Preparing Your Hotel For Fall Pests In New England

The leaves have started to change colors and the temperatures are slowly dropping. Fall is definitely in the air. For hotels and other lodging establishments, that means it’s time to prepare for the leaf peepers who flock to New England every autumn to enjoy the scenery. Autumn in New England also means that hotels should start considering how to prepare for the wave of  fall pest activity. With cooler temperatures, pests start looking for warm places to overwinter until spring, and your property could be a very appealing target. There are several things your hotel staff and management can do to help protect your guests and your reputation:

Be Ready

Perhaps the most important tip is this: be ready to initiate your pest prevention plan for the fall pest season. If you’re caught unprepared, there is potential for a serious and harder to control issue to occur. Be ready, and be proactive.

Understand the habits of pests

You should also prepare yourself with an understanding the habits of common, regional pests such as the Boxelder Bug, Cluster Fly, Lady Beetles, Mice, and Rats. Bed bugs, a year-round issue for hotels, can travel from surrounding areas, as companions of your guests who might unknowingly be carrying the pests into the hotel. Bed bug infestations have become an incredibly hot topic in the hospitality industry, and with more guests relying almost solely on online reviews before making a booking decision about where they stay, a single sighting (even a false positive) can have devastating consequences.

Train Your Staff

The front line in your fight against fall pests (and pests throughout the year for that matter) is your staff. Make sure your employees are fully trained on how to recognize pests and the signs of potential infestation. This definitely applies to bed bugs (which can be hard to identify) as well as other common autumn pests, such as:

• Lady Beetles (more commonly known as Lady Bugs)
• Box Elder bugs
• Wasps
• Rodents (including mice, rats, squirrels and more)
• Stinkbugs
• Ants
• Flies

Training your staff to recognize and report potential issues upon sight, gives you the chance to address the issue immediately, before the problem becomes severe.

Know The Entry Points

Preparing the interior and exterior of your establishment is a vital step in ensuring that fall pests cannot get in. One of the primary entry points for mice and other rodents, as well as for insects, is through poorly sealed doors. Check all door seals on your property to ensure they’re secure. Even a quarter-inch gap is enough for mice and insects to get into your building.

Other entry points include your maintenance areas, laundry room and other utility areas. Gaps in the mortar, missing bricks, and damage to doorframes can all provide pests with an open invitation to nest and winterize in your building.

Thorough Cleaning And Sanitation

One of the most important tips for preventing pests from entering throughout the year is to ensure that every single area is thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis. A clean hotel is far less likely to experience significant infestations, both because pests have a harder time finding shelter, and will be much easier to spot.

Work With The Experts

Another important thing to do to prepare your property and keep the fall pests away is to work with a professional pest control company. The right partner will help to educate your staff, inspect the grounds, block pest entryways and much more. Contact JP Pest Services today for a free commercial consultation for your business.