Pests like rodents and ants can chew wires, cause structural damage, and carry diseases such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, and Salmonella. Mosquitoes, aphids, and termites can pose real health risks through their bites.
Monitoring helps determine whether pests are nuisances and what control measures are needed. It also allows for the correction of environmental conditions that promote pests. Contact Pest Control Vancouver BC now!
A pest infestation is a dangerous and costly problem that can impact business reputations, customer safety, and property integrity. Catching and treating an issue early is often much less expensive and more effective than eradicating an infestation once it has already spread. An effective preventative pest control strategy will identify and target common entry points and conditions that attract pests and provide a less attractive environment to pests. A preventive approach requires pest management professionals to inspect premises regularly. These inspections are geared towards identifying issues and giving advice on sanitation, cleaning, maintenance, and environmental best practices that can be implemented to reduce pest populations and avoid infestations.
Preventative measures can include:
- Ensuring garbage is securely receptacled and regularly collected.
- Keeping kitchens clean and food stored in pest-resistant containers.
- Maintaining proper ventilation and air flow in buildings and minimizing moisture levels that can lead to corrosion of electrical wires.
It can also include determining the best way to monitor for pests, such as establishing a protocol for employees to check incoming food shipments for signs of pests and ensuring that building and facility maintenance procedures shut down entry points and harborage areas.
Monitoring pests may be based on visual inspections, trapping or scouting. It can also involve tracking the behavior of pests and their natural enemies to predict when pest populations are likely to reach threshold levels that require control. For example, some crop pests only attack during specific windows of plant development. Knowing when this is will help farmers time their planting and avoid pest problems during the most vulnerable stages of growth.
While many people assume that avoiding pests is as easy as sweeping up every crumb and putting everything away neatly, the truth is far more complicated. Pests are drawn to homes and businesses not only because of the food, water and shelter that are readily available, but also because these environments offer a variety of opportunities to reproduce and grow. Without a well-rounded preventative pest control plan, it is likely that any home or business will eventually become infested with unwanted visitors.
Suppression
Pests are organisms that cause unacceptable damage to plants (crops or ornamentals) or human beings. Harm is usually esthetic or economic in nature, and tolerance levels vary among individuals and from one situation to another. Pest control strategies try to keep pest populations below what would cause unacceptable harm. Thresholds are generally set for pest numbers at which action should be taken based on a cost/benefit analysis.
Using natural enemies to manage pests is known as biological control. The aim is to maximize the impact of predators, parasitoids and disease agents that naturally limit pest population size. Insects, mites, nematodes and fungi are commonly used as natural enemies in garden settings. Often, these natural enemies are released on or near the plant to manage pests without damaging the host plant or human beings.
A number of methods can be used to monitor pests, including trapping or scouting for insect and mollusk pests; visual inspection for weed pests; and disease monitoring, which is often accomplished with a microscope. Monitoring also includes checking environmental conditions to determine if the pest population is reaching an acceptable threshold level. For example, if flowering or bud burst is approaching, the pest threshold may be reached. In such cases, it is beneficial to control the pest before these critical stages of plant development pass, resulting in poor crop yields or a lack of esthetic appeal for ornamentals.
Many pest problems are more serious when they are in landscapes that do not provide the proper habitat for natural enemies or do not have enough noncrop vegetation to protect crops from pests. Therefore, landscapes should be managed to increase the density of noncrop vegetation and provide good habitat for native or natural enemy species.
The practice of conserving and enhancing natural enemies in the landscape is called conservation biological control. It is a major strategy that homeowners can employ to reduce pesticide use and rely more on alternative control strategies. Extension Fact Sheet HLA-6447, UF/IFAS Home Landscape Conservation Biological Control Practices, lists several practices that can be implemented in the landscape to encourage and protect natural enemies.
Eradication
Unlike prevention and suppression, the goal of eradication is to eliminate a pest from an entire area. This is more difficult than the other two strategies and usually involves government support, as is the case with Mediterranean fruit fly and gypsy moth control programs. Eradication is also more common in enclosed environments, such as factories and warehouses, where certain pests cannot or will not be tolerated.
Physical control methods aimed at deterring or destroying a pest include traps, screens, barriers, fences and nets. These methods can be effective against a wide variety of pests, including insects and diseases. Temperature, light, and water levels can also be altered to control some pests.
Another option is to use biological controls to disrupt the pest’s natural balance. These can include parasitism, herbivory and predatory behavior. Typically, the natural enemies are bred in the laboratory and then released into the environment to provide long-term control. These types of controls are often part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program.
Biological controls are particularly important in agriculture. The proper use of these tools can prevent damage to crops and increase yields. However, it is important to remember that not all biological controls are created equal. Be sure to read the product label carefully and follow all application instructions. Never apply more than the recommended amount. Doing so can be dangerous and can also reduce the effectiveness of the product. It is also important to keep pesticides out of the reach of children. If your child picks up a chemical, they could inhale it and become sick.
The most effective method of pest control is IPM, which utilizes multiple methods to reduce the occurrence of a pest problem. Rather than using pesticides to kill a pest, IPM uses techniques such as crop rotation, cultural practices, habitat manipulation and the introduction of resistant varieties to control the pest population. This approach minimizes risks to humans, beneficial and nontarget organisms and the environment. The key to a successful IPM program is constant monitoring, so the correct treatment can be applied as needed.
Natural forces
Many natural factors influence pest populations. Climate, topography and the availability of food, water and shelter limit their growth. Some natural enemies attack and consume pests, including predatory vertebrates, parasitoids and pathogens. These natural enemies sometimes control pests by themselves or in combination with other controls. Natural forces also control pests by introducing natural barriers or changing the environment so it is less suitable for them. These controls are called environmental me,chanical, or physical controls.
Some natural enemies are of foreign origin and are introduced to control exotic or invasive pests. This approach is called classical biological control. Examples include decapitating flies against red imported fire ants and a group of insect-eating beetles and stem borers against alligator weed.
Other natural enemies are locally produced and used to control pests in greenhouses, nurseries, and some fruit and vegetable fields. This approach is called augmentative biological control. Examples include aphids and flea beetles against tomato hornworms and alligator weed, and stem borer beetles against cucumber thrips and squash vines.
Monitoring and accurate identification of pests allow you to use preventive measures, such as crop sanitation or cultural practices, before a problem gets out of hand. The more you know about a pest and its habitat, the better choice of control methods you will make.
Identifying pests correctly and knowing the extent of their damage helps you decide whether to use chemical or non-chemical control methods. The right choice will minimize the risk of harm to people, other organisms and the environment. It will also minimize the potential for off-target damage.
When you do use chemicals to control pests, it is important to follow proper application and handling techniques to reduce the risk of injury to humans and the environment. This includes following product labels, using personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary and continuing education to increase your knowledge of safe pest management practices.
Pest problems often require ongoing management, even when preventive measures are taken. Keeping records of when pests occur, their impact and the effectiveness of control measures can help you develop a maintenance program that will keep pest numbers below unacceptable levels without the use of excessive amounts of pesticides.
