Keeping homes and food preparation areas clean can deter many pests. However, basic cleaning routines alone are not enough to keep some pest populations below harmful levels.
Natural forces affect pest populations, causing them to rise and fall. These include climate, natural enemies, barriers, and the availability of food, water and shelter. Contact Pest Control Lakeland now!
Rather than reacting to pests once they’ve already invaded your home, prevention is the best approach. Regular inspections and treatments can help identify conditions that are conducive to pest infestation and treat them before they become full-blown problems. This will not only save you time and peace of mind, but it will also reduce the amount of treatment necessary. This, in turn, will save you money as well since preventative services cost significantly less than one-off treatments.
Physical pest control measures include blocking access points to a home or business and eliminating the conditions that attract pests. For example, many pests enter through cracks in the eaves of a house, around windows and doors, and in the spaces behind piping and wires. Cracks should be sealed and gaps should be filled with caulk or steel wool. It is also important to keep bushes and trees away from the building, as this provides a path for pests to enter.
Clutter provides places for pests to breed and hide, so it is important to periodically clean out storage areas. It is also a good idea to vacuum and wipe down surfaces on a regular basis. Food should be stored in sealed containers, and trash should be taken out regularly and on time.
Chemical pest control methods can be effective, but they should always be used in conjunction with other pest control methods. Threshold-based decision-making refers to scouting and monitoring, which includes knowing what is an acceptable level of pest activity and when action is needed. For instance, a few wasps flying around the yard once in a while doesn’t require any intervention; however, seeing them daily and in increasing numbers means it’s time to take action.
Using physical and biological pest control techniques in combination is the most efficient way to manage pests while creating the least disruption to our environment. This is known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The goal of IPM is to use natural methods as much as possible, and only resort to chemicals when necessary, in order to protect the health and safety of humans, pets, livestock, crops and the environment.
Suppression
Unlike prevention, which attempts to keep pests from developing or coming into existence, suppression methods reduce the numbers of a pest already present to an acceptable level. This usually involves reducing the pest’s food sources, water or shelter, and preventing overwintering sites for the pest or its offspring.
Physical barriers that physically block the movement of pests (e.g., sticky bands around the trunks of trees to prevent mite and insect pests from crawling up them) can be effective in many situations. Predators, parasites and pathogens – organisms that attack or infect others to kill them or destroy their ability to complete their life cycles – can also suppress some pest populations by killing or damaging them directly. The microscopic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae, for example, can be sprayed on the soil to control fleas and other insects by attacking them directly and destroying their eggs and larvae.
Cultural methods can be used to suppress pest problems, too. Choosing plant species that are well adapted to the site conditions and that are less attractive to pests; managing weeds; adjusting planting dates; interplanting and/or rotating crops; and removing debris that can provide overwintering sites or hiding places for insects and other pests can all reduce the need for pest control measures.
Monitoring pests – checking on their presence, numbers and/or damage to the plants or property – is a critical step in successful pest management. It also helps to determine the underlying cause of the pest problem and determine whether or not control is needed. Correctly identifying the pest and understanding its biology and ecology can help managers select the most appropriate control method and best timing for application.
In some situations, eradication – eliminating an entire pest population – may be necessary. This typically involves large-scale efforts to control the environmental factors that make the environment suitable for the pest or its offspring, and usually requires regulatory control methods. Generally, it is best to avoid using eradication methods unless the pest is damaging the ecosystem or threatening human health and safety. To avoid re-infestation, use preventive strategies, including regularly cleaning the area and applying control methods before pest numbers build up to unacceptable levels.
Eradication
The goal of pest control is not merely to eliminate infestations, but also prevent their return. Taking preventive measures, which may include caulking cracks and crevices or using steel wool to fill holes, is often enough to keep pests at bay. Eliminating food sources can also be important, as is removing shelter and watering spots.
If preventive measures fail, the next step in pest control is eradication, or killing pests with pesticides. This is typically a last resort, but can be necessary when the damage caused by a pest population has reached a critical point.
Pesticides are chemical substances that destroy or control pests, such as insects, weeds, and fungi. They are used in agriculture to protect crops, in homes to kill household pests such as ants and cockroaches, and in public health to control mosquitoes and other disease-carrying pests.
Some pesticides are designed to kill pests immediately, while others are designed to control their activity or stop them from spreading. Many pesticides are highly toxic, and some even cause diseases in humans or animals. However, if no other control methods are available, some of these chemicals can be the fastest and most effective way to get rid of pests.
Biological pesticides, which are made from bacteria and other natural microbes, can be an eco-friendly alternative to conventional pesticides. Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly called Bt, is one such product, and it is found in more than 130 commercial pesticide products. These types of pesticides have a number of advantages, including low toxicity to people and pets, narrow host range, and effectiveness in very low doses.
Another method of eliminating pests is to physically remove them. This can be done by putting out baits, traps or other forms of physical deterrence. This approach can be more difficult and time-consuming than spraying, but it is often a more effective strategy.
Clutter can provide places for pests to hide and breed, so it is important to regularly clean your home and yard. Avoid leaving out rotting fruits, vegetables or meat, and keep garbage cans tightly closed. Keep stacks of wood, torn cardboard and paper away from your house, and don’t let debris pile up in your yard.
IPM
IPM (Integrated Pest Management) is a broad approach to managing pests in crops and gardens. It focuses on prevention through environmental and cultural practices rather than through single-use toxic chemicals. It requires monitoring and scouting for pests on a regular basis. This information is used to identify the pest and determine its population level, so control actions can be taken before economic damage occurs. Pests include insects, disease organisms, rodents, nematodes, birds, weeds, and pathogens that cause plant diseases.
IPM includes a combination of preventive, physical, biological and chemical controls to keep pest populations below economic injury levels. Preventive controls include growing a healthy crop, using resistant varieties, and caulking cracks to keep out insects and rodents. The biological component consists of predators, parasitoids and pathogens that naturally reduce pest populations. Biological controls are generally less expensive and environmentally sound than chemical controls.
The chemical part of an IPM plan consists of the least toxic and most selective pesticides that will effectively manage the problem. It is important to read and follow all pesticide label instructions. Pesticides are applied only when the need arises and in a way that minimizes harm to people, beneficial organisms, and the environment.
Integrated Pest Management is a collaborative effort between plant pathologists, entomologists, nematologists, and other specialists to develop practical solutions for pest problems in agriculture, forests, parks, gardens and home landscapes. It also combines the expertise of weed scientists and plant cultivators to reduce the evolution of insect resistance to pesticides.
The best IPM practice is not to use pesticides unless absolutely necessary. When pests are found, a thorough evaluation is conducted to determine if action should be taken. If the situation warrants it, an action threshold is set and used as a guide for future decisions. A threshold for any particular pest will depend on the location and circumstances. For example, in a suburban garden, a few caterpillars or grubs may be tolerated to help pollinate the peach trees while a much larger infestation of beetles or nematodes would trigger a treatment. A similar tolerance might be imposed for clover in the lawn that is a natural source of nitrogen for the soil and flowering weeds that provide nectar for honeybees.