Pests, Ticks, & Nuisances
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Bed bugs, a problem worldwide, are resurging, causing property loss, expense, and inconvenience. The good news is that bed bugs do not transmit disease. The best way to prevent bed bugs is regular inspection for signs of an infestation.
Where are Bed Bugs Found?
Bed bug infestations usually occur around or near the areas where people sleep. These areas include apartments, shelters, rooming houses, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dorm rooms. They hide during the day in places such as seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, inside cracks or crevices, behind wallpaper, or any other clutter or objects around a bed. Bed bugs have been shown to be able to travel over 100 feet in a night but tend to live within 8 feet of where people sleep.
What are the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation?
One of the easiest ways to identify a bed bug infestation is by the tell-tale bite marks on the face, neck, arms, hands, or any other body parts while sleeping. However, these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bed bugs have infested an area. These signs include:
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bed bugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets,
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a sweet musty odor.
Adult head lice are roughly 2–3 mm long. Head lice infest the head and neck and attach their eggs to the base of the hair shaft. Lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly.
How to Prevent Head Lice
The following are steps that can be taken to help prevent and control the spread of head lice:
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Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact
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Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
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Do not share combs, brushes, or towels​
Symptoms of Head Lice
Common signs and symptoms of head lice may include:
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Itching
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Lice on scalp
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Lice eggs (nits) on hair shafts
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Sores on the scalp, neck and shoulders
Ticks are parasites that feed on warm-blooded hosts. They are related to mites and spiders because they are all arthropods. That means they have eight legs. There are many kinds of ticks.
How to Prevent Tick Bites
Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September).
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Before you go outdoors:
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Know where to expect ticks
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Treat clothing and gear
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Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents
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Check your body for ticks
How to Remove a Tick
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Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
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Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
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After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
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Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by
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Putting it in alcohol,
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Placing it in a sealed bag/container,
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Wrapping it tightly in tape, or
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Flushing it down the toilet.
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Check you symptoms here!
To report a public health emergency or communicable disease after hours, please contact Clark County Dispatch at (715) 743-3157.