Pests, from cockroaches to rodents, cause a wide range of damage and health problems. Keep these unwanted intruders out of your home or hospitality property by preventing them from finding food, water and shelter.
Physical barriers and exclusion methods create boundaries pests can’t or won’t cross. These include door sweeps and traps that use natural toxins like the bacterium Bt to kill caterpillars and other pest insects. Contact St Charles Pest Control now!
Pests are a nuisance when they invade your home, but they can also be dangerous to your health. In fact, many pests can carry bacteria that cause disease in humans and animals, such as cockroaches, rodent droppings, or fleas. In addition, the damage that pests cause to structures can result in costly repair bills. That’s why it’s important to prevent pest infestations, and to take steps to stop existing pests before they have a chance to cause harm.
Prevention is an ongoing effort to keep pests out of a building or property, often focusing on sealing potential entry points and proofing buildings. It also includes cleaning and sanitation. For instance, a pest-proofing program for a restaurant might include establishing protocol for staff to inspect food shipments and determining which areas of the establishment should be wet washed rather than dry washed to reduce moisture-attracting pests such as flies or roaches.
Some pests are continuously present and cannot be eliminated completely, even with preventative measures. However, some preventative measures can greatly limit the amount of pest control that is needed to maintain a reasonable level of pest protection.
For example, reducing the number of places where pests can breed and hide can significantly reduce their numbers. This can be done by removing debris from the outside of a structure, securing trash containers, and keeping doors closed as much as possible. It’s also a good idea to regularly clean a house or office, wiping surfaces, vacuuming carpets, and using pesticides in the right areas.
A good way to spot potential pest entryways is to perform regular exterior and interior inspections, paying special attention to the foundation, walls, roof, utility lines, and any cracks or holes. If you find one of these, patch it as soon as possible to prevent pests from finding a way inside.
In some situations, eradication may be an acceptable goal. For instance, it might be appropriate to eradicate a foreign pest that is causing economic or environmental harm in its native country before it becomes established. In general, eradication is not a primary goal in outdoor situations, but it may be necessary in some enclosed settings, such as in operating rooms and other sterile areas of health care facilities.
Suppression
Suppression involves controlling a pest population to prevent it from reaching unacceptable levels. This is typically the goal of most pest management programs. Pests are undesirable organisms that cause disease (pathogens) or damage on ornamental plants, turfgrasses, fruit trees and vegetables. They also threaten the profitability of agricultural production, the integrity of natural ecosystems and human health.
Suppressing a pest can be accomplished through cultural, biological or chemical control methods. Control options will depend on the type of pest, the level of economic damage and the action thresholds that are acceptable to the grower or landowner.
The most common means of achieving pest suppression is through the use of chemicals. However, many producers are seeking alternatives to chemical control. These alternative methods include cultural practices, crop rotation and biological control. Biological control relies on mass-producing and then releasing the pest’s natural enemies to reduce its populations, primarily predatory insects and parasitoids.
Biological control agents are often host-specific, which requires growers to correctly identify the pest species. They can be released directly into the field or placed in other areas where they will find the pests. The method of release varies among the different species, with larger (macro) biological control agents, such as predatory mites and parasitoids, being applied in sachets or cards adhered to the tree leaves and smaller (micro) biocontrol agents being diluted in water and sprayed onto the leaves or soil.
The goal of biological control is to achieve sustainable and cost-effective pest suppression through the integration of biological organisms into a holistic pest management system. The research and development activities conducted by APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) on potential new biological control agents, their establishment and post-release monitoring and evaluation are an important component of this effort.
In addition, PPQ is working to increase the coordination, collaboration and facilitation of biological control activities across the country. This includes working to build the capacity to implement radiation-based techniques, such as Selective Inheritance Technology and sterility insect technology (SIT and ITS), to enhance biological control in order to reduce the need for chemical controls.
Eradication
Pests interfere with plants by eating or damaging them, and they disrupt balance in the natural environment. They can carry disease or cause harm to humans, pets or livestock (like flies and mosquitoes), destroy crops (like Mediterranean fruit fly, gypsy moth and fire weed) and damage personal items (like bed bugs, cluster flies, wood destroying beetles and mud dauber wasps).
There are many ways to control pests. Many are natural, such as predators and parasites. Others involve introducing chemicals, such as pheromones or juvenile hormones. Yet other methods involve killing the pests with chemicals such as sprays, baits and traps.
A very few pests are very difficult to eradicate, but in most cases eradication is not the goal of pest control. Instead, prevention and suppression are the goals – reducing or eliminating the pests without harming non-target organisms and the environment.
Integrated Pest Management is the approach used by professional pest control companies. Pest control technicians are trained in different methods to get rid of pests while protecting the environment and minimizing human health risks.
The best way to prevent pests is to use non-chemical controls, such as traps, baits and physical barriers. But for those pests that are unavoidable, professionals can provide effective treatments to prevent them from causing damage and posing a threat to humans and their pets.
Pesticides are chemical substances that kill or control pests, such as insects, weeds and fungi. They are used in agriculture to protect crops and in the home to control ants, roaches, fleas and rodents.
When using pesticides, it is important to follow instructions on labels and take precautions when spraying in the home. For example, it is important to remove food and cooking utensils from the area to be treated and to close doors while spraying. It is also advisable to thoroughly clean surfaces before re-entry. Taking these measures can help reduce the amount of spray needed to achieve adequate pest control.
Treatment
Whether pests are insects, rodents or birds, they can contaminate food and cause damage to buildings. In addition, they can spread diseases and irritate sensitive people, such as those with asthma or allergies. Safe pest control is a team effort, and building owners, managers and maintenance workers must work together with tenants to identify and correct conditions that attract or harbor them.
If other methods of pest control fail, treatment may involve the use of chemicals to kill or repel them. Pesticides should be used as a last resort and only by qualified, trained professionals. They should always be applied to targeted areas and carefully monitored and reapplied as directed on the label to achieve effective, long-term pest management.
Some types of pests are best controlled by eliminating their food, water and shelter sources. For example, flies are often attracted to food waste and discarded garbage, while moths tend to nest in dark clothing and linen closets.
The type of pesticide required depends on the type and severity of infestation. In many cases, baits or traps will eliminate the pests without requiring the use of chemical sprays. Chemical sprays, however, are often needed to kill pests that have already gotten into the living space. This is particularly true when it comes to roaches, spiders and other insects that cannot be trapped using other methods.
When selecting a pest control company, ask how many years the company has been in business and search for customer reviews on the web or social media. A good pest control service will be able to answer your questions and provide detailed information about its services, products and methods.
Aside from avoiding foods, water and shelter sources that attract or harbor pests, you should also remove clutter to make it easier for your Pest Control Professional to access difficult-to-reach areas. Be sure to wear a pair of disposable gloves when handling sprayed surfaces for the first time. This will help to prevent the spread of pesticides to your skin, eyes and mouth.
Before applying a pesticide, your Pest Control Professional will explain the procedure and provide safety instructions. For example, you should be told if the treatment area needs to stay clean and whether or not you can cook, eat or store food in the room. You should also be informed of any precautions you should take with pets, children and elderly residents.