Tis the season for holiday travel. As you make reservations for rental accommodations to visit family and friends, we wanted to share a few suggestions to help you avoid bringing bed bugs home with you. Regardless of what type of lodging you choose-- hotel, motel, cabin, or other type of rental-- no place is immune to bed bug introductions or infestations.
We don't wish to alarm you, but we do want to point out that bed bug infestations are on the rise in the United States. Take precautions to save yourself from later issues and costs in case bed bugs do find their way into your home.
When settling into your room
- Before plopping your luggage down on the bed, couch, or floor, we...
March 18-24 was National Poison Prevention Week. While our blog post may be tardy, it's never too late to raise awareness about the risks associated with using pesticides and how to protect yourself and your family from accidental poisoning.
Pesticides are any substance used to kill, repel, or deter unwanted organisms, including insects, spiders, weeds, plant diseases, or animal pests such as rodents. In most situations, effective nonchemical options exist to control pests. However, if you decide to use a pesticide, please consider the following...
Spring is almost here and temperatures are already increasing. Warm, sunny days paired with stagnant water left over from rainstorms create the perfect mosquito breeding habitat.
It's too soon to tell the future regarding the intensity of the West Nile virus in California. However, more rainfall means there is an increased potential for mosquito breeding sites.
Your active participation can help reduce mosquito populations. Follow these guidelines:
- Dump water out of buckets, tires, flowerpots and other containers.
- Clean clogged rain gutters.
- Eliminate tarps or other sources that hold water.
- Keep screen doors and windows in good condition.
- Report neglected swimming...
Do you plan to stay in a hotel during the holidays this year? If so, do you know how to look for bed bugs and prevent them from coming home with you? UC IPM can help. We have detailed information as well as videos to help make your holidays bed bug-free.
Why Do Hotels Harbor Bed Bugs?
Until recently, bed bugs were typically associated with crowded and run-down hotels or housing. However, bed bug infestations are on the rise and can even be found in the finest hotels! The reason for this pest's resurgence isn't totally understood, but appears to involve increased global travel, ease of movement of infested items, widespread insecticide resistance, and changes in pesticides available for control.
What are Bed...
/h2>- Author: Mary Louise Flint
One of the best ways to reduce pest problems in and around buildings is to construct or retrofit structures that keep pests out in the first place. This concept has been a pillar of integrated pest management for many years. Pest-resistant buildings reduce not only pest problems but also the need for pesticide applications. Unfortunately, architects and builders had few guidelines about how to design and construct such structures.
To address this issue, the San Francisco Department of the Environment and the International Code Council developed an online publication, Pest Prevention by Design, which provides the first comprehensive resource on pest-preventive building design tactics.
Specific guidelines are...