Pests can damage property and spread disease. Identifying and removing their hiding places, food sources, water supplies, and overwintering sites can help control their numbers.
Physical methods include traps, screens, barriers, and fences. Clutter should be removed regularly to prevent pests from breeding. Regular sanitizing of kitchens, pantries, and bathrooms can help reduce the likelihood of pest infestation. Contact Killian Pest Control now!
Pests can cause damage to the environment, property, health or comfort of people and pets. Taking preventive measures is the best way to control pest problems.
Sanitation practices help to prevent and suppress many pests. These include preventing food spoilage, keeping garbage cans tightly covered, and removing trash regularly from indoor and outdoor areas. In some situations, sanitation can even be used to eliminate a pest problem by eliminating its source. For example, reducing the carryover of plant diseases between harvests can be accomplished by using clean seeds and plants.
Blocking points of entry also helps to prevent pests. For example, if pests enter buildings, it is important to seal cracks and crevices. Quality caulking or a copper mesh can be used to fill in gaps around baseboards, pipes and drains. The same is true of the exterior, where regular inspections can help to identify and patch openings before pests move in. Screening windows and doors, repairing broken window screens, and patching holes in walls and the roof can also prevent pests from entering homes.
The best method of controlling pests is to remove their food, water and shelter. This can be done with physical controls such as traps and baits, or by modifying the environment to make it unattractive or inhospitable. For example, storing food in sealed containers or in the refrigerator can prevent pests from coming into the home. Providing adequate shelter by removing piles of debris or stacked firewood can reduce rodent infestations.
Chemical control is sometimes necessary, but it should be used sparingly and always in conjunction with other methods. When spraying, it is important to follow label instructions exactly. Applying more than the recommended amount can be dangerous and may not improve results. It is also important to use a product that is specifically labeled for the pest.
Many people have a knee-jerk reaction when they see pests, but they often spend too much time and money on at-home remedies and not enough on prevention. They should instead take the time to learn about the pest, their behavior and needs, as well as the options available for control.
Suppression
In residential and commercial settings, pest control is the effort to manage plants, animals or organisms that interfere with human activities. Pests harm crops or buildings, damage property or spoil human food. Pest control techniques can include exclusion, repulsion, physical removal and chemical treatment.
Prevention tactics inhibit pest infestations before they start by reducing conditions that promote them. For example, removing debris near a building can discourage mice from entering a structure; cleaning a garden regularly can prevent weeds from growing; and adding insulation to an attic can keep self-grooming insects such as ants, cockroaches or termites out of the home. These measures are inexpensive and environmentally responsible compared to eradicating a full-blown infestation after it occurs.
Suppression methods slow the growth of existing pest populations by quickly applying management techniques when numbers are low. These methods can include scouting a field, landscape or building to identify pests and their damage; using contact insecticides on the foliage of a plant to kill them; or using systemic insecticides that are absorbed by the roots to kill them. Fumigants, which turn liquid pesticides into gases, can be used to destroy pests living in the soil or in wood or stored products.
Some plant varieties, livestock or wood, are more resistant to certain pests than others. Using these resistant types can help reduce pest numbers, particularly when the host has been selected for traits that also make it a desirable crop or animal.
Beneficial microorganisms and fungi can feed on or parasitize specific pests, lowering their numbers. Some of these agents, such as the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis and nematodes, are effective against many different species of pests. Others, such as the predatory mite Amblysieus swirskii and the parasitic wasp Trichodes eupatoria, are effective against only a few pest species.
Sometimes pheromones are used to alter the behavior of targeted pests. Manmade pheromones can confuse males and block reproduction, reducing pest populations. Juvenile hormones are natural insect chemicals that keep some immature pests from maturing into normal adults, reducing pest population sizes.
Eradication
Insecticides are often used to control pest populations. Their effectiveness depends on the pesticide’s mode of action and how it is applied. Some insecticides require a certain amount of time to take effect, while others work immediately. Biological controls, such as natural predators and parasitoids, may also be used to reduce pest populations. Biological methods tend to be less hazardous to the environment than chemical products.
When pesticides are necessary, they must be chosen carefully to limit their use and impact on the environment. Some pesticides are persistent in the environment, and they can cause a variety of problems when they reach ecosystems outside of the intended target area. For example, some insecticides can kill beneficial insects that are part of the food chain. Some persistent pesticides can even alter the genetic makeup of other organisms, which may eventually turn them into pests themselves.
Some pesticides can have severe health and environmental risks, and many are regulated for use in homes. In addition, they are often expensive and require professional application. When pesticides are used, they should be applied according to label instructions and in a way that will minimize their exposure to people and pets.
Other pest control options include physical traps, netting and decoys. These methods can be effective, especially for migratory or sporadic pests that need only occasional control. Physical pest control methods may require some effort to set and clean, but they can be more cost-effective than chemical pesticides.
Other preventive measures include removing water and food sources, sealing entry points and reducing clutter. Regularly inspect buildings and sites for signs of pests, such as droppings, chew marks and nests. Store foods in sealed containers, keep trash cans tightly closed, and remove garbage regularly. Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene can also help to limit the attraction of pests, as can repairing leaky plumbing. Avoid using invasive plants around buildings or structures, and seal cracks and crevices where they can enter. Finally, if you hire a pest control company to apply chemicals, make sure they find and correct the source of the problem before applying any chemical treatment. Also, ask for the name and EPA registration number of any chemical they use.
Monitoring
Pest control activities must be continuously monitored to ensure that they remain effective over time. This can include conducting regular inspections, setting traps, or using other monitoring methods. Regular monitoring can also help you detect a pest problem before it becomes a crisis. In addition, it can help you determine if an ineffective treatment strategy is working or if it is necessary to change the approach.
Monitoring should include searching and identifying pests and assessing their numbers, damage, or activity. It can also include checking environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, and humidity levels. This helps you to anticipate when a particular pest might be a problem and can alert you to the need for preventative action, such as sealing cracks or adding screens.
Museums need to monitor both collection and non-collection pests, such as the presence of fungus-eating plaster beetles or wood-destroying insect larvae in storage areas. Keeping track of these indicator species is important because they are often the first sign of poor environmental conditions in a museum building.
Insects may be monitored using traps or by visual inspection, but an important tool is a flashlight. Pests often live and seek shelter in dark, secluded areas that are difficult for staff to inspect. An extendable mirror can also be useful because it allows inspectors to see behind and underneath equipment or furniture. Insect pheromone traps can also be effective in some cases.
Many types of traps are available, including “passive” or “baited” traps. Passive traps use a physical shape or attractant to lure and capture the pest. Baited traps, on the other hand, use a specific chemical or natural attractant to draw and bait the pest into a trap. These traps are especially useful in a food storage environment for monitoring stored product pests.
In addition to the traps, inspection and scouting should be routinely performed to look for evidence of pest activity. This might include searching for signs of infestation such as droppings, infested containers, or contaminated products. It is also a good idea to periodically look at the outside of the facility to locate places where pests are entering and hiding. Preventative actions such as sealing cracks and gaps, using screens on windows, and installing door sweeps can help to keep pests out of a building.