Pests are organisms that infest buildings or other structures, spoil food and other products, and cause disease. They are usually targeted for control because they reduce productive capacity or endanger human health.
Pest Control Coquitlam, BC, involves introducing a pest’s natural enemies to reduce its population to economic damage levels. This can be done through predation, parasitism, or herbivory.
When pests invade homes, gardens, or commercial establishments, they can cause major problems. The first step in successful pest control is correctly identifying the pests invading the area. This is important for several reasons. Many pesticides are only effective against specific pests, and proper identification helps ensure the right product is used. Proper pest identification can also help to determine the factors that promote and sustain the pests, making it easier to target control methods.
Often, the easiest way to identify a pest is to look at its damage. Most pests leave recognizable marks or holes that can be compared to known patterns of pest behavior. For example, weevils leave distinctive chewing marks in wood while caterpillars create distinct “frog legs” on leaves. In addition, most pests follow certain eating habits that can be observed when inspecting crop damage.
In some cases, it may be necessary to seek professional help to identify a pest. Your local Extension agent or a pest management professional can provide you with the assistance you need. In some cases, specimens may need to be sent away for further evaluation in a laboratory.
Pests are not only detrimental to crops and structures; they can also be harmful to human health. Many pests spread diseases, including bacteria and viruses. These diseases can cause illness in humans, animals and plants. Additionally, a pest infestation can lead to contaminated surfaces and food.
The National Identification Services (NIS) coordinates the identification of plant pests at the national level. The identification process is a vital part of the Plant Protection and Quarantine program’s mission to protect America’s agriculture, natural resources and environment. NIS is comprised of experts in the fields of botany, entomology, malacology, mycology and phytopathology who serve as the final taxonomic authority for plant pests.
In addition to a professional consultation, you can try to identify pests on your own. Begin by taking notes on the pest’s characteristics, such as shape, size and color, and location. Next, look at the pest guide to find the category that best matches your pest. Compare the pest’s features to the pictures of the various species. Once you have found a match, click on the pest to learn more about that particular pest.
Treatment
Pests that infest homes or other structures are not only unsightly, but can also cause damage and lead to health problems. Rats, for example, can gnaw on electrical wires while spreading diseases such as hantavirus and leptospirosis. Similarly, cockroaches and ants can spread dangerous bacteria that can contaminate surfaces and food.
Several methods are used in the control of pests, including physical removal, trapping, baiting, and spraying. Pesticides are chemical substances that are designed to kill or repel pests, often by disrupting their nervous systems. Pesticides can be natural or synthetic, and may contain a poison or an attractant. Some types of pesticides include herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides.
In order to properly use pesticides, it is important to know the pest infestation status and the proper application rates. This can be done through visual inspection or by scouting. Pest monitoring can help determine whether the problem is getting out of hand and the time is right to begin controls. Monitoring can also aid in determining whether controls are working and at what level the pest population is stabilized or declining.
Another way to control pests is through the use of natural enemies, such as parasites, predators, and pathogens. These are usually introduced to a pest population and are designed to destroy the pest or prevent its reproduction or spread. They can be supplemented with biological controls such as sterile males, juvenile hormones, and pheromones.
A preventive approach to pest control is much less intrusive than a reactive approach. It involves removing conditions that support pest activity, such as providing food, water, and shelter. This can be done by implementing good sanitation practices, sealing cracks and crevices that pests use to enter buildings, and storing food in sealed containers.
In addition, it is important to keep areas around buildings and residences free of clutter, which can provide places for pests to hide. Proper trash disposal, using enclosed compost spaces, picking up fallen fruit, moving bird feeders and baths away from houses, and reducing outdoor water accumulation are all effective preventive measures. Homeowners can also use pest-repelling sprays, which are usually natural and work by mimicking a predator’s scent or spices. These should be sprayed in areas where pests are visible, and should only be applied as needed and when the label instructions and warnings have been followed.
Prevention
A pest infestation can quickly become a serious problem, posing health and safety risks to the people and pets in a home or business. The best way to deal with a pest infestation is to prevent it in the first place. Prevention includes eliminating food, water and shelter sources for pests. It also means keeping woodpiles away from the house, removing weeds around structures and keeping garbage cans covered with lids.
In most environments, pests can be controlled without the use of chemicals. This is known as integrated pest management (IPM). IPM programs focus on preventing or reducing the occurrence of pests by using methods such as crop rotation, soil amendment, modifying cultural practices, plant resistance, habitat manipulation and physical barriers. When chemical control is needed, pesticides are selected and applied in a manner that minimizes risks to humans and the environment.
The first step in the IPM process is identifying what type of pest is causing the damage and how bad the damage is. This can be done by scouting and monitoring. A scouting and monitoring program should be conducted routinely, anywhere from daily to weekly depending on the situation. Scouting and monitoring help to identify when a pest is present, how many are there and what they are doing. It also helps to determine whether the pest can be tolerated or if control is necessary.
Threshold-based decision making focuses on determining when a pest population is high enough to justify treatment. A threshold is established by comparing the number of pests to the amount of damage they cause or could cause. For example, a few flies swarming around the house does not warrant any action; however, a wasps’ nest located under the eaves may require an insecticide application.
Biological control involves introducing natural enemies to kill pests, such as parasites and predators. This is often done in conjunction with other control measures and is most effective for small pest invasions. Biological controls can be expensive and take time to work, but they are usually more environmentally friendly than chemical treatments.
Maintenance
Keeping pests under control is an ongoing process. Customers can help by reporting maintenance problems to building owners or managers and by keeping buildings clean, storing food in sealed containers and closing doors to prevent access to pests. Pesticides should only be used when necessary, and in compliance with EPA guidelines.
The use of predators, parasitoids and disease organisms to reduce pest populations is an important component of any integrated pest management (IPM) plan. These biological controls can be as simple as releasing ladybugs to eat aphids or as complex as an engineered microbe-based solution. The goal is to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides that may have off-target effects, such as killing beneficial insects or harming humans and pets.
Threshold-based decision-making focuses on scouting and monitoring to determine if pests are becoming a nuisance. For example, noticing a few wasps in the garden may not require action but seeing wasps in the house every day could indicate a problem.
In the field, cultural pest control methods include preparing soil; choosing plants that are adapted to site conditions and not attractive to insect pests; irrigating with recycled water rather than potable tap water; managing weeds; planting trap crops; mowing at proper heights; and timing harvests to reduce injury from pests.
