Natural forces affect all organisms, influencing their numbers. Some of these factors include climate, natural enemies, and the availability of food, shelter, and water.
Threshold-based decision-making involves monitoring pest activity and determining when action should be taken. This approach focuses on prevention, suppression, and eradication – controlling the pest population to an acceptable level without damaging other aspects of nature. Connect with Exterminator Springfield MO for reliable help.
Often known as bugs or creepy-crawlies, insects buzz, scuttle, flit and slither across the planet. They are a remarkably adaptable group of animals that make up more than 80% of terrestrial species. Insects are a huge and diverse assemblage of arthropods, which also includes crustaceans and myriapods (millipedes and centipedes). It is estimated that there are 10 quintillion (that’s ten followed by 18 noughts) insects alive at any one time – more than a billion for every person on Earth. Insects display a remarkable array of behaviours, from the almost inert parasitic forms that lie in the nutrient bloodstreams of their host plants and feed by absorption to dragonflies that pursue victims through the air or predaceous water beetles that out-swim prey in water.
Insect pests can seriously damage forests, wood products, cultivated crops and agricultural produce by eating leaves, damaging fruits, tunnelling through stems, roots or fruit or by transmitting plant pathogens to wounded plants and humans via their body parts, exoskeletons or off-odors. Insects can also damage people and livestock by stinging or biting.
On the other hand, insects are a vital part of complex ecological food webs in natural and cultivated landscapes. They provide essential services like pollination, nutrient cycling, soil erosion control and acting as bio-indicators of ecosystem health.
Beneficial insects, such as predators and parasitoids, help maintain the balance of pests in cropping systems. In addition, they can provide valuable ecosystem services like nutrient recycling and soil aeration, while playing an important role in pest control. In many cases, using integrated pest management strategies that combine habitat modification, physical barriers and the use of beneficial insects can reduce the need for chemical controls.
Rodents
Rodents (order Rodentia, class Mammalia) are major pests of urban and rural environments. They are responsible for a variety of problems including destruction of crops, contamination of food products, structural damage and fire risks. They also are important vectors of diseases that include leptospirosis, rat bite fever, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Sanitation and exclusion are the key components of an effective rodent control program. They should be used in conjunction with trapping and baiting. In addition to removing food and water, sanitation techniques can help deter rodents from entering buildings, and thus make them more amenable to baiting and trapping.
To prevent rodents from gaining access to the interior of structures, seal cracks and openings in foundations, walls, floor drains, sewer pipes, electric wires and vents. Caulking, duct tape and coarse steel wool are effective materials for sealing holes. Exterior doors should be tightly fitted and have metal kick plates to prevent gnawing. Interior doors should be kept closed and floors raised 1/4 inch or more above the ground to discourage rodents from climbing on them.
Rodenticides come in many forms and formulations. Solid bait blocks are preferred over grain or pellets in bait stations because they offer greater accuracy of placement and do not spill. Liquid baits may be effective, but care must be taken to ensure they are housed in tamper-resistant stations and inaccessible to children and non-target organisms.
Traps should be placed in non-visible, inaccessible areas and checked often for signs of a rodent problem. A combination of a bait and snap traps may be needed to achieve effective rodent control. For new rodent problems, a bait and trapping program should be initiated immediately after an inspection for signs of infestation (droppings, pilfered food, gnaw marks and grease stains) is conducted.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have made a comeback after a reprieve following World War II, in part due to less potent insecticides and global travel. They are found everywhere people sleep, work and play: homes, apartments, hotels, dormitories, schools, theaters, hospitals, offices and public transportation. They are primarily a problem in urban areas, but may be found anywhere that people live and gather.
They feed on blood and can crawl from room to room, or floor to floor, snagging people as they sleep or rest. They are attracted to people and their carbon dioxide breath, and can also “hitch a ride” on clothing, luggage or shoes. Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs do not swarm around filthy places; pristine dwellings can be infested as easily as those that are crowded and unclean.
To prevent a bed bug infestation, inspect bedding and clothing regularly and wash everything that can be laundered on the hot water setting (hotter if possible). Use an EPA-approved pesticide to treat the house when necessary. When using a pesticide, make sure to read the label carefully and apply the product only as directed.
The most effective way to kill bed bugs is by heat treatment, which reaches deep into cracks and crevices where the insects can hide. It can be used in conjunction with other methods such as vacuuming, steaming or interceptor traps.
Discarding infested linens and upholstered furniture is rarely advisable, especially since the pests are resistant to most discarded items. In most cases, the best course of action is to encase the beds and other infested furniture with protective covers that are designed to keep the bugs out. Vacuuming and steaming are also good treatments, but should be combined with the encasement method to ensure that all the pests are killed.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are among humanity’s most dangerous insects, capable of transmitting diseases and causing millions of human illnesses and deaths each year, along with enormous economic loss. The ecology of mosquitoes involves hosts, vectors and pathogens in a continuous interplay that is constantly evolving under selective pressures. To successfully preserve human health while preserving the environment, pest control strategies must consider all aspects of this complex system.
Many residential mosquito control services rely on chemical spraying, often using chemicals known as pyrethrins (derived from chrysanthemum flowers) or pyrethroids (synthetic chemicals that mimic pyrethrins). These broad-spectrum insecticides are highly toxic to a wide variety of insects and have negative environmental consequences, even when used as directed.
While most species of mosquitoes do not bite humans, those that do can carry a number of potentially deadly diseases including malaria, dengue fever and west nile virus. To limit their spread and resulting disease burden, mosquito-borne disease control programs are focused on both adult and larval controls. In areas with endemic arbovirus transmission, a low density of mosquitoes is achieved through routine eradication and population-control efforts that include the removal or treatment of breeding sites and indoor/outdoor residual spraying with pyrethrins or organophosphorus compounds like malathion.
All mosquitoes need water to breed, so limiting the availability of suitable habitat by removing or draining standing water is an important component of effective mosquito control. Other important control measures include community participation in reducing breeding sources and the use of vaccines to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. However, mosquitoes have evolved resistance to the most commonly used classes of insecticides through mutations that evade pesticide binding or increase detoxification. These advances have made it challenging to maintain effective mosquito control, especially in areas with heavy burdens of mosquito-borne diseases.
Wasps
Although wasps often have a bad reputation for disrupting summer picnics and stinging people, these predatory insects provide a number of benefits to the environment. For instance, many wasp species prey on pest insects like flies, spiders and caterpillars. They also help pollinate flowers and feed other animals that rely on insect-based nutrients.
Despite these positive attributes, wasps can become troublesome for homeowners when they build nests close to the house. In addition, these territorial insects tend to gravitate toward unkempt trash cans, exposed sugary drinks and protein-rich food sources. This can be problematic when outdoor get-togethers are involved, as spilled soda and leftover food scraps can draw the attention of hungry wasps. In some cases, these items can even trigger a wasp attack when they are mistaken for an enemy.
In addition, the hive-like nests that are characteristic of wasps can pose a threat if they are built in areas where humans frequently enter and exit. This includes porches, patios and decks. The best way to keep wasps away is to keep the area clear of ripe fruit, rotting fruits and other sweet materials that can attract wasps. Additionally, it’s important to regularly inspect and seal all doors and windows. Using screens can also be a good way to limit entrance of unwanted insects, including wasps.
Finally, it’s critical to keep in mind that a wasp’s stinger is barbed. As such, it’s essential to always wear long sleeves and pants when approaching a wasp’s nest or entering an area where a hive is located. In the event of a wasp attack, it’s recommended to use a commercial wasp and hornet spray that is specifically designed with eliminating these dangerous insects in mind.