Pests are more than just annoying – they can damage your property, cause health problems and threaten the safety of your family. It’s important to get them under control as soon as possible.
Control methods include prevention (keeping pests from becoming a problem), suppression (reducing their numbers to an acceptable level) and eradication (destroy the entire pest population). Non-chemical management tools include sanitation, biological control and physical/mechanical controls. Visit https://natureshieldpestsolutions.com/ to learn more.
Accurate pest identification is the first step in any successful pest control program. It is also the most important and most often overlooked component of any pest management system. Many times a pesticide application fails because it was not properly identified or applied at the correct time in the life cycle of the pest.
Pests leave telltale signs of their presence and damage that can help identify them. For example, weevils chew around leaf edges and create tunnels in the inside of leaves, while caterpillars leave distinctive holes in the leaf. Insects can also be distinguished from other insects by their color, length of antennae and wings. Many online and printed resources are available to assist in pest identification, but be careful; not all sources of information are accurate or reliable. A good practice is to use several sources of information and consult an expert if possible.
It is particularly important to correctly identify pests when trying to prevent them from damaging crops. Identifying pests correctly allows the grower to learn more about the pest’s life cycle, habitat requirements, time of occurrence and habits to develop prevention strategies.
Scouting for pests should be conducted on a regular basis (every day to weekly) based on the needs of the crop and environment. Scouting should be focused on areas where the pests are likely to be found – under leaves, along foundation walls, bait stations, etc. Scouting regularly helps to develop a better understanding of the factors that influence pest problems and how to avoid them.
Once a pest has been identified, the next step is to determine its level of pest problem. The goal should be to minimize pest damage and prevent pests from causing economic loss. This is usually accomplished through the use of cultural practices such as crop rotation, establishing non-host plants, managing soil moisture, managing plant disease, conserving natural enemies and cultural control methods. If cultural methods are not effective, chemical controls can be used.
In some cases, a biological insecticide is necessary, and these products are often specific to certain orders of insects, such as Bacillus thuringiensis, which only works on Lepidoptera and Coleoptera species. It is therefore essential to know the species of pest in order to select and apply an appropriate biological insecticide.
Prevention
Pests can enter homes from a variety of sources. Rodents, birds, ants, spiders and even bees and wasps can all find their way inside. When they do, they can chew wires or spoil possessions, contaminate food and introduce disease-causing pathogens.
Routine pest control can help keep families safe and protect property values. It can also prevent costly repairs and replacements due to damage by pests. In addition, it can help preserve public health by preventing exposure to pathogens and allergens carried by pests.
Certified Pest Solutions provides routine pest control services for hospitals, schools, office buildings, multifamily dwellings and many other types of businesses. We can use traps, baits, fumigation or other methods to stop infestations from occurring and keep them under control once they start.
Suppression
Suppression is a control tactic that reduces pest numbers or damage to an acceptable level. This is often necessary in hygienic situations such as food preparation areas, or in agricultural settings where crop contamination is undesirable. Suppression techniques include traps, netting and screens; use of pheromones (natural insect attractants that are mimicked to confuse or deter pests); or the introduction of natural enemies such as predators, parasites or pathogens.
Using resistant crops, plants or animals reduces the need for suppression strategies by making it harder for the pest to overcome or reproduce. Resistance is usually genetic, but can also result from cultural or environmental practices such as using disease-free seedlings, rotating fields and reducing the amount of nitrogen in fertilizer.
Physical Barriers prevent pests by separating them from their food, water or shelter. These can include netting over fruit and vegetable crops, screens in greenhouses; the use of mulch to inhibit weed growth; or the use of barriers such as grid wires or spikes to discourage pest birds. Sanitation practices reduce the need for suppression tactics by removing sources of food and water, such as trash or debris, and eliminating access to shelter or hiding places.
Chemical Chemical solutions are often the quickest and easiest to implement, but they can pose health and environmental threats if not used properly. These can include repellents that deter pests by masking their sense of smell, and insecticides that kill the pests.
Trap crops such as zinnias can be used to trap Japanese beetles; netting and screens can deter birds; and the use of radiation or electricity can change the environment and prevent pests from entering or migrating into an area. The goal of any suppression tactic should be to correct the problem and prevent its recurrence. This is done by monitoring the effect of the tactic and assessing whether further steps are required. In addition, the results of any suppression tactic should be used to inform future prevention and avoidance efforts. The use of multiple tactics, such as traps and netting in combination with a targeted application of insecticide, is usually most effective.
Treatment
In some cases, pests may invade homes or businesses to such an extent that eradication is not only possible but also necessary. This is often the case with invasive pests, such as Mediterranean fruit fly and gypsy moth, or diseases carried by certain rodents like hantavirus, leptospirosis, Salmonella, and others. For these and other situations, pest control specialists can use chemicals to eliminate the problem.
The type of chemical used for treatment will vary according to the pest and its habitat, but some of the most common include sprays, dusts, baits, gels, and traps. Regardless of the solution chosen, it is important to take preventive measures to ensure that pests don’t return once the infestation has been taken care of.
Before your pest control professional arrives, remove clutter from the areas that will be treated. This allows them to easily see and access dark corners and other areas where pests are known to hide, making them more effective at treating the problem. Also, it is a good idea to empty and clean out the refrigerator, freezer, cabinets and drawers, as well as remove any food or cooking utensils from those areas.
When using any pesticide, always read and follow the product label instructions carefully. This will help ensure safety during application and proper disposal afterwards. It is especially important to wear appropriate clothing and gloves when working with pesticides, as well as take special precautions if you have children or pets in the home.
The label will provide information on the pesticide, including its target pest, method of action, and hazards. It will also contain instructions on how to safely apply it and any other information that is relevant. In addition, the label will inform you of any environmental hazard, such as its effect on nontarget organisms and the environment. Finally, it will indicate whether or not the pesticide is a hazardous substance under federal, state, or local law. In general, pesticides that are a hazardous substance require the use of protective equipment, and they must be disposed of according to regulations set forth in local codes or ordinances.