Pest control involves:
- Preventing a pest from becoming a problem.
- Suppressing a pest to an acceptable level.
- Eliminating a pest.
Prevention is the most desirable goal, but some situations call for control instead of elimination. Contact Pest Control Carrollton TX now!
Physical or mechanical controls include traps, barriers, nets, and fences. Altering the environment by using radiation or electricity can also help. Pheromones can be used to monitor pest populations. Mating disruption techniques reduce pest numbers by keeping male and female insects from mating.
Pest Identification
Pest identification is the first step in any pest control program. Correct pest identification can help you determine if your problem is worth the effort and cost of controlling it or whether you should let the pests go without treatment.
Most pests leave characteristic damage or symptoms that help identify them. In addition, many pests have “windows of opportunity” that are easy to target for control. For example, insects are easiest to kill in their larval stages, and weeds are easier to pull when they are small.
You can learn about a particular pest by studying the characteristics it displays, such as color, shape, size, and number of legs or wings. You can also use this information to find out what habitats and food sources the pest favors, its threats, and prevention and control measures.
If you cannot identify a pest on your own, ask a knowledgeable person for assistance. A county extension agent, a pest management professional, or a university botanist can be good resources to contact for help with pest identification.
Whether you are looking for a home or commercial pest control, accurate pest identification is important. Pests can cause serious damages and pose health risks if not controlled.
For example, if you have an infestation of silverfish or carpet beetle larvae in your house, you might need to dehumidify the area or store books and papers in sealed containers to prevent further infestations. Rodents, on the other hand, are known to spread a wide range of viruses and bacteria that can be dangerous to humans. If you have a rodent infestation, it is best to call a pest control expert right away.
In food processing environments, pests are often identified by inspection of facilities and equipment, records of past sightings, and by keeping a Pest Sightings Register. Using this information, you can develop an IPM plan that eliminates or reduces pests without the use of toxic chemicals. For example, by knowing what food the pest eats, you can remove the items that attract it and create unfavorable conditions for reproduction.
Pest Prevention
Pests are organisms (including fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects, mites, vertebrates and viruses) that degrade, displace, spoil or damage agricultural crops, food stores, lawns and gardens, or human structures. They also disturb wildlife and negatively affect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
In food processing environments, pests cause problems by contamination with disease causing microorganisms that are carried on their bodies, ingestion or inhalation of their body parts and frass (excrement), or direct damage to equipment and facilities. A pest control program is required to prevent these hazards.
An effective pest management plan includes prevention, suppression and eradication goals. Prevention is the most desirable goal because it reduces the need for treatment.
A good prevention strategy starts with an accurate pest identification. This helps a pest management specialist discover the insect’s weaknesses, and tailor a treatment to be more effective.
Pest identification should be done by a trained professional, and can include observing pest behavior, collecting samples, and/or conducting a thorough inspection of the facility to locate and identify areas where the pests are living or hiding. Using a flashlight and/or a telescoping mirror for inspection behind or beneath equipment and furniture is helpful. A magnifier is also useful to aid in the inspection. A Detailed Pest Sightings Register is a useful tool to keep track of the time, date and pest sightings so they can be quickly reported to a pest control operator for prompt action.
The next step is to assess whether the pests are causing unacceptable harm or damage. This may involve assessing the economics of the situation, examining and considering the pest’s impact on the environment, or the impact on people’s lives, property and health. It could also include a review of the costs and benefits of pest control.
Suppression is the most common goal of pest control. Suppression is reducing the pest population to below an acceptable level. This may be accomplished by exclusion, repellents, physical removal or, in extreme situations, sterilisation.
Eradication is rare for outdoor pests, because a large number of factors influence pest populations in nature, including climate, natural enemies, barriers, soil conditions, availability of food and water, and the presence of diseases. However, there are times when eradication is a realistic goal.
Pest Control Methods
Pest control is the process of managing pests to protect people, property and the environment. There are many ways to do this, including natural, biological, chemical, cultural, mechanical and physical controls. Natural controls use environmental factors, such as weather and topography, to limit the size of pest populations. Biological controls leverage nature’s own predators or parasites to injure or consume target pests. This can be as simple as releasing ladybugs to eat aphids or as complex as using microscopic bacteria to kill unwanted insects (nematodes).
Chemical pesticides are the most common pest control method, but they also pose the greatest risk to people and the environment. They can harm pets and humans when not used correctly, as well as damage beneficial insects (like bees) that play a crucial role in our ecosystem. They can also contaminate soil and water supplies, as well as get into the air, causing respiratory problems. As a result, they are best used only when other methods have failed or as a last resort.
Some pests, such as plant diseases, are predictable and can be prevented by controlling the conditions that promote them. Other pests are sporadic and unpredictable, but their presence or abundance can be minimized through preventive practices.
A good first step in preventing pest infestations is to keep buildings clean and free of clutter. Store food in sealed containers, trim back bushes and trees to prevent them from overhanging or hanging in the building, and seal cracks and holes to deter rodents. It is also important to remove any sources of water or shelter, such as trash, bird feeders, and pet bowls. Finally, keeping garbage cans sealed and removing them regularly will help prevent pests from seeking out their next meal.
Pest Control Cost
Pests can damage homes and farms and spread disease to people, pets and livestock. Many people try to manage pests with store-bought products, but severe infestations or pests that are resistant to standard treatments may require the services of a professional pest control company.
The type of pest and the level of infestation determines the cost of treatment. Ants and cockroaches are among the most affordable home pests to treat, while termites and bed bugs can run into the thousands of dollars for a full-blown infestation.
When a pest control specialist arrives to inspect and treat the pest problem, they’ll typically ask about the size of the home and number of bedrooms and bathrooms, since these factors will influence the amount of treatment needed to effectively eliminate the infestation. They may also ask the location of the property, as this can help them determine what types of pests are in the area and what specific treatment methods would be most effective.
Depending on the severity of the pest problem, a pest control expert may physically remove pests and their nests from the property, using protective equipment to keep themselves safe. For example, if there’s a beehive or wasp nest in or around the house, a pest control expert will use specialized traps to safely remove the stinging insects without harming them.
Physical treatments can range in price from about $300 to $700. In some cases, a pest control expert may need to manually remove wildlife or animal droppings from the home’s roof, walls, and attic. Typically, a professional will capture the animals in humane traps and take them to a safe place to be released.
In some cases, a pest control company might recommend more extreme measures to eradicate a serious pest infestation, such as fumigation or tenting. This can add to the overall expense of treating a pest infestation, particularly if it’s required for a large home or in a difficult-to-reach area.
The good news is that there are ways to reduce a homeowner’s pest control costs, such as performing regular preventative treatments and practicing proper home maintenance and sanitation. Keeping exterior entry points closed, regularly trimming back shrubs and other vegetation, storing food and trash in airtight containers, and cleaning up spills immediately can significantly lower exterminator expenses.