Pests can cause damage to buildings or furniture and cost businesses money in lost revenue. Proper pest control can help prevent and repair this damage.
Monitoring is important to determine whether and how many pests are present. It also helps select the most appropriate management strategy. Click Here to learn more.
Physical and mechanical controls kill or block a pest directly or make the environment unsuitable for it. Examples include traps for rodents and steam sterilization of soil.
Prevention
Pests are a nuisance because they can damage buildings, destroy or contaminate food, and create health problems such as asthma or allergies. They also present a threat to the environment by eating or transmitting diseases to wildlife, and they can cause fires by chewing through wiring. The best way to control pests is to prevent them from getting into a building or home in the first place. This can be done by removing food and water sources, sealing cracks and crevices, and maintaining the structure. Regular inspections and maintenance help to identify pest problem areas early, allowing for timely action.
A variety of methods can be used to prevent pest infestations, including monitoring and baiting. When pesticides are necessary, they should be chosen and applied carefully to minimize risks to human health, beneficial insects, and other organisms in the ecosystem. Properly identifying the pest and studying its biology and environment helps to select the most effective management strategies.
It is important to educate homeowners on prevention methods. These include keeping stored foods in sealed containers, storing garbage in trash cans with tight lids and having regular outdoor waste collection. In addition, it is a good idea to keep wood piles away from the house, trim tree limbs that touch the roofline, and eliminate any weeds or brush that can provide hiding places for rodents or other pests.
Suppression
In many cases, pests can be controlled with methods that do not involve the use of pesticides. Infestations of plants may be prevented by weeding, mulching and regular removal of trash. Insects can be kept away by sealing cracks and crevices in walls with quality caulk, or by using steel wool in openings around pipes and drains. Birds, reptiles, and mammals can eat or kill pest insects. Many insect and insect-like species prey on other insects and on weeds, helping to keep their populations in check. The natural environment also influences pests, with weather conditions (temperature and moisture) and the growth of host plants having a direct effect on the number of plant-eating and weed-eating pests.
Eradication of pests is rare in outdoor situations, but it can be attempted in enclosed areas such as dwellings; schools; office buildings; and health care, food preparation, and retail facilities. Physical controls include traps, screens, barriers, and fences. Chemical controls include weed killers, soil fumigants, and insecticidal soaps and oils.
Pesticides can be used to control pests that are resistant to preventive measures or when other non-toxic methods are impractical or ineffective. However, when possible, non-toxic methods should be used first. If toxic chemicals are required, they should be used with the least amount of environmental impact and carefully applied to achieve the desired results.
Eradication
Eradicating pests involves taking steps to remove them from an area entirely. This could be done physically through methods like blocking cracks, windows or doors, or with chemical pest control products such as baits and crack and crevice treatments. It could also include heat or freezing treatment of crops and even fumigation of storage areas and buildings.
A pest infestation is often a serious problem that requires professional assistance to eradicate the pests and restore the property and its value. This is especially true for pests such as termites, bed bugs and rodents that are difficult to identify and require specialized equipment and knowledge to treat effectively.
Landlords and property managers should understand that using pesticides on their rental properties is a regulated activity, and they may be required to seek certification. Pest control professionals can accurately identify the pest species, assess the extent of the infestation and develop a comprehensive treatment plan to eliminate them and protect tenants and guests from health and safety risks.
The best way to prevent a pest infestation is to take the proactive approach and keep it from occurring in the first place. This includes eliminating sources of food, water and shelter for the pests, keeping garbage and woodpiles tightly closed, sealing any cracks that could allow entry to a structure, and getting rid of weeds, fallen branches or debris that could provide hiding places for critters.
IPM
IPM (Integrated Pest Management) is a systemic approach to managing pests using monitoring and cultural practices. IPM also makes use of nontoxic control methods when possible, and only uses pesticides when necessary and as a last resort. This has been shown in studies to reduce pesticide costs by a third and pest complaints by 90 percent.
IPM begins with regular inspections of landscape plants to note changes and to accurately identify pest problems when they occur. Plant damage or disease symptoms must be compared to established guidelines (action thresholds) to determine whether or not action is needed. Thresholds can be economic, such as a loss in yield or reduction in appearance, or environmental, such as the presence of specific diseases or damage-causing insects.
Avoid attracting pests to your garden by eliminating shelter and food sources. Keep compost piles away from the garden, and remove weeds, fallen leaves, and debris where pests can hide. Trim branches and shrubs that hang over buildings to prevent pests from accessing interior spaces. Make sure that trash cans, recycling bins, and dumpsters are covered to prevent rodents and other pests from entering your property.
If you do decide to use pesticides, follow label directions carefully. Avoid overusing or over-applying chemicals, and never apply them in ways that might expose children to the hazards of pesticides.
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques, including biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices and use of resistant varieties. It uses monitoring to assess pest populations and to determine if and when action is needed. Treatments are based on the best available information and minimize risks to people, beneficial insects and the environment.
To be successful, an IPM program needs to involve multiple partners and stakeholders. These include State and Federal agricultural, environmental/non-governmental, and educational organizations; nursery, greenhouse, vegetable and fruit growers; landscapers and grounds keepers; pest control product manufacturers; and the general public. IPM programs must also provide education and training through field and regional workshops and meetings; workshops and conferences; publications; and other media.
By focusing on preventing pest infestations and using chemicals only as a last resort, IPM programs can reduce costs and save time in the field or in the office. They can also help to protect human health, the environment and non-target organisms. For building residents and tenants, IPM can lower maintenance costs by reducing the need for chemical pesticides and improving building conditions that attract and support pests. It can also cut pest complaints by 90 percent. For more information, see Pest Management for Building Residents and Tenants.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques, including biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices and use of resistant varieties. It uses monitoring to assess pest populations and to determine if and when action is needed. Treatments are based on the best available information and minimize risks to people, beneficial insects and the environment.
To be successful, an IPM program needs to involve multiple partners and stakeholders. These include State and Federal agricultural, environmental/non-governmental, and educational organizations; nursery, greenhouse, vegetable and fruit growers; landscapers and grounds keepers; pest control product manufacturers; and the general public. IPM programs must also provide education and training through field and regional workshops and meetings; workshops and conferences; publications; and other media.
By focusing on preventing pest infestations and using chemicals only as a last resort, IPM programs can reduce costs and save time in the field or in the office. They can also help to protect human health, the environment and non-target organisms. For building residents and tenants, IPM can lower maintenance costs by reducing the need for chemical pesticides and improving building conditions that attract and support pests. It can also cut pest complaints by 90 percent. For more information, see Pest Management for Building Residents and Tenants.