A pest infestation can damage property and pose health risks to people and pets. St Charles Pest Control can help reduce risk by eliminating infestation hot spots and creating tailored treatments.
Physical methods include barriers, traps and bait stations. Other techniques are biological, such as releasing natural enemies, pheromones or juvenile hormones that keep immature pests from changing to normal adults.
Taking steps to prevent pest problems is the best way to avoid costly damage and disruption. Prevention includes eliminating attractiveness for pests and reducing the availability of food, water and shelter. It also means regular inspections to spot problem areas before they become infestations.
Physical controls include traps and bait stations that capture and kill unwanted pests, and excluders or barriers that keep them away from entry points into homes or commercial buildings. These methods can work well on their own or in combination with other control techniques.
Chemical controls use targeted pesticides to eliminate or reduce populations of undesirable organisms. This can be done by spraying the exterior of a building, treating specific plant species with fungicides or applying insect growth regulators to crops. When using pesticides, it is important to follow label instructions carefully and avoid affecting other plants, animals or people.
Integrated pest management, or IPM, combines prevention and suppression to manage pests with minimal harm to the environment and humans. It involves identifying and managing the conditions that favor pests, such as a particular plant disease or rodents, then choosing the right control strategies to eliminate them.
For example, planting a crop such as zinnias that attracts Japanese beetles can help to concentrate them in one place, making it easier to find and remove their nests. IPM also relies on a combination of biological, mechanical and chemical controls to protect desirable plants from invasive insects and to suppress pests that cause unacceptable damage.
Preventive measures include regularly cleaning spaces where pests like to breed and hide, such as attics and crawl spaces. It is also helpful to store food in sealed containers and dispose of garbage promptly and regularly. Keeping clutter to a minimum helps pests avoid hiding in piles of paper or cardboard. It is also a good idea to keep wood piles and debris away from structures because beetles and termites may find them attractive.
It is a good idea to consult an experienced pest control company before an infestation becomes a problem. An expert will be able to provide recommendations for preventing and controlling the problem, such as sealing cracks or caulking gaps where pests could enter.
Suppression
In situations where pests are present and damage is being caused, suppression of the pest population reduces its impact on desirable species. This goal is more difficult to accomplish than prevention or eradication. It requires the pest population be reduced below a threshold that causes minimal harm to the desired species and human health.
Natural and biological control agents are often used to suppress pest populations by attacking or eating them. Biological control agents include parasites, predators, and pathogens. The process of finding, studying, collecting, and releasing these natural enemies can be time-consuming and expensive. There is also a risk of unintended consequences, such as a negative effect on native species that are not pests or other natural enemies of the targeted pest. Biological control agents are often host-specific, meaning that they only attack one or two kinds of pests. Therefore, the process of introducing them to new areas must take into consideration the specifics of the target pest’s life cycle and ecology.
Other natural controls are environmental factors that restrict the growth and spread of pests. For example, geographic features such as mountains and lakes limit the movement of pests. The availability of water, food, and shelter also limits pest population levels. In addition, cultural practices such as crop rotation, plowing or tilling fields before planting, weeding, mowing, and cleaning greenhouses and tillage equipment deprive pests of their environment and make them less likely to survive.
The use of resistant varieties of plants, materials, or animals can also deprive pests of their habitat and make them more vulnerable to attacks from other natural enemies or to chemicals from weedkillers. Similarly, the design of structures such as greenhouses and barns can discourage pests by making them harder to enter or escape from.
Chemical control methods, such as herbicides and insecticides, kill or damage the pest by disrupting its body functions. They may be used to directly attack the pest’s skin, muscles, nerves, or respiratory system, or they may act as barriers that block the pest’s movements or senses. Chemicals are generally more rapidly acting than other controls, but they can cause damage to non-target organisms.
Eradication
When pests are present in buildings and sites, their presence can cause damage to property, equipment and materials. They also carry diseases and trigger allergies, as well as contaminate food and water supplies. Eradication is an important goal in some indoor situations, such as when Mediterranean fruit flies or gypsy moths invade homes, restaurants and other enclosed spaces, but it is not generally possible to eradicate outdoor pests (see definition above).
In general, eradication is only attempted for those pests that are considered to pose a significant threat to human health. This includes pests that transmit disease, such as mosquitoes and ticks; those that contaminate food, such as cockroaches; or those that interfere with agriculture or natural resources, such as deer mice or forest ants. In these cases, eradication is only done when the benefits of eradication outweigh the costs, which include future infection and vaccination costs, and loss of productivity and value.
Generally, eradication is accomplished through prevention, suppression and/or the use of biological or chemical control methods. Eradication of some pests may also be achieved by reducing the food, water or shelter available to them. This can be done by removing food sources, such as scraps of fruits and vegetables from your kitchen, or by preventing access to water and shelter, such as by sealing cracks and crevices around your home.
Physical pest control methods include traps, baits, screens and barriers. These methods are effective when used in combination with preventive measures. To help prevent the spread of pests, dispose of garbage regularly and store foods in tightly sealed containers. Remove rotting wood and other material where pests might breed. Keep indoor areas clean by vacuuming, sweeping and dusting often. Avoid keeping stacks of books or newspapers in your home, and store materials away from the ground, especially cardboard boxes where pests might hide. If you do use chemical pest control products, make sure to read and follow the label’s instructions and safety warnings. Use sprays, granules or fogging devices sparingly and in targeted areas. These chemicals are toxic to pets and children, so they should not be used near them unless absolutely necessary.
Reduction
Pests are often attracted to food processing environments in search of water, shelter and food. Their presence can lead to physical contamination of foodstuffs by rodent droppings, insect parts and intestinal worms, or contamination with disease-causing pathogens from faecal matter. They can also cause damage to building structures and equipment. Routine pest control practices can help preserve the value of these assets.
Ideally, prevention is the first step in any pest management strategy. When possible, use nonchemical methods to keep pests away from people and products. Seal cracks and crevices where pests may enter, and make sure doors and windows close and lock securely. Replace or repair torn screens, and put weather strip on doors and windows. Keep trash in tightly sealed containers, and wash empty garbage bins regularly.
When pests do invade, the best way to reduce their numbers is to remove food and water sources. This can be done by correcting sanitation problems, such as storing food in plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes. It is also advisable to use fewer open trash containers, especially near areas where food is prepared, and to store foodstuffs in refrigerators or freezers when possible.
Biological and cultural controls can be used to help manage pests when other means of reduction fail. Many predatory insects and parasitic plants prey on pests or their eggs, and can significantly reduce their populations. Changing cultivation practices can also reduce pest establishment, growth and dispersal, such as by altering the amount of water used in irrigation.
Chemical controls should be used only when necessary, and with great care. Use baits rather than sprays when possible, and choose the least toxic options. Select pesticides that are specific to the target organism, and apply them at the proper time in the life cycle of the pest. Always follow pesticide labels carefully, and consider the effect that the application of the product will have on beneficial organisms.
Using routine pest control measures can prevent problems before they occur, and will provide peace of mind for homeowners and business owners. Knowing that professional pest control services are available for any unforeseen infestations can give businesses confidence to focus on their core business.