Pests are organisms that negatively impact the health and/or value of crops or property. They can also cause environmental problems and annoyances.
Many pests can be controlled using physical methods like traps and bait stations. Others require chemical or biological treatments. Biological options include nematodes which are microscopic worms that can be sprayed to kill pests. For professional help, contact Pest Control Boise.
A pest is anything that invades your property and interferes with its normal use. It can be a plant, animal, or microbe that causes harm or reduces the quality of your plants, crops, or home. It can also be an insect, rodent, or weed that can cause damage to buildings or structures. It is important to know the pest’s characteristics, habits, and habitat to decide how and when it may need to be controlled.
You’ve been noticing some suspicious activity around your house. There’s a pile of droppings near your trash can, and tiny holes in the woodwork of your kitchen cabinets. You’re tempted to call a pest control expert, but before you do, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Pests can be found in many places, including:
Your local county extension service and/or pest management professional may be able to help you identify the pest. They can also provide recommendations on how to manage the pest, using non-toxic methods that are as safe and effective as possible for people, pets, plants, and the environment.
Some pests look different during various stages of their life cycles. For example, an immature beetle might resemble a caterpillar or worm. It’s important to be able to tell these apart so that you can time management tactics to target the most vulnerable stage of the pests’ life cycle.
A good way to check your pest identification skills is to take a picture of the suspected pest and compare it to an image in a bug guide, such as the UC IPM Pest Guide. There are many ways to access this information, including from a smartphone or tablet.
Once you have a good image of the pest, go over the characteristics listed for that particular species. For example, cockroaches are 1/2 inch or larger, brown to black, long antennae, flattened, live indoors, usually in the kitchen and bathroom, can bite. Prevent them by sanitizing the kitchen, keeping foods in sealed containers, and placing tight screens over vents. Booklice are very small (1-2 mm), gray to light brown insects, pinched waist, six legs, found in books and papers stored in closed containers. Dehumidify, store books and papers in sealed containers, and use granular baits to control them.
Pest Prevention
A pest infestation can be considered a nuisance or a threat to health and safety, property, or reputation. Some pests can damage a property’s structural integrity and can cause contamination with bacteria, viruses, or fungi that can lead to food poisoning. Other pests may cause physical injury to people, animals or property and can also spread disease. The goal of pest control is to prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of pests and restore balance to nature.
There are many ways to prevent pests, including pest proofing, sealing entry points and removing food and water sources. Performing regular interior and exterior inspections can discover cracks, gaps, loose siding, roof damage or utility lines that could be pest entry points. Maintaining clean facilities and storing food properly can reduce the need for pest treatment. Getting rid of trash piles, repairing leaky plumbing and regularly emptying garbage cans can also help.
Educating yourself about your pests and the options available for their control is important. Knowing a pest’s life cycle, how fast they breed, and the environment in which they live can help you determine when to take preventive measures. It is important to know if a pest is a continuous problem that requires regular management or a sporadic, migratory or seasonal nuisance that needs only occasional control.
It is also helpful to have an understanding of the natural forces that affect all organisms, including pest populations. Factors such as climate, natural enemies, natural barriers, and the availability of food, water and shelter can all influence how rapidly a pest population can grow.
In food processing environments, pests include rodents (black and brown rats and mice), crawling insects (cockroaches, ants, beetles, and flies) and flying insects (houseflies, fruit flies, fermentation flies, moths, bees, and wasps). They can introduce biological or physical contaminants to foodstuffs, contaminate machinery and the work environment, and cause direct damage to buildings and product.
Pests can be controlled using a variety of mechanical, cultural, biological and chemical methods. Integrated Pest Management is often a good option, as it allows for the monitoring of pest populations and the application of controls only when necessary. It is also helpful to consider the economic or aesthetic injury thresholds that must be reached before pest control actions are undertaken.
Pest Control Treatments
If you see pests, or signs of pests (droppings, gnats, spider webs, rodent droppings, cockroaches, ants or house centipedes), it’s time to call for pest control. If you hear noises, such as scratching, scuttling or whining, it’s even more urgent to contact a pest management company, as these are often indications of an active infestation.
Once a professional has identified the pest and studied its environment, he or she will tailor a specific treatment. This may involve baits, dusts, gels, or crack and crevice sprays. Whenever possible, it is preferable to use less-toxic alternatives to conventional pesticides. Ask your pest control company what they offer, and be sure to choose companies that have a good track record of using low-toxicity options.
Some pests have a fierce, scary or grotesque appearance, like bed bugs and silverfish; some bite or sting (real or perceived), such as ants, cockroaches, wasps and cluster flies; some damage homes, gardens or personal items, such as mice, cockroaches and fleas; and others carry and spread diseases, like roaches, ticks and mites. The key is to eliminate conditions that provide pests with food, water or shelter, such as removing debris and eliminating places where pests breed, such as rotting logs and weeds; fixing leaky pipes; regularly removing garbage and emptying garbage cans; and keeping food in plastic sealed containers.
Pest control treatments, especially baits, are more effective when the environment is not crowded with other organisms. Ask your pest control provider if they offer biological pest control, or “predator release,” in addition to their standard chemical offerings. This involves introducing natural enemies of the pest, such as predation or parasitism, into the ecosystem to control the pest.
Depending on the type of pest control used, it will take a few weeks for the population of visible pests to decline. You might also notice an increase in activity at a location after treatment, as pests are scavenging for food that was previously unavailable. Avoid mopping floors after treatment, as this will interfere with the binding of the pesticide to the soil.
Recommendations
A pest control service should offer a full evaluation of your pest infestation, then provide a detailed treatment plan. The service should also discuss what steps you need to take in preparation for the treatments and any other questions or concerns that you may have. This type of transparent communication with clients is one of the hallmarks of a reputable service.
A good pest control service will have a wide range of methods for treating both residential and commercial properties. However, not all of these methods are suitable for every situation. Some of the most effective pest control techniques are hygienic, biological and physical. These techniques are designed to reduce the number of pests by removing food, water and shelter sources or by physically dislocating them.
Maintaining a clean home is the most basic preventive measure that you can take. Regularly sweeping and vacuuming will remove the debris that attracts pests, including rodents, spiders and cockroaches. This is especially important in kitchens, where crumbs left on counters or islands can quickly lead to infestations.
If you have children or pets, a sanitary home environment is even more critical. Keep toys and pet items in storage when not in use, and keep garbage and recycling bins sealed tightly to prevent pests from entering them. Clutter and wood piles around the house can also act as highways for pests, so make sure that they are cleared away or placed far from the home’s foundation.
Biological and physical pest control techniques include traps, baits and exclusion. These can be used as part of an integrated pest management program, or on their own. The goal of these treatments is to reduce the number of pests to a level that can be tolerated without using toxic chemicals.
Some natural forces affect all organisms, causing populations to rise and fall. Some of these factors are beyond human control, but you can reduce the impact of other environmental influences on your pest population, such as climate, natural enemies, barriers and availability of food and water.
In order to choose the best pest control company for your needs, consider their service areas, prices, reputation and guarantees. Check online reviews and BBB ratings for each option to determine which is the right choice.