Pest control is a set of techniques for keeping unwanted pests from damaging food products and premises. It includes prevention, suppression, and eradication.
Pests are rodents, birds, and insects that spoil food or damage buildings and structures. Control measures include exclusion, repulsion, and the use of chemicals. Pheromones, such as those used in traps to attract male insects, can be helpful. Contact PermaKill Exterminating now!
Pest identification is an important first step in a pest control program. Without a good understanding of what pest you are dealing with, it can be easy to waste time and money trying to control the wrong species. Accurate pest identification can also help you decide whether or not you need to take action, and what type of pest control is needed.
Pests differ in life cycle, behavior, and preferred food sources. In addition, different species of a particular pest may be affected by the same insecticide. A proper pest identification can also reveal weaknesses that can be exploited in a management program.
Most pests are not as easy to identify as one might think. As they grow and develop, they often change in appearance, so that they are hard to distinguish from non-pests or other members of their species. Some may even have different color forms. A good reference for pest identification is available through many books, the internet, or your local Cooperative Extension agent.
Some common pests include:
Cockroaches: 1/2 inch or larger, brown to black, long antennae, flattened; found in kitchen and bathroom areas. Sanitation is the primary control method. Cockroaches are a carrier of a number of diseases including Salmonella, E.coli, and hantavirus.
Booklice: very small (1/8 inch or less), mite-like, grey or tan, with three tails, can be winged or wingless; found in books and papers in cabinets, closets, bathrooms, near furnace, in wall voids, etc. Dehumidify the area and store materials in sealed containers.
Carpet Beetle Larvae: 1/14 inch or less, carrot-shaped, furry, can be seen in attics and walls during winter when sun exposure warms them. Remove debris and clean crawl spaces.
A flashlight and a magnifying glass are essential tools for inspecting harborage areas, points of entry, maintenance needs, sanitation deficiencies, and other problem sites. A telescoping mirror helps inspectors reach nooks and crannies under equipment and furniture. A scraping tool can also be helpful for removing material where pests are hiding or nesting. A swatter or fly catcher is also helpful for capturing pests without the use of chemicals.
Pest Entry Points
As the seasons change, pests become more active in their search for warmth and shelter. In many cases, all they need is a small crack or gap to gain entry into a home or business. This is why understanding and identifying pest entry points is so important. It is also an important step in pest prevention, as it helps to keep the pests out!
Almost any space connecting your building to the outside can be an entry point for pests. Small crevices, the spaces between your windows and doors, clogged vents and chimneys, loose shingles and siding are all potential areas for pests to enter a building. Additionally, cracks around the foundation, soffits, gable vents, and basements provide access points for pests to crawl through to reach the inside of a building.
While the garage is often considered a barrier between the indoors and outdoors, it can be a prime entry point for pests as well. If the garage is connected to the house, it can provide an easy pathway for rodents, cockroaches and other pests to move from the garage into the living spaces. Cracks and gaps, especially in the garage door itself, are common entry points for pests. It is important to regularly check these areas for damage and seal them to prevent pests from entering.
Another common entry point for pests is under and around doors. It is important to frequently inspect these areas and make sure the door sweeps are in good condition and there are no gaps or spaces where the doors connect to the frames. Additionally, it is a good idea to regularly replace weather stripping and repair any torn window screens. Remember, pests can fit through surprisingly tiny openings!
If you have trees on your property, it is crucial to keep them trimmed. Pests can use the tree branches as a bridge to get up onto your roof or into your walls, and they can also enter your home through the gutter system. In addition, it is recommended that you store firewood at least 20 feet from the house and keep the shrubbery and brush trimmed to reduce their hiding spots.
Pest Attraction
The most effective way to deal with pests is to prevent them from entering your home or business. This means that you need to be vigilant about the things you do at home and work. Some of these things are obvious and can be easy to fix, while others are not so obvious and can lead to serious infestations.
One of the biggest draws for most pests is food. Rodents and cockroaches will eat anything they can get their hands on, including leftover food in the pantry or crumbs from cookies. In the field, they may scavenge grain boxes and seed containers from farm fields prior to harvest or raid sheds for stored grass seed.
Clutter also attracts pests to homes. Piles of twigs and branches can make a great place for rodents to nest or build dens, and insect pests love to hide in cluttered spaces. Make sure to clean out your clutter, especially if it is in the garage or basement.
Many pests are controlled by natural enemies or parasitoids, which can be found in the cropping system itself or in the surrounding environment. Using a mixture of predators and parasitoids can often reduce or eliminate a pest population without the need for chemical intervention. Biological management is particularly effective with soil-inhabiting pests that have restricted host ranges and short life cycles.
Another important tool in pest control is the use of trap crops. These are planted in a cropping system to lure or capture pests that are damaging the main crops. Then, a beneficial insect, such as a praying mantis, is released to prey on the targeted pest. The use of a predatory organism is also an excellent method of controlling insects that damage fruit trees.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective strategy to prevent pest problems before they start and can be a much safer and more environmentally responsible alternative to blanket spraying with conventional chemicals. For example, a pest such as the green June beetle can be reduced by planting trap crops that are attractive to the beetles and by integrating these with the main crop.
Pest Odors
When pests occupy a space, they often create unpleasant odors that can quickly lead to a health hazard. These odors can come from droppings, urine, fecal matter and decaying organic materials that pests use to build nests. Odors also result from the gases that some pests release during their interactions with people and other pests. In addition, pests can leave behind traces of their activity, such as residual pheromones, discarded shells and gnawed wood.
Odors are an important tool for detecting pest infestations. Pests rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food, mates and places for laying eggs. Their olfactory system consists of antennae covered with tiny hair-like structures called sensilla. These receptors can pick up on different odor molecules, which then send electrical signals to the insect’s brain.
The odors associated with pest infestations vary by species. For example, ants release citrus odours that are not as pungent as the formic acid they spray on everything they touch to kill their natural predators. The odours of termite infestations can be likened to mildew, mold or damp leaves. These odours are caused by the gasses that these pests release as they chew through wood, fungus and other material.
Many people can mistake these odors for signs of moisture damage. However, it’s always best to consult a professional about the source of these odors to determine whether or not there is a pest infestation at work.
A professional can help identify the type of pest causing the odours and recommend effective pest control measures. This may include treating affected areas with odour-neutralizing products, sealing entry points and addressing any other conditions that could make a space unsuitable for pests.
Pest infestations can cause serious damage to property, contaminate food, and create health hazards for humans. Addressing pests promptly can help minimize the risk of these damages and save time and money on costly repairs.
A regular maintenance routine for a warehouse that includes a pest prevention program can make all the difference in keeping your facility safe and secure. Once you’ve made your building ant, cockroach and rodent-proof, removed possible food sources, sealed all entry points, and put in place a good sanitation regimen, it’s time to focus on pest odours.
