Pest Control South Lake TX involves managing the existence of pests to prevent them from reaching unacceptable levels. Control methods include prevention, suppression and eradication.
Preventing pests from gaining access to food, water and shelter is an important step in pest control. Regularly remove trash from the outdoors, cover garden ponds and keep garbage cans tightly closed.
Pest identification is a crucial first step in any pest management program. Different pest species look very different at each stage of their life cycle. An egg, a larva, or an adult will all look very different from each other as well as from the mature form of that particular species.
This means that a person needs to know what type of pest they are dealing with in order to select the most effective control method. If a person does not correctly identify the pest, they could be misguided when choosing a management tactic, causing more damage than the original problem.
Besides, knowing the correct pest identification can contribute to safety when applying any pesticides or other chemical controls. It is important to keep in mind that most insects, plants and other organisms on the landscape play a positive role and do not need to be controlled. Control should be limited to those pests that cause more harm than is reasonably acceptable, and eradication of the pest population should only be considered when prevention methods are not adequate to prevent further spread of the pest within an environment or across environments.
For example, a rat infestation is a serious problem that would need to be addressed immediately. It is also important to understand that some natural forces like climate, natural enemies, and barriers such as rivers or forests have a significant impact on insect populations and should be taken into account when selecting control tactics.
It is also a good idea to educate customers about the benefits of preventing pest infestations. Providing them with information on how to properly use pesticides, sealing cracks, or screening windows can help reduce the amount of time and money that they spend on controlling a pest infestation.
Exclusion
Keeping pests out of buildings is one of the main goals of Integrated Pest Management. It is a preventive strategy that reduces chemical usage and focuses on turning spaces into unappetizing and difficult places for pests to invade. It is a foundational component of the process, and pest exclusion techniques include the sealing of cracks and crevices, sealing vent openings, and eliminating bridges that connect the interior to the exterior. While we commonly think of rodent exclusion, the same principles apply to other pests such as cockroaches and termites. New technologies such as sealants, particle barriers and mesh screens are becoming a more common part of exclusion strategies.
GET RID OF GAPS.
A rat can slip through a hole the size of a dime, so it is important to check for any open invitations to unwanted pests. Some of these openings are obvious, such as cracks in foundations, holes around doors and windows and damaged siding. But there are many less obvious entries that should also be addressed: open vents, gaps where utilities enter the building (e.g., water and electrical lines), and the presence of chimneys and dryer vents without caps.
Minimize the “Bridges.”
Vegetation that contacts or hangs over a building can serve as an entry point for pests. To prevent this, consider reducing ground cover by removing or trimming shrubs, removing vines that are in contact with structures and pruning trees 6 feet from the building to remove overhanging branches. Also, consider installing vegetation free zones where appropriate. This work may be beyond the scope of some pest professionals due to the tools, equipment and certifications required, so this is an opportunity for partnerships to form between PMPs and their clients.
Baits
Bait is any appetising substance used to lure prey, most commonly in the context of trapping (such as mousetraps), ambushing and angling. It’s an important part of the sport of fishing and hunting, but can also be used in pest control. It can be particularly effective in preventing an infestation from developing or worsening when used alongside other physical methods of pest control.
Some baits are natural, such as fish, insects or worms. Others are artificial, made from food that has been processed or prepared in some way, such as homemade and store-bought boilies and feed pellets for omnivorous fish, or doughballs, bread and other baits that may be scented or flavoured to attract rodents and insect pests.
Chemical baits may be in the form of aerosol sprays, dusts, or gels that are effective against a range of pests, depending on the formula. They’re usually regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and aren’t harmful to people or pets, but they can be damaging to beneficial insects, water runoff, and other parts of the environment if overused or applied incorrectly.
A good pest controller will be able to advise on the best baits for the types of pests they’re dealing with. They’ll also be aware of local laws and regulations that apply, such as COSHH, which dictates the safe handling of chemicals and pesticides. This includes ensuring that they use targeted applications rather than a scattergun approach, and that any leftover baits or chemicals are disposed of correctly. Also, if they’re using a chemical to kill pests on the inside of your home, they should always seal any cracks and crevices first. This will stop the pesticide from getting into other areas that you or your family might inadvertently come into contact with.
Pesticides
A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances that is intended for preventing, killing, destroying, mitigating, repelling or deterring any type of insect, disease, or weed. It may also be used to modify the growth or flowering rate of plants or as a desiccant (to dry out living tissues).
Chemicals can be natural, organic or synthetic. They can be in liquid, solid or powder form and can be applied as space sprays, soil drenches, termite treatments or gases. The pesticide’s mode of action – the biological process it disrupts – determines its effectiveness in controlling the targeted organism. A pesticide can be slow or fast acting and may linger in the environment for days, weeks or longer after application. Some chemicals, such as space sprays, are short lived and break down quickly in the air and soil. Others, such as surface sprays and termite treatments, linger for long periods of time. The amount of pesticide left over from a treatment can affect the health of people, pets and other non-target species.
Some pesticides are very toxic and should only be used in the most extreme circumstances when all other options have been exhausted. In addition, even low-toxic pesticides can affect the health of humans and other animals if exposed at high levels.
It is important to give employees, students and other school personnel advance notice when a pesticide is going to be used so they can take the proper precautions. For example, it is important to wash contaminated clothing and skin right away. Also, it is best to have an emergency plan in place for dealing with pesticide spills or other accidents. For more information on pesticide safety, see the OSH Answers document Pesticides – Working Safely.
Biological Control
Biological control uses predators, parasites, and disease to regulate populations of organisms that are harmful to crops (called pests). Biological controls use organisms native to the host ecosystem, or “natural enemies,” to reduce or eliminate the damaging pests. The goal of biological control is to suppress pest populations below damaging or intolerable levels without the use of chemical controls.
Several different methods can be used to introduce and release natural enemies, depending on the intended outcome of the biocontrol program. The three general approaches are importation, augmentation and conservation of natural enemies. Importation of natural enemies is used when the targeted pests are of exotic origin. This type of biological control is referred to as classical biological control.
Natural enemies that are already resident in the host ecosystem can be augmented to increase their population and effectiveness. This is referred to as augmentation biological control. Augmentation can be accomplished by mass production of the natural enemy, or by periodic inoculative releases of natural enemies in fields occupied by the target pest.
Conservation of native natural enemies can be accomplished by preserving the habitat that these organisms need to survive, and by encouraging the growth of plants that these natural enemies prefer as hosts. These plants are called “hosts.” Researchers look for organisms that are effective against only the targeted pest, and that will not have unintended effects on other native species that do not pose a threat, or on natural enemies of the target pest. Some biological control organisms can feed or parasitize a wide range of species, whereas others are highly specific, such as the caterpillar-feeding wasp Chrysomya latipes and the beetle-feeding nematode Hemipteranodes nobilis.
