End of Summer Pest Tips: Bed Bugs and Yellow Jackets

It’s almost back to school time again, which means those lazy days of summer are quickly coming to an end.  Parents and children are busy preparing for the work that awaits them in the months ahead.

But people are not the only industrious beings this time of year, as insects are also hard at work.  Yellow jackets are preparing for the cooler months that lie ahead, while bed bugs are hitching rides to return to campus too.

Yellow jackets are in a frenzy during late summer and early fall, trying to gather as much food as possible for their hive.  This food is needed to help the newly produced queens survive the winter, while the rest of the hive members will die off with the first frost.

Yellow jackets are very aggressive this time of year as they scavenge for human foods (like soda, juices, candy, hot dogs, and hamburgers etc.), and they will readily sting any person who stands in their way.  Here is what you can do in order to avoid getting stung:  Do not swat or run rapidly away from a yellow jacket buzzing around you, as quick movements can provoke an attack.  Instead, remain calm and motionless for a while, and then move slowly away from the area.

If you are at a picnic, all food and beverages should be covered until served, and keep your thumb over your soda can in between sips in order to avoid swallowing any.

College students are bringing more than laptops and text books back to campus with them this fall.  Bed bugs are also hitching rides to campus, and moving into dormitories in colleges across the country.

Bed bugs are apple seed-sized blood feeding insects that have made a resurgence during the past few years, infesting hotels, residences, homeless shelters, and yes—even dorm rooms.

Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers, they are easy to carry both to and from campus.  Here are a few tips on bed bug prevention in college dorms:

• Suitcases should be fully inspected prior to using for back to school packing, especially if they were used for travel during the summer.
• Any secondhand or rental furniture should be inspected to ensure that it is free of any bed bugs or bed bug evidence.  Once on campus, dorm rooms should be inspected prior to unpacking, beginning with the mattress, and then any additional furniture in the room, such as sofas or chairs.

How can you prevent these pests from infesting your home? We strongly recommend signing up for our Year Round Protection Plan which protects your home 365 days a year from the 36 most common pests.

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Do you have any ideas or questions about pest prevention? Share below in the comments!