80 degrees F. Learn more about the bed bug life cycle.

Health Concerns

Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, their presence may cause distress and health issues for many people.

The following health issues are associated with infestations of bed bugs:

• Minor skin irritations that itch.
  • Itching can lead to excessive scratching, which can increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.
• Moderate allergic reactions, which require medical attention.
• Severe allergic reactions, which require immediate medical attention.
• Increased stress is caused by minor skin irritations and the loss of sleep.

Steps for Success in Dealing with Bed Bugs in Schools

If a bed bug is found on a child in school, it does not mean the child brought the bed bug into the school. Bed bugs do not infest people; they only feed on them. Bed bugs can crawl onto or off of a person (or their belongings) at any time. The following actions will be helpful in dealing with any bed bug sightings:

• Educate everyone.
• Have an action plan.
• Remain calm.
• One bed bug is NOT an infestation - inspect and monitor.
• Infested classrooms require professional treatment and parental notification.
• EPA recommends you use IPM to reduce pesticide exposure; IPM is a smart, sensible and sustainable approach to pest management.

Basics

There are more than 20,000 bee species. Bees gather nectar and pollen from brightly colored flowers to feed their young. While gathering these meals, bees pollinate flowers, as do butterflies, moths, and birds. Unlike other pollinators that only seek nectar, bees also seek pollen, so they often do more of the "heavy lifting" of pollination.

Wasps and bees differ in many ways:

• Wasps are more aggressive and have thinner, longer frames because they are hunters.
• Bees have hairier bodies in order to collect and hold pollen and nectar; wasp bodies are smooth.
• Wasps feed their young flies, caterpillars and spiders, but like bees, adult wasps feed on nectar.

Body Shape: Wasps and bees, like all insects, have six legs, three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen), two antennae on their head and an exoskeleton. They also have two wings.

Different types of bees have different stinging abilities. Carpenter bees and bumble bees can sting over and over again because their stingers will not get caught, while honeybees can only sting once. Wasps are also able to sting multiple times.

Life cycle: Bees and wasps transition from eggs, to larvae, to pupas, to three different types of adults: queens, drones/males and workers. Drones/males mate with the queen so that she can produce more eggs, while workers are all female bees.

Health Concerns

People can be highly allergic to stings from bees and wasps. Even for those who are not allergic to the sting, the result can be uncomfortable.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies

• Never leave food out beyond meal time.
• Clean up sticky, sweet syrupy drinks immediately.
• Keep trash cans sealed or covered, and remove trash cans and dumpsters frequently.
• Keep areas dry - repair leaky faucets, and fix areas where water creates puddles after the rain.
• Plug any holes in buildings and ensure that screens are on windows to prevent bees and wasps from entering the classroom.

Basics

Biting midges are small, gray, two-winged insects, less than 1/8” long. They are a significant human pest and are found throughout the United States, primarily in coastal areas and farming operations. Some species occur mainly in wet mud, mangrove swamps and salt-marshes.

Only the female bites and takes blood using an elongated jaw with small cutting teeth. Feeding takes approximately 2-5 minutes if undisturbed. The greatest activity of biting occurs during dawn and dusk, may continue throughout the night, but rarely occurs during the day unless overcast with little wind.

Life Cycle: Biting midges lay minute eggs in the shape of a cigar or sausage. The eggs are black. Egg count varies depending on species and size of blood meal, but generally range from 25-100 per blood meal. Eggs cannot survive in dry environments and take about 3-5 days to hatch in 80°F weather. Once hatched, larvae develop through four life cycle stages, which can vary greatly in time based on temperature and season.

Health Concerns

Biting midges are a known transmitter of Mansonella ozzaqrdi, a human nematode parasite.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies

The rapid life cycle makes it difficult to affect population density. IPM strategies for prevention of bites include:

• Avoiding activity outside during peak hours (i.e., dawn and dusk).
• Increasing air movement in areas frequented by people.
• Treating screens with barrier sprays or portable foggers effective against biting midges (see label).
• Using spray repellants approved for biting midges if outdoors (see label).

Overview and Life Cycle

The basics: Cockroaches have six legs, wings, and antenna. They can run up to three miles an hour, and have been around since the dinosaurs. They range in size and color, and their shed skin contains allergens that can cause asthma. Below, we have focused on three of the most common cockroaches:

• German cockroach
• American cockroach
• Brownbanded cockroach

German Cockroach: Blattella germanica.

German cockroaches are the most common cockroach found in the United States. The German cockroach is:

• 12 to 17 mm (1/2 to 5/8 inch) long;
• tan to light brown; and
• has two dark brown stripes on the body region (pronotal shield) just behind the head.

Females will produce four to eight egg capsules during their lifetime, with each capsule containing approximately 40 eggs. The egg capsule is retained by the female until the eggs are ready to hatch, usually in 28 to 30 days.

German cockroaches are widespread and can be found in many indoor environments. Within these areas, the cockroaches prefer sites close to moisture and food, making them common pests in:

• Kitchens.
• Bathrooms.
• Food-storage areas.

American Cockroach: Periplaneta Americana.

The American cockroach is one of the largest cockroaches in the Northeast.

• It is about 40 mm (1.5 inches) long with a reddish-brown body.
• The center portion of the pronotal shield is light brown, while the outer edges are yellow.

Life Cycle: The female American cockroach will not retain the egg capsule for more than a day after its formation, instead dropping the capsule in some suitable site. Under some conditions it may be glued to a surface. The number of capsules produced by a female will range from 6 to 14, with each capsule containing 14 to 16 eggs. The eggs hatch in 50 to 55 days.

The American cockroach prefers dark, moist sites where it feeds on decaying organic matter. Such sites include:

• Basements.
• Kitchens.
• Clothes hampers.
• Drains.
• Bathroom plumbing or sewers.

Brownbanded Cockroach: Supella longipalpa.

The brownbanded cockroach is:

• 12 mm (1/2 inch) long;
• light brown; and
• has two lighter colored bands running across the body.

These bands are located at the base of the wings and on the abdomen. The bands are much darker during the immature stages.

Life Cycle: The brownbanded female carries the egg capsule for 24 to 48 hours before gluing it to a surface. The capsule contains approximately 18 eggs that hatch in 50-74 days. An adult female produces about 18 egg capsules over a life-span of 10 months.

The brownbanded cockroach requires less moisture than other cockroaches. It is more prevalent in homes, apartments, hotels and hospital rooms than in restaurants or stores. Evidence of this cockroach may be found:

• Behind pictures.
• In furniture.
• The underside of chairs and tables.
• In upper kitchen cabinets.
• On the upper shelves of closets and pantries.

Health Concerns

Cockroaches and their droppings may trigger an asthma attack. Their feces, saliva, eggs, and outer covering, or cuticles left behind on surfaces contain substances that are allergenic to humans, especially those with asthma or other respiratory conditions.

Within and on the surface of their bodies, cockroaches carry bacteria that can cause salmonella, staphylococcus and streptococcus if deposited in food. Additionally, cockroach feces, skin sheddings and saliva can cause asthma and allergies, especially in children.

Cockroach Management Tips

To keep students and staff healthy, IPM helps schools stay free of cockroach infestations:

• Don’t allow dirty dishes to accumulate in the sink and remain there overnight.
• Keep food scraps in the refrigerator or in containers with tight-fitting lids.
• If small animals are in the classroom, keep the food in tightly sealed containers, and do not allow food to remain in the bowls overnight.
  • Feed only what the animal will eat at the time of feeding.
• Remove garbage from the classroom and kitchen areas on a routine basis.
  • o Keep outside containers covered, especially at night.
• Periodically check and clean the evaporation pan under the refrigerator or freezer.
• Check the critical area between the stove and cabinet where grease and food scraps often accumulate.
  • Pull the stove out periodically and clean thoroughly.

Basics

There are thousands of species of flies, of which only a few are common pests. These are generally known by their common name:

• House fly.
• Stable fly (also known as biting fly).
• Face fly.
• Garbage fly.

The common element among these pests is the need to breed in animal waste and decaying organic material; some even feed on mammal blood.

Life Cycle: Flies undergo a complete metamorphosis (or change) throughout their life cycles. Female flies deposit their eggs, often numbering over 100, in animal waste or moist organic material, where the eggs hatch and become larvae or “maggots."

From this stage the larvae develop into pupa, which have a hardened shell. The adult fly develops within this hardened shell. This transformation occurs in a little as seven days in the summer, with ideal temperature.

Health Concerns

Flies are carriers and transmitters of numerous diseases as a result of breeding and feeding on animal waste, garbage, and human foods. Flies are most known for carrying bacterial and viruses that cause:

• Diarrhea.
• Cholera.
• Food poisoning.
• Yaws.
• Dysentery.
• Eye infections.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies

While adult flies are the most bothersome, the point of greatest IPM control is often the larval stage. By eliminating the habitat preferred by larvae, the fly population can be better managed. This includes removing:

• Animal waste.
• Garbage.
• Decaying plant matter.
• Moist environments for egg deposition.

Chemical pesticides are ineffective in the long-term. Flies are able to develop resistance to pesticides due to their rapid life cycle. Use of increased air movement and screens in areas frequented by people can be effective.

Fly traps and repellents have varying effects, dependent upon the species and method of attraction. Their use should not be considered an alternative to the suggestions listed above. Always read the label thoroughly before using fly traps or repellents.

Basics

Head Lice: Head lice are tiny parasites that attach to human head hair and feed on blood through the skin.

Head lice (Pediculus P. humanus) are one of 500 species of "sucking louse" that feed on mammalian blood, but one of only three species that feed specifically on human blood. Lice are wingless insects and, therefore, have six legs, three body segments (the head, thorax and abdomen), and two antennae.

Life Cycle

Head lice live in three phases: eggs/nits, nymphs and adults.

Head lice are "oviparous," which means that they lay eggs, and embryos develop almost entirely outside of the mother (and within the egg).

Eggs live attached to hair on the scalp. They appear yellow but are generally too small to see. In this life cycle phase, head lice do not feed on human blood.

Eggs transition into nymphs after about one week and then feed every few hours. The body of the nymph turns dark red after feeding. Nymphs survive for eight to nine days and then transition into adults, which can live for one month.

Mobility

Head lice cannot fly, but they can crawl into sweaters, towels, hair accessories and blankets, which is generally how transmission occurs. It is possible for lice to survive for several hours in water (such as in a pool), but this kind of transmission from person-to-person is rare.

Health Concerns and Treatment Tips

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lice are not known to transmit any disease, and are, therefore, not a public health hazard. However, head lice infestations do requirement treatment and can be prevented. Follow these principles in your treatment plan:

• Don't treat family members who don't have head lice. Treat for head lice ONLY when a person has them.
• Check everyone in the family using a good quality lice removal comb.
• Avoid pesticide-based shampoos.
• Shampoo hair with normal shampoo.
  • Use clips to divide wet hair into small sections, and work with one section at a time.
  • Comb from the scalp, depositing lice and eggs in a bowl of soapy water.
  • Some people report using conditioner and leaving it in the hair makes the process easier.
  • Use a fine-toothed, good quality metal comb.
• Don’t use environmental sprays for lice - they are unnecessary and can pose a health risk if used improperly.
  • Lice infect people, not the home.
  • They are human parasites. Lice cannot live without human blood for more than 24 hours.
  • Nits will not live unless they get a meal of human blood as soon as they hatch.
• Vacuum carpets and padded furniture to remove hairs with attached nits and any lice that crawl off the infested person.
• Put bed linens, pillows, stuffed animals and similar items in a dryer for 30 minutes on high heat to kill both live lice and nits.
  • Lice do not jump or hop. They do crawl and cling.
  • If a louse comes off the head and is left behind on a pillow, head rest, or hat, the louse may infect another person who places their head in that area. Vacuuming will catch these escapees.
  • Experts used to suggest bagging items such as stuffed animals for several weeks to help control infestations, but this is now recognized as unnecessary.
• Don’t treat family pets for lice with insecticidal shampoo. It is potentially harmful (to both humans and pets). Lice cannot live on pets, so there is no reason to fear that lice may be hiding on your dog, cat or guinea pig.
• Don’t use head lice treatments as a preventive measure. Head lice can’t be safely or effectively prevented by shampooing with either chemical or alternative treatments.
• Practice early detection, by making weekly head checks with a good quality comb. Early detection and removal of any live lice or nits can keep head lice problems to a minimum. “It only takes a few minutes,” says Bonnie Byers, parent of four. “I check around the ears, the back of the neck, around the bangs and where hair is parted. Lice seem to like these areas best.”

Basics

Millipedes are arthropods and, unlike insects, do not have three clearly defined body sections, each with a pair of legs. Millipedes:

• Are worm-like animals with numerous body segments and legs.
• Are commonly seen in yards and occasionally enter buildings.
• Feed on decaying plant matter and are found in moist environments, as they cannot survive long in dry conditions.

Life Cycle: A female millipede can lay up to 300 eggs in the soil, which hatch within a few weeks. Millipedes go through 7-8 life cycle stages from birth to adult. Millipedes mature within 2-5 years and live for several years after maturation.

Health Concerns

Millipedes are not dangerous and will not damage your building or food. When disturbed they do not bite, but some species exude a defensive liquid that can irritate skin or burn the eyes.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies

Millipedes rarely need to be “controlled,” as they do not cause damage, pose no health hazard and enter structures only in search of food. The best IPM strategies include:

• Sealing cracks and openings into the structure.
• Eliminating moist hiding places and food sources in or around the structure (e.g., decaying grass or rotting wood).
• Ensure that subfloor crawl spaces and basements are dry.

Pesticides are rarely, if ever, required.

Basics

There are approximately 3,500 species of mosquitoes inhabiting numerous types of climates, including deserts at or below sea level to mountain meadows 10,000 feet or more above sea level.

Mosquito adults are small two-winged flies that resemble nonbiting midges. The female mosquito has a long slender proboscis used to pierce skin and suck blood. Male mosquitos use their proboscises to suck plant juices and other sources of sugar, not blood.

Life Cycles: Mosquito life cycles vary widely among the different species. Female mosquitoes, for example, may lay a single egg in moist soil or up to one hundred on calm water surfaces. Eggs laid on water generally hatch within a day or two; those laid in moist soil may only hatch once the soil is flooded. In any scenario, the common element is presence of moisture. In the summer, the entire life cycle, from egg to adult, occurs within one week depending upon temperature.

Health Concerns

Most mosquito species seldom pose a threat to human health; however, several readily attack people and can transmit micro-organisms that cause serious disease. Even bites from mosquitoes that don’t transmit disease can result in secondary infections, allergic reactions, pain, irritation, redness, and itching.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies

Mosquito management is about controlling population levels. This is most appropriately accomplished by:

• Reducing aquatic habitats or stocking larvae-feeding fish (especially in stagnant water).
• Controlling excess runoff water (including high volume use or leaking equipment).
• Removing decaying vegetation.
• Increasing air movement and using screens in areas frequented by people.
• Using insect repellents approved for mosquitoes if outdoors.

Overview and Life Cycle of Rodents

• The two most common pest rat species in the United States, both introduced from Europe, are the Norway rat and the roof rat.
• The Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus, considered the most common rat in the United States, is also known as the:
  • brown;
  • wharf;
  • house;
  • gray; or
  • sewer rat.
• The Norway rat can be found in every state. This species was introduced to the United States in 1775. They are nocturnal and tend to stay within 300 feet of their nest.
• These rats are between 13 and 18 inches in length and have scruffy brown fur on its back and legs, and gray, white or yellow fur on its stomach.
• The roof rat, R. rattus, also known as the ship, black, or Alexandrine rat, occurs mainly along the coastal United States.
• It is smaller and thinner than the Norway rat and has a pointier muzzle. The roof rat also has larger ears and its fur can be light brown to black.

Rodent Life Cycle: Females have litters in the spring and fall and produce 6 to 12 pups.

Health Concerns

Rodents spread more than 35 diseases. These diseases can be spread to humans:

• directly, through handling of rodents;
• through contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva; or
• through rodent bites; and
• indirectly, through ticks, mites or fleas that have fed on an infected rodent.

The following are examples of infections and health issues that are caused by indirect or direct contact with rodents and cockroaches:

• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) (can be caused by contact with urine, droppings, and saliva)
• Murine Typhus (can be caused by fleas on rodents)
• Rat-bite fever (RBF)
• Leptospirosis (generally caused by contact with urine)

Rodent Management Tips

• Don’t allow dirty supplies to pile up and become clutter.
• Keep food scraps in the refrigerator or in containers with tight-fitting lids.
• If pets are in the classroom, keep the pet food in tightly sealed containers, and do not allow food to remain in the bowls overnight. Feed only what the animal will eat at the time of feeding.
• Remove garbage from the classroom on a routine basis. Keep outside containers covered, especially at night.
• Periodically check and clean the evaporation pan under the refrigerator or freezer.

Basics

Termites are insects that eat wood, soil, dead leaves and sometimes paper. There are more than 4,000 types of termites. Termites are usually classified based on what they eat or where they live (above ground or below ground). Although they do not pose a health risk to humans, termites can cause thousands of dollars of damage to wooden structures and eat through books in classrooms.

Body Shape: Termites are sometimes confused with ants; they both have antennae, heads, thoraxes, abdomens, and some types have wings. Termites have bullet-shaped bodies, while ants have thin waists. Termites also have straight antennae; ants have curved antennae.

Behavior: Like ants, termites are social animals and live in colonies. Termite colonies exist within nests, which sometimes extend out into tubes. Both the colony nests and the tubes keep termites moist. Termites generally cannot exist in dry or exposed environments.

Life cycle: Termites exist as eggs, nymphs and then three types of adults:

• Workers.
• Soldiers.
• Queens/kings (reproducers).

Workers and soldiers are about 3/8ths of an inch in length; queens and kings are 1/2 inch long.

IPM Strategies

Teachers and school staff can support facilities managers by conducting quick classroom inspections and watching for signs of termites. Signs may include changes in wood such as:

• Swelling or bending.
• Spots that appear similar to water damage.
• Mazes or tubes within walls or furniture.
• The smell of mildew or mold.

If you observe any of these signs, work with your facilities management staff to contact a pest management professional to ensure that termite burrows do not cause dangerous structural damage to your school.

Basics

Ticks are found throughout the world, but thrive in warm and humid regions and in areas with hosts (wild and domestic animals, and humans). They carry the most diseases of any arthropod and can spread disease from region to region as they are transported by hosts.

Ticks have two main body sections:

• a head; and
• a body.

Adults have eight legs that protrude from the body.

Ticks begin to appear in the spring as eggs develop into larva. The late spring and summer are the highest risk seasons for tick bites.

Life Cycle

• Ticks begin as eggs, which transition into larvae.
• The next two phases require blood meals:
  • nymphs
  • adults
• Generally, ticks feed three times before they mate, reproduce, and die.

Tick Management Checklist

• Deer ticks are most active from April through October, so be extra cautious when venturing into tick country.
• In a tick-infested area, use an insect repellent. Consider using a product designed to be applied to clothing rather than your skin.
• Tuck pants cuffs into boots or socks, and wear long sleeves and light-colored clothing so it is easier to spot ticks.
• Stay to the center of hiking paths, and avoid grassy and marshy woodland areas.
• Inspect yourself and your children for clinging ticks after leaving an infested area:
  • Deer ticks are hard to see:
    • nymphs are dot-sized;
    • adults, smaller than a sesame seed.
• If you discover a tick feeding, do not panic: studies indicate that an infected tick does not usually transmit the Lyme organism during the first 24 hours.
• If you suspect Lyme disease or its symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.