Pests can spread dangerous bacteria that cause diseases in humans, animals and plants. They can also destroy crops and contaminate food supplies.

Non chemical methods are best, but chemicals can be used if other preventive measures fail. Natural forces influencing pest populations arc important to understand and take advantage of whenever possible. Contact Pest Control Columbia MO now!

Often, the most important step in pest control involves correctly identifying the pest at hand. This can be difficult because pests may have a scary or grotesque appearance, cause injury to people and livestock or damage personal property. Incorrect identification of a pest may result in a waste of time and money on inappropriate or ineffective treatment methods.

Pest identification requires familiarity with the pest’s biology and life cycle, environmental factors that favor its development and occurrence, its food requirements and preferred habitats, and its reproductive habits. Detailed knowledge of pest behavior allows for targeted management strategies that minimize the use of chemical controls and injury to beneficial organisms.

For example, if a farmer is monitoring corn for pests and finds earwigs in the crop, it would be wise to consider using pheromone trapping or some other non-chemical method of controlling them, rather than risking wasting resources on a spray application that could actually harm the crop. Pests are also likely to change their appearance as they grow, requiring knowledge of their life cycles and developmental stages to ensure that management tactics are applied at the most vulnerable stage.

A pest’s physical form can also change depending on environmental conditions and its life cycle, for instance, a weed seedling looks much different than the mature, full-grown plant that it will eventually become. This is why it is necessary to know the pest’s characteristics before choosing the appropriate pesticide for control, so that the chemicals will be effective and will not cause injury to desirable plants.

When attempting to identify a pest, the first thing that should be done is to consult a pest identification resource such as a textbook, poster or one of the staff entomologists at Insects Limited. In addition, it is a good idea to always carry a flashlight and an extendable mirror for conducting inspections in dark, secluded areas where pests often hide. A magnifying glass can also be helpful when inspecting for insect parts, frass (excrement) or other evidence of pest activity. A copy of the pesticide label should also be kept, as it will include information such as the EPA registration number and signal words or symbols, the target pests for which the chemical is approved, how much of the product to apply, how close to harvest it can be used, and safety and handling precautions.

Prevention

Preventive pest control keeps infestations from ever occurring by eliminating conditions that attract them. Effective sanitation is one of the most important preventive techniques, as it removes food, water and shelter from pest-attracting areas. It’s also necessary to regularly inspect homes and businesses, and accurately identify pests. This ensures the appropriate pest control methods are employed, which minimizes risks to human health and property and protects beneficial insects.

Structural prevention is an important part of preventive pest control, as it focuses on strengthening and improving the physical barriers of a home or business against pests. Repairing holes in the structure, installing screens and sealing cracks can all help to stop pests from entering and damaging properties.

Educating yourself about pests is also an essential step in prevention. Learning about a pest’s life cycle, preferred environment, feeding habits and behaviour can all help you to predict its presence and abundance in your property. This knowledge can highlight weaknesses in your property’s defences and guide your pest control efforts, as you can focus on attacking the pest where it is most vulnerable.

Some pests are a nuisance because they have a frightening or grotesque appearance, like spiders and silverfish, or they bite or sting (real or perceived), such as bees, wasps and hornets, or they damage crops or personal items, such as rodents, cockroaches and clothes moths. Others cause diseases or contaminate foods, like flies and worms. Pests can also trigger allergies and sensitivities, such as with cockroaches, fleas and wasps, or they can degrade indoor or outdoor environments, as with cluster flies and pine seed bugs.

Some natural forces, such as climate, may impact all organisms and make certain pests more frequent or abundant than others. However, some of these factors can be controlled by humans, including providing adequate food, water and shelter to avoid overcrowding; removing weeds and other competitor plants; avoiding overwatering; and maintaining proper drainage systems. Rotating pesticides is another important aspect of preventive pest control, as using the same product over and over can select for resistance in the targeted pest population.

Suppression

The goal of suppression is to reduce pest numbers or damage to an acceptable level. This usually requires multiple tactics, including cultural practices, physical barriers and pesticides. When choosing and timing these tactics, consideration is given to the pest biology and behavior, economics, limitations on the area where control is needed, tolerance for injury to other organisms and environmental concerns.

Monitoring is the key to successful pest management. It involves checking your field, garden, landscape, forest, crop or building often to determine which pests are present, how many there are and what damage they have done. Monitoring also includes assessing the effectiveness of your prevention measures and determining whether the pest populations are increasing or decreasing, the success of natural enemies and the availability of effective controls.

Preventing pests is much less expensive than controlling them once they get out of hand. To prevent pests, remove any things they like to eat or live in from your property, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Wash or peel foods before eating, and store them in airtight containers to avoid infestations. Clean up your yard, removing any debris or tripping hazards that could lure them in. And fit screens on doors and windows to keep them out.

When all other methods fail, pesticides can be used to suppress and eradicate pests. However, the use of pesticides is increasingly being discouraged due to their negative impacts on human and animal health, soil quality, water quality, pollinators and other beneficial insects, biodiversity and the environment.

Biological controls can be used to enhance the effectiveness of suppressive pesticides. These include predators, parasites and pathogens that kill or sicken the pests or their eggs or larvae. However, not all species of natural enemy are effective against all pests. For example, the predatory mite Amblysieus swirskii feeds on thrips, whiteflies, broad mites and spider mites, but is ineffective against caterpillars (table 1).

Sometimes chemical controls are required indoors as well, to save valuable carpets, fabrics and furniture from insect, roach and rodent damage. In these situations, fogging may be necessary.

Eradication

Pests can be controlled through prevention, suppression and eradication. Prevention involves preventing pests from entering or spreading in an area; suppression reduces numbers and damage to acceptable levels; and eradication destroys an entire pest population. The three approaches are adapted from forestry best management practices and are used in a variety of settings to manage plant diseases, insects and weeds.

Preventing a pest problem is the easiest and most cost-effective approach. This can be achieved through inspection, monitoring and deterrence. Some plants are naturally resistant to pests and require minimal monitoring or control, while others need regular inspections and treatment for good health. A number of techniques can be employed in a preventive manner, including crop rotation, mulching, watering, and cultural practices such as weeding, planting, and pruning.

Eradication is a more difficult option for both outdoor and indoor areas, where pests can be harder to find and kill. This is especially true for introduced species that do not have natural predators or parasitoids to keep their populations in check.

NPPOs should evaluate reports of new pests, and their impacts, to determine whether they warrant a specific eradication programme. This evaluation will take into account the biology of the pest, current technology and resources for eradication, and a cost-benefit analysis. A general contingency plan should also be in place for a situation where the need to act quickly outweighs the costs of thorough analysis and planning (see ISPM 6).

When an eradication programme is undertaken, it is important that the accurate identification of the pest be assured. This will require a process that can withstand scientific and legal challenge. It may be necessary to have a verification process that includes a review of the biological evidence, an examination of methods used to prove that the pest is absent, and the issuance of a declaration by the NPPO that the pest has been eradicated.

Pesticides are a common way to control pests, but they can be harmful to humans and the environment when misused or applied improperly. Some pesticides can be toxic to wildlife and to people, as well as being harmful to the soil and waterways that carry rain into the water supply.

Kellie Pinnix