These 5 Classroom Pests Definitely Aren’t Teacher’s Pets

These 5 Classroom Pests Definitely Aren’t Teacher’s Pets

Students are flocking to the schools to begin yet another school year. In an ideal classroom, the tidy space allows plenty of room for learning and growing throughout the months. But if a horde of invasive pests makes its way into the building, it’ll be pretty difficult to concentrate on the lesson being taught.

Pest infestations occur in a school setting because the buildings have everything they need (food, water, shelter) in one place. Let’s learn about the 5 most common school pests and the easiest ways for teachers to prevent them from throwing off your academic rhythm.

Why Would Pests Invade Classrooms?

We mentioned the main reason earlier, but why would pests choose to invade a classroom that constantly has people visiting and talking? After all, most pests prefer to avoid people, lest they be discovered and eliminated. Well, pests invade classrooms because of all the appealing items that students bring into the space, such as dirt on their shoes and crumbs from their snacks.

The beginning of the school year might see more pests because it’s technically still summer. It’s hot outside, the classroom was basically empty all summer, and the A/C provides a cool shelter for overheated pests. But pests will still invade in cooler weather since the classroom provides a warm habitat for them during the winter months.

Overall, the classroom is a popular pest hangout because the tiny critters have plenty of hiding spots that sit in close proximity to food and water sources. If the teacher props the door or opens the windows for some fresh air, it’s easy for pests to sneak inside and find a safe area. Any bathrooms and kitchen areas in the school are also attractive to many types of pests, so infestations aren’t exclusive to classrooms.

Ants

Ants are one of the most well-known pests in human history, so of course they would be a common classroom pest. If you find an army of ants in your room, it’s likely because their anthill is in the grass and dirt right outside. Ants are an extremely common pest in the Pacific Northwest because they have constant access to food and water year-round. Even in our frozen winters, ants survive by invading houses and buildings that provide them with a cozy shelter.

Ants have a few basic needs, but they’re mostly motivated by one: food. When the worker ants find a safe food source — whether it’s granola bar crumbs or a stray apple slice — they take some of it back to their nest and leave a trail of pheromones (scent chemicals) behind them. This path leads their fellow workers directly to the food so they can gather some as well. Most ants prefer to live outdoors and just invade for the food and water, but odorous house ants try to stay indoors 24/7. They can nest under the floor and in the walls!

Flies

Few things are certain in life, but we’re pretty sure that one of them is that you’re guaranteed to have at least one fly invade every time you open a door or window without a screen. They are especially common on days when there’s not a breeze because flies can’t withstand wind. Flies are also motivated by food, but their idea of a good meal is the complete opposite of ours. They prefer rotten fruits and vegetables, sugary liquids, and animal waste (yuck!).

It’s not enough that flies seek out these disgusting food sources, as they also prefer to lay their eggs inside these items! Flies lay about 100 eggs inside a food source to give their larvae a chance at survival. It’s easy for these eggs to stay hidden until the offspring are ready to fly away on their own about a week later, so an infestation can pop up seemingly out of nowhere. Make sure the trash cans in your classroom are emptied daily — flies can make us sick by spreading their bacteria on our food when they walk all over it!

Roaches

You might not think of roaches as a “classroom” pest, what with the fluorescent lights and the constant activity. It’s true that roaches stay in dark, isolated places that are rich in moisture, as they need to live in damp conditions. But these spaces are common deep inside a school, so roaches have plenty to choose from. They live in pipes and plumbing that lead to the sewers, and roaches are often found near floor drains, such as in the locker rooms and bathrooms.

Roaches are nocturnal pests that like scavenging for food under the cover of night, especially at a daytime-centric place like school. They are some of the filthiest pests we see in this region. Roaches carry over 30 types of bacteria that they spread through their droppings, urine, and legs. They also trigger asthma and allergy symptoms in people with those conditions, so if you or your students suddenly experience these, it could point to a roach problem. And if you see roaches during the day? There’s likely an untreated infestation somewhere in the school.

Rodents

Some classrooms have a rat or two as class pets, but that doesn’t mean we want a stray rat invading the room! Rodents can usually find a good amount of food sources in a classroom, from students’ snacks to actual garbage. If you do have a class pet of some kind, make sure to store its dry food in an airtight container. Rats and mice love dry pet food, so an open bag is an open invitation!

It’s natural for clutter to accumulate in the classroom as the year goes on, but this is exactly what rodents seek out for their habitats. These pests prefer dark spaces that are away from people, and they build their nests with scraps of fabric and paper. If countless boxes of paper and school supplies are untouched for months, they could be invaded by rodents. Don’t let the sizes of these pests sway you into thinking an infestation would be completely obvious. Rats squeeze through holes half an inch wide, and mice fit through holes a 1/4 of an inch wide!

Spiders

Finally, we have the ever-elusive spider. One spider in the corner of the classroom doesn’t mean you have an infestation on your hands, but there is an important fact about spiders to keep in mind. They only live where they have a safe hiding spot and constant access to food, so finding multiple spiders in one room is a good sign that you have a preexisting pest problem somewhere nearby.

Web-building spiders spin webs to catch their prey, while hunting spiders hide in unmoved clutter until they see an insect to devour. Either way, spiders like to stay out of the way and in dark spaces as much as possible. They will only lay eggs when they feel safe and have the energy from a reliable food source, but you never want them to get to that point. The two spiders to look out for are brown recluses and black widows, as these are the most dangerous spiders in the country. Their bites are venomous yet completely treatable with proper care, so if you or a student is bitten by these spiders, please seek medical attention immediately.

How To Prevent Classroom Pests

This section is tailored to teachers who want to keep pests out of their classrooms, but we think these are helpful tips for everyone to know. The process of preventing school pests is essentially the same as preventing pests at home. Take away their food sources and entry points, and pests won’t be as inclined (or able to) invade your classroom!

The best ways to prevent pests in the classroom are:

• Make sure all trash makes it into the trash cans. The trash cans are ideally emptied every day.

• Encourage your students to be careful when eating or drinking inside the room. All of those stray crumbs are mighty appealing to an army of invasive pests.

• Clean any major food or drink spills ASAP. Ants and roaches love these!

• Don’t prop the exterior door open on warmer days. This makes it easy for pests to sneak inside and enjoy the A/C.

• Use a pedestal or desktop fan if your room has a lot of flies. They can’t fly in the wind, and the gentle breeze will also help keep your room cooler.

• Report any leaks, water damage, or faulty window seals to the proper staff, such as the Maintenance team. These all need to be repaired to keep pests out and protect the room.

• Notify the Maintenance team or grounds crew of any stinging pest nests you see. Wasps and hornets like to build them on the side of buildings, and you don’t want a few of them making their way into your classroom.

Essential School Supplies: Pencils, Paper, and Pointe!

Students of all ages need a reliable space for learning and engaging, so the last thing a classroom needs is a pest infestation. That’s why the experienced technicians of Pointe Pest Control are committed to solving each pest issue with the utmost care and efficiency. We leave no stone unturned in our quest to eliminate pests, as we know all too well the importance of treating the actual source of an invasion. Our top priority is always complete client satisfaction with our services, so we welcome all of your questions throughout the pest control process. For a free quote on the best pest control services around, contact us today!

Citations

Darr, S., Drlik, T., Olkowski, H., & Olkowski, W. (1998, May). IPM for spiders in schools. University of Florida: School IPM. Available at https://schoolipm.ifas.ufl.edu/newtp11.htm (Accessed on August 19, 2024).

Davidson, N. (n.d.). Pest info — Integrated pest management for schools: Preventing mice and rats from invading your school. California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Available at https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pestmgt/pubs/rats_color.pdf (Accessed on August 19, 2024).

Flies and schools. (2023, November 21). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.epa.gov/ipm/flies-and-schools

Information on pests in schools and their control. (2023, December 13). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.epa.gov/ipm/information-pests-schools-and-their-control

Redondo, M. (2023, November 16). Ants, flies and other pests invade classrooms. The Perennial. Available at https://theperennial.org/2776/features/ants-flies-and-other-pests-invade-classrooms/ (Accessed on August 19, 2024).

Rodents and schools. (2024, June 13). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from https://www.epa.gov/ipm/rodents-and-schools

Stock, T. & Gouge, D.H. (2022, January). Integrated pest management for ants in the classroom. Oregon State University: OSU Extension Service. Available at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/pnw-762-integrated-pest-management-ants-classroom (Accessed on August 19, 2024).