Pest control is an ongoing effort to keep undesirable organisms at bay. These organisms may be insects, weeds, nematodes, pathogens, or vertebrate animals.
A bug killer spray might seem harmless enough, but those chemicals get washed down the street, into the sewer, and then out into our rivers, lakes, and oceans, where they can affect marine life. Contact Facility Pest Control now!
As part of the Integrated Pest Management process, it is important to correctly identify pests (insects, mites, diseases, weeds, and vertebrate animals) that cause damage to plants or structures. Proper identification can help determine if control measures are needed and help select the most effective control options. Using an insect identification guide or checking with a local expert will ensure proper identification. Frequently, pests look different as they go through their life cycles or develop into adult forms. For example, an immature beetle may look like a caterpillar or worm. In addition, some biological insecticides only work against specific insect orders and not the entire family of insects; therefore, it is important to identify species level if possible.
Scouting – regularly searching for, identifying, and assessing pests in fields, gardens, or landscapes – is an essential component of IPM. It allows for regular monitoring of pests and a timely response to any outbreaks or detection of new infestations. Scouting should be done on a routine basis, anywhere from daily to weekly, depending on the environment and pest. This will help prevent pest problems from reaching unacceptable levels and will aid in the prevention of recurrence.
Identifying pests to the species level is useful because the different species often have very different behavior, host plant relationships and natural enemies, and life histories. Identification to the order level is also necessary for selecting an appropriate control strategy since approved insecticides are often active against certain orders of insects.
When possible, identify the pests that affect your crops and use a reference guide to help with identification. Insect identification guides can be found online or in printed form. Many of these guides are searchable and provide a good starting point for identification. Some are user friendly and allow you to click on the picture for further information. Others are more comprehensive and require more knowledge about the pest’s biology and ecology to make an identification.
If a pest is detected, be sure to follow all instructions for prevention and control. For example, blocking points of entry by sealing cracks and crevices with quality sealant, or removing trash on a regular basis can help prevent pests from entering a home.
Pest Control Methods
The goal of pest control is to protect people, property, and the environment from harm caused by undesirable organisms. To achieve this, a variety of control methods can be used in combination. Physical, biological, and chemical controls are available. A thorough understanding of the pest’s life cycle and environmental factors helps to select the most appropriate control method(s).
Physical methods include blocking access points, such as removing or blocking nests and debris, and creating barriers that prevent pests from entering a site. For example, a simple door sweep keeps mice and cockroaches out of homes by creating a barrier they can’t or won’t cross. Barriers can also be constructed from materials like wood, stone, brick, tarps, and screens. Physical controls may be supplemented with temperature control to kill pests or by using baits that contain chemicals that poison, dehydrate, or otherwise disable the target organism(s).
Biological pest control uses natural enemies to reduce or eliminate a problem species. These natural predators and parasites can be introduced to a site in order to manage pest populations, such as by introducing ladybugs into an aphid infestation to control aphid numbers. This can be augmented with the use of sterile insects and chemicals, such as pheromones or juvenile hormones, to control pest population growth or increase the effectiveness of natural predators and parasites.
Chemical pest control uses substances such as insecticides and herbicides to kill or repel unwanted organisms. These can be delivered through a variety of means, such as applying pesticides in the form of dust, liquid, or fogging devices. Regardless of the delivery system, a thorough risk assessment is required before using any chemical pesticides to ensure that they won’t pose a health or safety threat. It is generally recommended to only use the lowest effective doses, as larger doses will generally require more of the pesticide to be absorbed in order to have an effect. It is also important to understand the pest’s life cycle and environmental conditions in order to select the correct target and timing for chemical treatments.
The most effective approach to pest management is integrated pest management, or IPM. IPM includes a combination of prevention, monitoring, suppression, and eradication strategies that work together to control pests in agricultural, urban, and wildland or natural areas.
Pest Control Products
Whether you are dealing with ants, carpenter bees, stink bugs, or termites, pest control products help keep these nuisances out of your home and garden. However, many of the most common treatments for pests contain chemicals that are dangerous to use around children and pets and can cause long-term damage to the environment.
If you are concerned about the environmental impact of pest control products, there are eco-friendly alternatives available that can be as effective as traditional chemical sprays. These natural sprays often leave fewer and less harmful residues in the soil and water, helping to reduce risks to non-target organisms like birds, bees, and fish.
Ask your pest control company what type of product they use and if they have any organic or green options available. Then, choose a company that uses these low-toxicity sprays to treat your pest problems.
Natural pest control products are a great choice for treating garden vegetables, roses, flowers, fruit trees, and some shrubs and shade trees. For example, Bonide Eight is an organic spray that can be used on a wide variety of plants and is safe to use around pets and kids. It is also effective against a large number of common pests including ants, beetles, earwigs, fleas, flies, ticks, thrips, and fungus gnats.
There are a few different types of synthetic chemical pesticides that can be used to treat most household and garden pests. Hydramethylnon is a slow-acting insect growth regulator that is used to treat termites, crickets, ants, silverfish, and other social pests. It kills the pests by disrupting their nervous systems. Cypermethrin is another synthetic pyrethroid that is effective against a broad range of pests. Pyrethrins are a naturally occurring compound derived from chrysanthemum flowers that kill many different pests, including flies, mosquitoes, ants, and moths.
Fipronil is a common ingredient in pest control products and can be found in most household bug sprays. It targets the nervous system of insects, making them numb and disoriented. It is effective against a wide range of common pests, including cockroaches, ants, and fleas. Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) is a biological pesticide that comes from a soil-dwelling bacterium and is effective against caterpillars, grubs, and other larval pests.
Pest Control Services
Pests are more than just annoying—they can also cause significant property damage and wreak havoc on human health. They may gnaw on wires, leading to expensive home repairs, and spread diseases like hantavirus, leptospirosis, Salmonella, and more. Fortunately, pest control services can help keep pests out of homes and businesses, providing safe, healthy, and hygienic living spaces for the people and animals who live or work there.
Many pest control companies focus on preventive strategies, helping homeowners protect their properties year-round by sealing entry points, implementing exclusion methods, and performing regular inspections. This allows them to quickly respond to pest problems and offer treatment plans based on the type of pest invading the property.
Other preventive pest control services include cleaning up ant hills, treating beehives and wasp nests, and removing debris from outdoor areas to discourage rodents and other pests from seeking shelter or food there. In addition, professional pest control technicians can help homeowners ward off infestations by suggesting ways to improve their living environment, such as keeping food tightly sealed and storing it in airtight containers, maintaining cleanliness in kitchens, and trimming vegetation around the house.
Lastly, pest control services often employ seasonal tactics to further safeguard homes from insects and rodents. This includes sweeping out leaves and other debris to stop rodents from sheltering in them, insulating doors and windows to prevent overwintering pests like mice and spiders from entering, and sealing cracks and gaps to keep ants, flies, bees, mosquitoes, and cockroaches out.
Before a pest control technician begins any treatments, they typically ask the homeowner to be present so that they can walk through the affected area with them and answer any questions. This ensures that the treatment is performed properly and effectively, and it also gives the pest control expert a better understanding of the extent of the problem.
When starting a pest control business, it is important to consider the amount of overhead necessary to run the company, including office rent and utilities, supplies, equipment, and marketing costs. It is also important to conduct market research to determine the pricing of similar pest control services in the area. Using this information to create competitive tiers will help you attract and retain customers.