Pests are:
- Organisms that cause losses by consuming or damaging plants, crops, and their parts.
- Contaminating food with disease-causing microorganisms.
- Attacking animals and structures.
Pest Control Meridian ID involves diminishing these losses by controlling the pests’ populations.
There are four major types of pest control: prevention, suppression, eradication, and monitoring. Natural forces that affect pest populations include climate, natural enemies, and barriers such as water, food, and shelter supplies.
Pests are a major health and sanitation concern because they can introduce pathogens and contaminants and damage food products and premises. They include rodents (black and brown rats and mice), insects, such as cockroaches and ants, and birds.
Proper hygiene practices are the most important preventive measure against pest infestations. This includes regular inspections of the property, particularly places where pests like to hide or breed. It also includes cleaning up crumbs and spills on floors, walls, and counters, and storing food in containers with tight seals, or in sealed plastic bags. It is also a good idea to close off entry points, including gaps around windows, doors, and vents, with caulk or some other type of sealant. It is also a good idea to trim bushes and keep lawns and tree limbs away from the house, as these can provide pests with a bridge into the building.
Keeping food in containers with tight seals can reduce the likelihood of pest infestation. In addition, storing foods in the refrigerator or freezer can help protect them from pests, as can regularly washing and rinsing dishes. Keeping the garbage closed in sealed cans or trash bins will also deter pests, as will properly disposing of food scraps. Getting rid of clutter will also deter pests, as they are more likely to be attracted to places where there is food and shelter.
Another important preventive step is to identify and seal potential entry points for pests, such as gaps around doors and windows, cracks in the foundation, and holes for pipes or utility lines. These can be sealed with caulking or weatherstripping, and window screens should be kept tightly closed. Keeping the yard clean and eliminating piles of weeds or debris, as well as avoiding overgrown bushes and trees will also deter pests, as will ensuring that all garbage is put in tightly closed containers.
In the event that preventive measures fail to control a pest problem, chemical controls may be necessary. However, it is important to use the least toxic and environmentally sensitive options. This is called Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which combines preventive steps with targeted treatments and monitoring. In IPM, chemical controls are used only when they are needed and when the benefits outweigh the risks to people, pets, beneficial insects, and plants.
Suppression
Whenever possible, pests should be prevented from entering living or working spaces. The best preventive measures include regular cleaning and good sanitation. Pests are attracted to crumbs, garbage, stagnant water, and cluttered areas where they can breed or hide. Rodents and insects are also drawn to moisture, which they use to regulate their body temperature, so eliminating sources of moisture is essential. Moisture can build up in poorly ventilated rooms or when water leaks from pipes or roofs.
It’s also important to inspect the exterior of buildings on a regular basis for cracks, gaps, and holes that could allow pests in. Regularly examine the foundation, siding, roof, and utility openings. Caulking or weatherstripping these areas can be an inexpensive and effective way to keep out pests. It’s a good idea to replace old window screens and repair damaged ones as well.
If preventive methods fail, the goal of pest control is to reduce their numbers to an acceptable level without harming people or property. This may involve removing some of the population or using control methods that cause minimal damage to non-target organisms and the environment. Control options are divided into categories based on how long they’re needed: continuous pests that require regular management, seasonal or cyclical pests that don’t need control under normal circumstances, and occasional or sporadic pests that need control occasionally.
Some pests, such as rodents and cockroaches, are difficult to eliminate completely, but preventive steps can reduce their numbers significantly. Infestations of these and other pests can cause property damage, health problems such as allergies or asthma, and stress. When a pest infestation occurs, it’s critical to act quickly. Signs of a pest problem include gnawed wires, droppings, or chewed food packaging. Unusually loud scratching or scurrying sounds and odors are also indicators of an ongoing pest infestation. Use baits or traps instead of spraying pesticides, and always read and follow the pesticide label’s instructions and safety warnings. This will help reduce the amount of pesticide that gets into the air, water, or soil and minimize the effects on human beings, pets, or beneficial insects.
Eradication
Unlike prevention, eradication involves killing every last pest to make the area completely free of them. This method is more difficult and expensive than preventative measures, but it may be necessary if the infestation threatens human health or property. Eradication can be done through poisons, biological control or genetic manipulation. The most common approach to eradication is spraying, often using highly targeted chemicals that target only the species of pest in question.
Most people think of pest control when they see a spider crawling out from under the sink or a fly buzzing around their head, but taking steps to keep pests away before they become an issue can save time and money in the long run. Some pests are simply annoying, like itchy spider bites or flies that swoop in at dinnertime, while others carry diseases, such as fleas, bed bugs and cluster flies, or damage homes, gardens and personal belongings, such as mice, house centipedes and cockroaches.
Many pests are controlled naturally by parasites, predators or pathogens that prey on them in the wild, and sometimes by introducing new enemies into an area. This type of control is referred to as biological control and can be very effective. However, it takes a while for natural populations to increase in the face of an invasive pest. For this reason, biological control is not usually considered to be eradication.
The other main approach to pest control is to deny them the food, shelter and water they need to thrive. This includes cleaning up food debris and emptying trash on a regular basis, sealing cracks in walls and foundations, and securing doors and windows shut. In addition, removing overgrown bushes and tying back loose vines can help reduce pest hideouts in and around the home.
Lastly, using quality sealant on baseboards, repairing cracks and leaks, and removing piles of twigs and debris are all simple ways to prevent pests from entering the home. It is also important to understand where pests hang out so that when a professional sprays, they are not missing key areas that could be bug havens. For example, under sinks, in the pantry and cluttered closets, and behind stoves and refrigerators are all hotspots for pests that could enter the home.
Monitoring
Pests can’t be controlled if they keep coming back, so monitoring is a key step in controlling them. There are many ways to monitor, and the best way depends on the pest type, location and situation. Some methods are more labor intensive than others, and may require the help of a pest professional.
The most basic form of monitoring is observation: the act of watching for and noticing signs of pests. This includes sightings, such as cockroaches running across floors or gnawed food packages, and evidence, such as droppings or chewed wires. Observation is a vital part of any pest control strategy, as it allows the pest manager to react quickly to infestations.
Some forms of monitoring involve the use of traps or other devices that attract pests and capture them. These can include passive pit-fall traps, light traps, or attractant-based devices such as pheromone traps. Attractants such as food, odors and light can be used to lure pests into the trap.
Often, the use of these types of devices are combined with inspection and may be conducted on a scheduled basis. The results of these can then be trended to identify problems or areas that need additional attention.
In addition to traps and other device-based control methods, physical or mechanical controls can also be used to prevent or reduce pest populations. These methods can include screens, barriers, fences, netting and radiation, as well as other devices that disrupt the pest’s environment or change its food sources or shelter.
A common example of a physical control would be keeping woodpiles away from the house, regularly cleaning gutters and trimming grass to prevent pest habitat creation. The use of these kinds of controls is important in maintaining the integrity of the structure and preventing pests from finding places to hide, nest and feed.
A routine pest monitoring program is important in all homes and businesses. Having the proper equipment can make the process of monitoring easier and more accurate, and can help you detect a problem early on, before it grows into a full-blown infestation. Glue boards, for instance, are an easy-to-use and effective monitoring tool. They’re available in a range of sizes and shapes, from small sticky boards to plastic trays filled with rodent-strength glue.