Randolph Pest Control strategies include prevention, suppression and eradication. Prevention is often achieved by removing the food, water or shelter that pests need. Sanitation practices also help prevent or suppress some pests.
Physical controls such as traps, screens and barriers may be used to block pest entrance into an area. Physical methods of controlling pests can also include removing debris and improving sanitation to reduce food and water sources.
Pest identification is the first step in a successful pest control effort. Whether the problem is a plant, insect, vertebrate animal or disease, accurate identification allows for appropriate and effective integrated pest management decisions to be made.
Incorrect pest identification can lead to improper and inappropriate treatment, which can result in unintended damage or add unnecessary environmental burden. For example, a pesticide that is intended to control spruce budworms might be applied to oak trees and unintentionally kill the more desirable tree species, such as white oak.
Pests are organisms that cause adverse effects on the economic, environmental or cultural health of an area. This can be accomplished through direct injury to living organisms or indirect damage caused by weeds, competition with crops for nutrients, or contaminating surfaces and nonliving environments. Pests can also spread diseases or provide nutrition for parasites that affect humans and other organisms.
Insects, weeds, pathogens, and diseases all require different control tactics; therefore, pests must be accurately identified prior to selecting appropriate controls. The key to identifying pests is to become familiar with the pest’s life cycle, habitat requirements, time of occurrence, and reproductive habits. In addition, signs and symptoms of pests can be a helpful aid in identification. These include things like smear marks, tooth marks on branches and leaves, droppings, and weakened plant growth.
There are many different resources for pest identification, including a variety of online resources. However, it is important to recognize that information posted on the web can be inaccurate or out of date. It is recommended that users consult two to three sources to confirm the accuracy of identification.
For instance, an immature beetle might look similar to a caterpillar or worm, making it difficult to identify. To prevent misidentification, the following steps should be taken:
Prevention
Preventing pests is a more cost-effective strategy than dealing with a full infestation. Eliminating pests before they cause damage can save a business money on food loss, structural repair costs and clean up. Prevention also helps maintain a company’s reputation by demonstrating its commitment to cleanliness and safety.
Physical controls (traps, screens, barriers and fences) are devices used to prevent pests from entering an area. Chemical controls are substances, such as pesticides, that are applied to kill or repel the target pests. Biological controls involve the use of natural enemies, such as parasites or predators, to control pest populations. Chemical and biological control methods are often combined, as a combination can provide more effective and longer-lasting results than either one alone.
Many pests enter buildings for water, food or shelter. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate all sources of these materials from the building and its surroundings. This is called pest proofing and may include installing a barrier around the outside of the building, sealing entry points, and removing all sources of food and water inside.
Other physical and mechanical controls include sanitizing, cleaning, and storing food in rodent-proof containers, as well as maintaining clean facilities. These steps can help control pests that might otherwise contaminate food products or create health hazards in workers.
Chemical pesticides can be used to kill or repel specific pests, but they are generally less effective than preventive measures. Care must be taken when using pesticides, as they can contaminate the environment and can even be toxic to humans and other animals. It is important to choose a pesticide carefully, read and follow its label instructions, and apply it only when necessary.
Some pests can be predicted and controlled when the conditions that favor their presence arc recognized. Continuous pests, such as cockroaches and termites, can be prevented by caulking and weather stripping, while sporadic or migratory pests such as plant diseases and mosquitoes may be controlled by monitoring and scouting to identify their presence and number.
Natural factors, such as climate, can restrict the growth of some pests by limiting their food and water supply or by providing natural barriers. In addition, features such as mountains and large bodies of water can limit the movement of pests by restricting their access to food, water and breeding sites.
Suppression
Managing pest populations requires the use of a variety of tactics, or methods, in order to achieve control. Suppression strategies may include the use of natural enemies, chemicals, and mechanical controls. Using a combination of tactics is usually most effective. To be successful, suppression should cause as little harm to people and the environment as possible. It also should follow local, State and Federal laws and regulations.
Some of the forces that affect pests directly and indirectly include climate, food and water supplies, roosting sites, natural barriers, shelter, and predators. Predator species — such as birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians — often suppress pest numbers by attacking them directly or by killing their hosts. Some of these species may also consume the pests themselves or parasitize them.
Weather conditions — such as rain, cold temperatures, and drought — can reduce pest populations by disrupting normal patterns of growth and reproduction. Natural barriers — such as mountains and bodies of water — can restrict pest movement. Generally, pest populations thrive only as long as the food and water supply lasts. When these are exhausted, the pests die or become inactive.
Chemicals — such as herbicides and insecticides — can destroy or repel many pests. Biological controls — including parasites, fungi, and bacteria — can also be used to manage pests. Fungi are especially useful in controlling insects, because they spread by releasing spores that germinate on the pest’s cuticle and develop special structures that penetrate into the body to kill it. Bacteria and nematodes spread by feeding on or infecting the pests.
Generally, the best method of pest control is prevention. This includes regular inspection of the premises for signs of pest activity and steps to correct conditions that make the property attractive to them, such as stacks of firewood or debris near a home, which can attract rodents and other insects. Other preventive measures include keeping food in containers or sealed tightly, washing produce and meats before eating them, and closing off places where pests can hide or breed. It is important to keep a close eye on pest activity and to take action right away when problems are identified.
Eradication
As the name suggests, eradicate seeks to eliminate pests. This is usually accomplished through chemical control methods such as herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides and larvicides. These chemicals are typically used to attack the pest directly or interfere with its life cycle. Eradication campaigns are usually more successful than suppression or prevention efforts. They can also be more difficult to implement. Eradication of pests is often a long-term process with repeated monitoring and control measures.
Pests are unwanted organisms (bacteria, fungi, insects, vertebrates and plants) that damage or devalue human crops or property. They can also disrupt ecosystems. They can harm people and animals by transmitting diseases. They may displace native species and alter soil health, water availability, nutrient content and fire conditions.
Eradication is the elimination of a pest at a local or international level. The likelihood of success is dependent on several factors such as taxonomic kingdom (animalia, bacteria, fungi, plantae or viruses), biogeographic region (Europe, Americas or Australasia) and the timing of intervention. Reaction time to the outbreak is important; starting eradication within four years of the initial invasion increases chances of success threefold compared to reacting after this period. The probability of eradicating an invasive plant also depends on the mode of introduction into the region. Those introduced for cultivation and released from their original habitat are more likely to be eradicated than those introduced in the wild.
For example, many weeds are considered invasive because they can overrun crop and pasture land, taint hay and other forage products, or invade forests, riparian corridors, estuaries and other natural habitats. Sutter County Pest Eradication Program seeks to identify these weeds and remove them from private property and public lands as quickly as possible. The word eradicate is derived from the Latin root eradicare, which means “to pull up by the roots.”
Some pests are continuously present and require regular control; others are sporadic or cyclical; and still others are potential pests that could become problematic under certain conditions. In addition to preventive and reactive control measures, governments can institute regulatory control measures. These are laws or regulations designed to ensure that pests are not allowed to enter a country or region or cause a particular problem once they are here.