Pests are organisms (including insects, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, weeds, rodents, and vertebrate animals) that damage or devalue human-built and natural environments. They also negatively impact people’s health by spreading disease-causing microorganisms and contaminating food and other items.
Preventing pests is essential to a comfortable home environment. Avoid attracting pests by fixing leaky pipes, cleaning up spills and crumbs, and keeping your yard trimmed. Contact Seaside Pest Control for professional help.
Identifying pests accurately is the first step to successful pest control. If you’re not sure what the pest is, there are online resources that can help. Some of these sites allow you to enter a picture of the insect or pest and then provide information about the bug. Other sites can give you specific identifying characteristics such as size, color and wing pattern.
Using this information, you can identify the pest and then find out what caused it to appear so that you can prevent future infestations. Often, pest problems are caused by conditions in the environment that make them ideal for the pest to thrive. Carefully evaluating the environment and the situation in which the pest is present and then selecting effective management strategies will result in less damage and fewer infestations.
For example, corn earworm, the primary economic pest of sweet corn in West Virginia, can cause severe defoliation in fields. Cucumber beetles attack cucumber, melons, squash and other cucurbit crops. Eastern tent caterpillars destroy the foliage of many vegetable and ornamental plants, including broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard, turnips and radish. The spotted lanternfly is an aggressive new pest of fruit trees and woody shrubs, and it has also attacked hops.
The National Identification Services (NIS) provides accurate, nationwide plant pest identifications in support of USDA’s regulatory programs. Its national specialists are experts in the field of botany, entomology, malacology, and mycology. They serve as the final taxonomic authorities for APHIS’s pest identification program and work with colleagues located at a wide range of institutions, from State departments of agriculture to land-grant universities.
A trained pest control professional will perform an initial inspection of the property and then create a plan to prevent future pest infestations. This may include spraying, baiting or trapping, depending on the pest and the severity of the problem. In addition, they will identify any influences that contribute to the pest’s presence and can take steps to eliminate these conditions. This preventative approach to pest control will save time, money and effort in the long run and ensure that you won’t have to deal with a pest infestation again.
Pest Prevention
Pests can invade homes and businesses through cracks and crevices in foundations, through windows or doors that aren’t properly sealed and by seeking food, water or shelter. The goal of pest prevention is to deny these pests access to the property so that they cannot cause damage. Prevention also helps to preserve a home or business’s value by avoiding costly repair bills caused by damage or infestations.
Regular inspection and treatment of pests can prevent them from becoming a serious problem. It can also provide peace of mind for homeowners and business owners to know that pests are being kept under control by trained professionals.
A well-implemented pest prevention program can help reduce the amount of pesticide that is used. This will lower the risk of harming humans and pets, as well as the environment. This is important because many of the pesticides that are currently used have been linked to various health problems.
In addition to reducing the need for pesticides, a pest prevention program can improve a building’s efficiency by minimizing loss of materials such as food and products. This is because pests can contaminate these items and make them unusable. In addition, pests can also increase the need for cleaning as they leave behind droppings and stains.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an effective approach to preventing pests and their damage without the use of chemical control methods. It includes a combination of techniques such as monitoring, biological control, habitat manipulation and change in cultural practices. It takes a team of people to implement and manage a pest prevention program. This team consists of the client, pest management professional and key personnel at the facility.
The key to successful pest prevention is to understand that pests are attracted to certain conditions and behaviors. For example, some pests thrive in moist environments. Eliminating these environments by fixing leaky pipes, removing standing water and storing food in airtight containers can help to deter pests such as cockroaches and ants. Regularly sweeping and wiping down surfaces can eliminate sticky residues that attract pests.
Pest Control Methods
Pest control methods reduce pest populations to acceptable levels through the use of physical, biological, or chemical means. They may also include cultural practices such as crop rotation, soil preparation, weed management and good sanitation.
Chemical control is typically used for larger pest infestations and offers immediate results. However, it can be harmful to the environment and humans if used excessively as it can disrupt the balance of an ecosystem. It can also contribute to the development of resistant pests.
Biological pest control relies on organisms that naturally prey or parasitize insects or other harmful organisms to suppress them below levels that cause serious damage. This type of pest control is generally more environmentally friendly than chemical methods but is slower to work so it is not suited for sudden or severe infestations.
Physical or mechanical pest control involves removing or modifying an organism’s habitat or directly killing it. Examples include digging weeds, sterilizing soil and physically blocking entry to food or water sources. This method can be more expensive than other types of pest control but it can provide long term economic and environmental benefits.
Plant extracts, vitamins and hormones can enhance a plant’s natural defenses against pests. These products are often called biorational and offer a more holistic approach to pest control. Some of these products are derived from naturally occurring plants while others, like pheromones (sex and aggregating pheromones) lure pests into traps where they are killed.
Homeowners can reduce the risk of a pest infestation by keeping a clean and uncluttered environment. Sealing cracks and crevices around the outside of the house, sweeping and vacuuming regularly, storing food in airtight containers, and taking out the garbage frequently help deter pests. Getting rid of rotting organic material, fixing leaky pipes, and using dehumidifiers in damp areas can also make a house less hospitable to pests.
Pest Control Products
A pest control product is any substance used to prevent or destroy any pest; it can also be used to modify plant growth or defoliate the affected area. It is important to always read the label when using pesticides, and to follow the safety instructions carefully. Many pest control products contain toxins that are dangerous for both pets and humans.
Use pesticides sparingly and in combination with other methods. If possible, choose nonchemical alternatives to pesticides. For example, removing trash from outside the home and regularly picking up fallen leaves and fruit from the ground can help reduce insect pests. If you must use a pesticide, apply it directly to the target pest and avoid spraying over the whole garden or yard. Do not reuse a container for pesticides; people have been poisoned by drinking from old pesticide containers. Thoroughly rinse the container and any equipment used to apply a pesticide after each use. Never dispose of pesticides in gutters or storm drains, and do not pour them down a sink or toilet. Always wash clothes that come into contact with pesticides separately from other laundry, and hose off any areas that have been treated with pesticides.
Before using a pesticide, make sure that it is registered for the intended purpose. Some pesticides may not be registered for certain pests, but the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act allows for some flexibility in this regard. For example, if a product has been approved for use on trees and shrubs, the user may also apply it to other plants if the pest is mentioned in the product description under “other uses.”
In addition, when applying any chemical, be careful not to spray off-target. This can lead to unwanted weed and crop damage, as well as exposure to other people, animals or plants that do not require treatment. Spraying during windy conditions can lead to off-target drift as well. Use spot treatments where possible, and never use a sprayer designed for lawns on crops. A variety of devices can limit environmental exposure when using pesticides, such as bait stations for ants and other insects, wick or shielded applicators for some herbicides, and tree trunk treatments for some insecticides.