Schools are supposed to be safe and comfortable learning spaces for children, but when pests gain entry, they can disrupt this peaceful environment. Pests such as termites, cockroaches, bed bugs, and rats can distract from learning and pose health risks for staff and students.

Partnering with a commercial pest control professional in Boise helps your school implement pest-proofing all year long while dealing with infestations safely and quickly. Let’s talk about the importance of pest control in Boise schools, how to detect common school pests, and how to prevent future infestations.

Common Pests in Schools

The most common school pests include flies, cockroaches, ants, spiders, stinging insects, and rodents. Head lice can also be problematic.

• Cockroaches: Cockroach infestations happen fast, collecting in populations of hundreds and thousands. These pests spread bacteria and trigger allergic reactions.
• Rodents: Mice and rats can damage equipment, wiring, and structures, plus they carry pathogens and diseases, with the ability to contaminate food.
• Termites: Termites cause costly and significant structural damage to buildings, often causing issues before any visible signs are even detected.
• Flies: Some types can bite and carry disease-causing pathogens.
• Birds: Birds damage property, leave unsanitary droppings, contaminate products, and spread disease.
• Mosquitos:Mosquitos carry pathogens and cause itchy, painful bites, breeding near shallow water and plumbing.
• Bed bugs: Bed bugs spread from person to person and can cause red welts and itchy reactions.
• Wildlife: Raccoons, birds, and squirrels damage buildings, leaving unsanitary droppings.

Spiders, ants, bees, ticks, and wasps can also pose problems for schools.

Most Common Places

Schools tend to have ideal conditions for pest infestations, such as lots of stored food in cafeterias and warm, dark hiding places such as lockers.

Pests are most common in these school areas:

• Indoor dining areas: Insects will gather near trash receptacles, cafeterias, food prep areas, and dining halls.
• Outdoor eating spaces: Pests like to congregate in outdoor eating areas or courtyards to scrounge for food scraps in trash cans close to buildings. Moles burrow beneath school lawns, damaging landscaping.
• Computer server rooms: Rodents like the dry, warm conditions of these areas, and will chew through wires and damage learning equipment.
• Maintenance areas: Pests like the clutter, dampness, and dark areas afforded by boiler rooms, custodial or janitorial areas, and mechanical rooms.
• Classrooms and administrative offices: Pests are attracted by indoor plants and standing water, as well as dust and clutter. Pest populations will grow in untidy areas, such as desks and closets.
• Playgrounds and athletic fields: Pests congregate near standing water where they can breed. These are also high-traffic areas that typically contain food waste and overflowing trash cans.
• Plumbing areas: These areas (bathrooms, laboratories, swimming pools, and greenhouses) commonly have leaks and moisture that will attract pests.
• Gyms and locker rooms: These areas are warm and poorly ventilated, creating the perfect breeding grounds for pests.

Commercial Pest Control in Boise, ID

If your school is under threat from pests of any kind, it’s important to contact us right away at 208-600-8734 for a free consultation and quote. We can also perform regular pest control maintenance in Boise and Meridian, Idaho to ensure no future outbreaks occur.