Pests are more than just a nuisance; they can cause property damage and pose health hazards. The best approach to pest control is prevention.
For example, keeping a tight lid on outdoor garbage containers and regularly removing trash can help prevent rodent infestations. Similarly, planting pyrethrum daisies around the house can repel flies. Contact Pest Control Thousand Oaks now!
The best way to deal with pest problems is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. The most effective preventive strategies focus on building barriers to entry and eliminating attractants. This can include sealing cracks and gaps, cleaning and storing food in sealed containers, and regularly disposing of garbage. It is also important to maintain proper landscaping, which includes trimming trees and bushes, so they don’t create hiding places or cover entry points.
Structural prevention is another key component of preventive pest control, focusing on securing the integrity of exterior walls and doors. This may include caulking or weather stripping. It is also important to inspect ductwork and vents to make sure there are no openings through which pests could enter the house. In addition, the property owner should install fine mesh screens on all windows and vents. This will help keep pests out and also allow fresh air to circulate throughout the home.
Insects are drawn to food, water, and shelter, and preventing pests from accessing these things is the best way to avoid infestations. Keeping living areas clean, sweeping and vacuuming floors regularly, and putting away food can significantly reduce the chance of pest invasions. Similarly, promptly removing garbage from the home and regularly bringing it to the curb helps to eliminate feeding sites.
Eliminating attractants is also essential to preventing pests, as this will limit the number of available food sources for them to feed on. Properly storing food in sealed containers and avoiding over-crowding living areas will prevent pests from finding places to hide and nest. Finally, regular trash removal and prompt disposal of soiled clothing and cardboard boxes can reduce the potential for pest infestation.
While many preventive methods are effective, pest infestations can still occur even when these tactics are employed. In some cases, the best option is to use chemical sprays to quickly deal with an infestation when it occurs. It is critical that all pesticides are used properly, however, and the property owner should always follow instructions and safety warnings.
Persistent pest problems or an infestation that doesn’t respond to DIY efforts usually indicates the need for professional intervention. Hiring a reputable pest control company to treat existing pest problems can save time and money, while protecting human health and property.
Suppression
If pests are already present and causing harm, the goal of the pest control professional is to reduce their numbers to an acceptable level. This is usually accomplished with preventative treatments that stop pests from entering the site and causing damage.
These types of routine treatments are often called “preventive maintenance” by pest control professionals. They are similar to regular maintenance services done for ornamental plants, turfgrass and fruit and vegetable crops. These treatment programs are designed to prevent a pest problem before it starts by creating a protective barrier around the home or business and by regularly monitoring the property for signs of unwanted pests.
When preventive treatments are not enough, a variety of chemical pesticides may be used to control the problem. When this is necessary, the professional chooses a product that is as effective as possible and that causes the least amount of harm to people and the environment.
Natural forces such as climate, natural enemies, the availability of food and water, and natural barriers have a significant impact on pest populations. Using these factors to the advantage of pest control is often the best strategy.
In addition to modifying the environment, mechanical and physical methods also are used to control pests. These include the use of traps, screens, fences, radiation and chemicals to change the way a pest lives. This type of pest control often is less expensive than chemical treatments, and it can be very effective in controlling certain types of pests.
Biological control agents—fungi, bacteria and parasitic insects—also are used to manage some plant pests. These organisms kill or infect the pests and can be spread by spores, which need free water or high humidity to germinate. Fungi and bacteria can be spread on the leaves of a plant, in the soil or in the air. Some nematodes live inside the bodies of insects, feeding on them from the inside and killing them from the outside. These organisms are useful in controlling a wide range of insect pests and some weeds. They are particularly effective against some pests that have developed resistance to chemical controls.
Eradication
Pests can contaminate food, damage buildings and make people sick. They can also cause psychological distress. They may leave stains and carry germs that can spread diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and cholera. Certain types of insects can wreak havoc in our airways, making asthma and allergies worse, while other pests transmit vector-borne diseases such as mosquito bites and fleas.
Pest control is a process of monitoring and detecting problems, followed by preventive and suppression methods. For example, a scouting and monitoring program might recommend the use of trap crops such as zinnia to attract Japanese beetles so they can be trapped and destroyed before they have a chance to ravage a garden.
Physical traps and netting are also effective pest control tools. Alternatively, a pest professional can use chemicals to kill or repel pests. These solutions are called pesticides and can range in toxicity from repellents to fumigants. Because they are toxic to humans, too, they must be applied by trained professionals and used sparingly.
Chemicals might also be used to address a severe infestation or when other prevention and suppression methods fail. In this case, an exterminator will spray a pesticide around the property to eradicate the problem. They may also use ultra-low volume fogging to distribute a small amount of pesticide throughout a space. Fumigation is a more extreme chemical method that involves sealing a building and filling it with poison to destroy all the pests inside.
Pests are a natural part of our environment and are necessary in many ecosystems to balance other organisms. However, some pests are a nuisance and can pose a health risk to humans, especially in enclosed spaces such as homes, schools, offices and hospitals. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a process of using preventive, cultural and chemical techniques to manage pests in ways that minimize their negative impact on the human environment. The goal is to reduce the risk of harming the environment while maintaining a comfortable living or working space. If you notice a pest problem, contact your local pest control expert to discuss treatment options.
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ongoing process of monitoring and making decisions about pests, using the least hazardous controls. IPM programs are based on an understanding of the biology and ecology of pests, as well as the environment in which they occur. It is an ecologically sound approach to pest management, reducing risks to people, property and the natural environment. IPM focuses on prevention rather than suppression or eradication and uses a combination of physical, cultural, biological and chemical control methods.
IPM starts with setting action thresholds, which are the levels of pest damage that justify taking control measures. These are determined by monitoring, recording pest counts and determining whether the damage level is unacceptable. The pest population is also monitored to determine whether environmental conditions might limit the growth of the pest. For example, green June beetle grubs in the lawn are damaging to some homeowners but not others because other factors like weather might keep the population from becoming too large.
This information is used to make a decision about controlling the pest using one of the many low risk options, such as scouting, mechanical removal, or physical and chemical controls. These methods are much less dangerous than traditional pesticides, so they reduce the risks to the applicator and those living in or around the affected building. This reduces both the costs of the control effort and the long term costs of building maintenance, repair or replacement due to damage from pest infestations.
IPM is a proven and effective way of managing pests in crops and has become an essential component of sustainable agriculture. IPM is also being applied in urban settings, where cockroaches and other pests cause structural damage to buildings. In IPM, sanitation and other preventative methods are often employed before pesticides are used, reducing the need for frequent applications. We have evaluated IPM compared to traditional pest management in public housing, finding that it reduces allergens and cockroach populations while maintaining resident satisfaction. NIFA is committed to providing leadership in a comprehensive portfolio of IPM programs and supporting research on their effectiveness.
