Pests are organisms that disturb or spoil human activities by eating, damaging, or destroying property or transmitting disease in homes and urban environments. Pest control aims to manage them by exclusion, quarantine, repulsion, or pesticides. Click https://seasidepest.ca/ to learn more.
Remove clutter that provides hiding places for pests. Keep food and cooking utensils in sealed containers. Clean garbage regularly and fix leaky pipes.
Chemicals are a common method used in pest control, but they can negatively impact the environment and human health if not used correctly. Pesticides are used in agriculture to protect crops from diseases and ensure a reliable food supply, as well as in public health to stop diseases such as malaria and Zika transmitted by mosquitoes. They are also used in residential settings to reduce pests that can damage homes and compromise comfort, such as cockroaches and ants.
Many different chemicals are available in the pest control industry, and each has its pros and cons. Some are derived from plants and are easier on the environment, while others have more acute effects on pests. They are grouped using schedules that limit how often and where they can be used, and they are often combined to create hybrid chemicals with enhanced effectiveness against specific pests.
There are a number of important considerations when choosing the correct pesticide, including its toxicity level and how it is administered. For example, fipronyl belongs to the phenylpyrazole family and is effective against a wide range of insects, including termites. It works by attacking the nervous system of insects, paralysing them before they die, and it is generally safe for humans as long as it is not inhaled or ingested. Other chemicals, such as hydramethylnon, are more slowly acting and target insect larvae.
Gases
The pesticide fumigants are a group of gases that penetrate into grain or other stored products and kill the insects hidden inside. This is a very effective treatment because it gets into all the nooks and crannies of containers, sacks or bulk grains as well as the smallest cracks and crevices. Fumigants also have a very long persistence in the treated space, lasting for months.
The most common fumigant used in vertebrate pest control is aluminum phosphide, an extremely toxic gas that acts in the body to prevent oxygen uptake through the respiratory tract and thus kills the insect. It is available in tablet form and ignitable gas cartridges which trained fumigation operators use. It is not only the most effective of the currently approved fumigants, it is also one of the safest in terms of occupational safety and environmental protection. Fumigation is therefore a highly professional operation, and it is very important to adhere to the detailed instructions given in product documentation for its use.
Much whole store fumigation in the past has been done in buildings not designed specifically for this purpose, and it seems reasonable to assume that this practice encouraged development of insects resistant to phosphine. However, new investigational programmes have shown that purpose-built storage buildings do retain the fumigant effectively. Inert gases such as nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and helium can also be used at elevated concentrations to disinfest stored product. Technologies involving modified atmospheres that are depleted of oxygen or have elevated levels of other gases can also be effective at reduced cost and do not cause resistance to develop in insects.
Traps
Traps are useful to capture a variety of pest insects in or on the crop. Generally, traps should be placed away from areas where people frequent to prevent accidental exposure. Traps should also be placed well above the ground, at least 4 to 5 feet. This will ensure that pests cannot be spotted by people below, and it will also minimize the impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
Sticky glue traps capture insects as they pass by and are attracted to the sticky surface, but are unable to escape. This type of trap works best for capturing flies, thrips, caterpillars, and other larvae. It is important to note that this type of trap does not capture immature stages, and it should always be used in conjunction with visual inspection of plants for damage and pest feeding stages.
A simple and inexpensive way to monitor foliar-feeding insects is to use an old soda bottle, cut a window in it, and fill with soapy water or liquid hand sanitizer. This can be particularly effective in catching aphids.
Ethyl alcohol is another simple and effective way to monitor ambrosia beetles in trees. It can be dispensed through a small hole in the side of the trap. Number each trap and record its location in your growing area. It is best to check and change the traps regularly, usually weekly.
Biological Control
Biological control involves the use of living organisms to reduce pest populations. These may be parasites, predators, or disease organisms. They are introduced to the environment in such a way as to limit their negative impact on other native organisms and other crop plants. The goal is to establish a population that will effectively control the pests without adverse impacts on humans or the environment.
Generally, these organisms are released after they have been thoroughly tested for potential harmful effects on nontarget species. Their introduction is carefully planned, with attention to the needs of the enemy and pest, and careful consideration of their interaction with each other.
This type of control may be used in conjunction with other types of control. An example is the use of nematodes to manage weeds and other soil insects. These microscopic worms feed by injecting their prey with toxic bacteria that break down the insect. A wide range of species is available, including nematodes that target grubs, fleas, and ants.
Some chemical controls are also useful in combination with biological control. These include fungicides, such as carbaryl (e.g., Sevin), that can kill weeds and parasites, and the bactericide spinosad, which is toxic to caterpillars and other leaf-feeding caterpillars.
Pest control is most successful when it is integrated into an overall management strategy. In this approach, prevention is the primary objective, with monitoring and treatment used only when necessary according to established guidelines and using only approved materials. This includes cultural practices, habitat manipulation, and judicious (selective, timed) application of chemicals.
Prevention
Prevention is the best way to reduce pest problems. It involves inspecting the property, identifying the pest, and understanding its biology. Then, you can determine if the problem is worth controlling and which control methods to use.
A good preventive program includes monitoring to identify pests and their damage and removing the conditions that favor them. This can include adjusting irrigation practices to avoid excess watering (which may promote root disease), keeping compost piles away from the house, and reducing clutter where pests hide.
Preventive pest controls are usually less expensive and more environmentally friendly than eradication or suppression. Using the right repellant can be as effective as chemical sprays and may not harm pets or people. Many of these products mimic the scents of spices or predators, so they’re also appealing to humans.
Preventive measures can be as simple as sealing a crack or caulking a hole. Clutter should be removed, garbage disposed of regularly and outdoor trash cans kept closed. Regular inspections should be performed inside and outside to check for gaps, loose siding or cracks that could allow entry. It’s also important to keep landscape trees and shrubs properly trimmed, not to overcrowd them or allow them to touch structures. This allows proper air circulation and helps prevent moisture buildup that can attract pests.
Suppression
There are times when the damage a pest causes makes it necessary to control it. The level of damage determines action thresholds, which can guide control methods that are environmentally conscious and economical.
The best way to prevent a pest from damaging crops is to keep its numbers below harmful levels using natural means. This can include weeding, utilizing tolerant and resistant varieties of plants or animals, and changing growing practices to reduce conditions favorable to the pest.
Biological control is the use of naturally occurring predators, parasitoids, or pathogens to reduce pest populations. These organisms often do not kill the pests they attack but, rather, make the pests less able to survive, grow or reproduce. Examples of useful biological controls include entomogenous (entomopathogenic) nematodes, which are multicellular roundworms that act as predators of some insect pests. See Extension Fact Sheet EEP-7670 for details on the detection, conservation and augmentation of these organisms.
Other biological control methods include the use of plant-parasitic nematodes, which are bacteria associated with fungi that infect and kill insects. Similarly, entomopathogenic nematodes and their associated fungal partners infect and destroy some plant diseases. In addition, certain natural habitats may provide natural enemies that suppress pests in crop fields. For example, in sun-grown Brazilian coffee agroecosystems, the abundance of ant species that are predators of aphids increased with the proximity of fields to forest fragments, and herbivorous beetle suppression in irrigated rice fields was positively related to the number of hedgerows connected to woodlands.
