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Pests, Ticks, & Nuisances

Click the headings below for more resources!

Public Health Issues Caused by Pests

Do's and Don'ts of Pest Control

CDC Parasites

Bed Bugs

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 bugs are most often found near where people sleep—like homes, hotels, dorms, and transit. They hide during the day in mattress seams, furniture cracks, and clutter. Though they can travel over 100 feet, they usually stay within 8 feet of sleeping areas.

What are the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation?

Bed bug bites—often on the face, neck, or arms—can be a sign of infestation, but may take up to 14 days to appear. Other signs include bugs in mattress folds and a sweet, musty odor.

Bed Bug

Head Lice

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:

  • Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact 

  • Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.

  • Do not share combs, brushes, or towels​

Symptoms of Head Lice

Common signs and symptoms of head lice may include:

  • Itching

  • Lice on scalp

  • Lice eggs (nits) on hair shafts

  • Sores on the scalp, neck and shoulders

Head Lice

Ticks

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:

  • Know where to expect ticks

  • Treat clothing and gear

  •  Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents 

  • Check your body for ticks

How to Remove a Tick

  1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

  2. 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.

  3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

  4. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by

    • Putting it in alcohol,

    • Placing it in a sealed bag/container,

    • Wrapping it tightly in tape, or

    • Flushing it down the toilet.

Tick

To report a public health emergency or communicable disease after hours, please contact Clark County Dispatch at (715) 743-3157.

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