Pests can damage plants, crops, and property and affect human health. Control methods include prevention, suppression, and eradication.
Natural enemies and barriers can also help control pest populations. In some situations, releasing biological agents to control pests can be an effective and economical method of Pest Control. Contact Pest Control Columbia MO now!
Preventing pests before they damage plants is the most desirable and environmentally sound approach to managing pest problems. This requires learning about the specific pest, its behavior, and control options before any attempt is made to eliminate it. It also means keeping an eye out for early warning signs, such as new insect activity or the appearance of dead twigs in a shrub.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices are designed to reduce the use of pesticides and other chemical controls. They focus on long-term prevention of pests and their damage through habitat manipulation, cultural change, and resistant plant varieties. Less than 1 percent of all insect species are considered harmful, and most insects provide useful services such as pollination, decomposition of organic matter and food for predators.
Most pests have natural enemies that help keep their populations in check. These include predators(link is external) and parasitoids(link is external). Predators are insects that hunt and kill other organisms, including pests; for example, lady beetles eat aphids. Parasitoids are insects that lay eggs into the bodies of other insects, such as caterpillars, killing them from within. Many pathogens – bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses – suppress the populations of pest insects by attacking their tissues or internal systems.
Another way to reduce pest populations is through the use of biological control agents(link is external). These are microorganisms, such as nematodes, bacteria and fungi, that attack and kill pests without harming people or pets. Many are designed to target a particular type of insect. Bacillus thuringiensis, for example, manages caterpillars by producing a toxin that destroys the insect’s midgut. Biological management agents are usually applied when caterpillars are young, in the early summer.
Clutter provides places for pests to breed and hide. Regularly cleaning and repairing the outside of your home, removing stacks of wood and other debris that can harbor pests, is an important preventive measure. You can also seal up cracks and crevices, caulk around window frames and doors, and repair leaky plumbing to keep pests out of your house. Keep in mind that most pests aren’t just annoying; they can cause health, safety and property damage. Some pests carry diseases such as hantavirus, leptospirosis and Salmonella.
Suppression
Pests can damage plants, crops and ornamentals in gardens and homes as well as in commercial or agricultural settings. A number of pest control practices aim to keep pest populations below what is considered an unacceptable level. They do this by preventing or controlling the growth and reproduction of the unwanted organism. These practices include scouting and monitoring, using physical barriers to prevent pest entry, changing the environment of the pest, releasing natural enemies or applying chemical control agents.
Observing and monitoring pests is a good way to determine the extent of the problem. This is known as threshold-based decision making and involves assessing whether the pests are doing enough damage to warrant action. For example, a few wasps visiting your garden may not warrant any pest control. But if you find that they are nesting in your home or on your vegetable patch, it is time to take action.
Some pests are very difficult to control by means of scouting and monitoring alone, and in these cases chemical pesticides may be used. Often, chemical pest control practices are applied in combination with physical or biological controls to maximize effectiveness and minimize exposure to people and pets.
Preventative pest control practices reduce the number of pests in a garden, yard or greenhouse by keeping them away from the plants they want to destroy. Some of these preventive measures include removing any plant material that the pests could use for shelter or breeding, and sealing any cracks or crevices where they could enter. Keeping the area free of clutter also helps, since pests can hide in it or underneath it.
Biological control agents or natural enemies, are insects and other organisms that feed on or parasitize pests to reduce their numbers. These organisms are generally not affected by the same environmental factors as the pests they target and are effective against specific species of pests. For example, the predatory mite Amblysieus swirskii feeds on several different mite pests in orchards and greenhouses, and the parasitic nematode Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki kills harmful soil grubs and greenhouse whiteflies.
Eradication
The goal of eradication is the permanent removal of a pest from an environment. It can be achieved through preventative measures, but also through physical barriers and trapping, chemical treatments and removing infested plant material. Eradication is most commonly attempted in outdoor settings, such as crops, but can also be pursued in enclosed areas, such as houses and schools. It is difficult to achieve and is often expensive, but it can be a necessary step if a pest poses an immediate threat to human health or the viability of a crop.
Pesticides are the most common way to eliminate unwanted insects, but they are not without risk. Repeated use of a pesticide can lead to the evolution of resistant populations. Rotating pesticides, using non-chemical controls when possible, and employing preventive practices can help reduce the development of resistance.
Chemicals may also be used in combination with biological or cultural methods to improve their effectiveness. Microbial control agents, such as the natural bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), can be an effective, eco-friendly option for killing insects. These organisms occur naturally in soil and can be developed into strains that target specific types of insects, including beetles, flies, and mosquitoes.
Parasitic nematodes are another organic option for controlling pests, as they are small roundworms that live inside unwanted insects and feed on their internal organs. This method is also more environmentally friendly than other pesticides, as the parasite does not affect other species and it does not leave a toxic residue.
Biological control involves the introduction of natural predators, parasites and pathogens to a pest population, reducing it by attacking or infecting it. The best-known example of this is the release of sterile males to eradicate fruit flies, but there are many other examples.
Physical control methods aim to change a pest’s environment by making it unsuitable or inhospitable. This can be done through obstructive landscaping, planting crops that deter pests, or creating diversionary elements such as a wood pile that draws pests away from crops. It can also include physical exclusion, such as sealing cracks and holes that allow pests to enter a structure or building.
Controlling Natural Forces
Pests are unwanted organisms (insects, weeds, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, or vertebrate animals) that damage crops, trees, forests, lawns, food stores, buildings, or other structures and degrade terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Pests also negatively affect human health, cause economic losses, and displace desirable plant and animal species.
Pest control methods include preventing, suppressing, and eliminating pests. Prevention is based on reducing or eliminating environmental factors that encourage pest infestations. Suppression relies on using control tactics while pest numbers are low to reduce pest damage. Eradication is the complete destruction of an established pest population. Preventive and suppression strategies are more commonly used in outdoor pest situations. In indoor pest situations, eradication is the goal.
Natural enemies of insects and other pests injure, consume, or parasitize pests to control their populations. Natural enemies also alter the environment to make it unsuitable for pests. For example, soil nematodes can decrease the number of insect pests by eating them. Water, sunlight, and weather can have a direct influence on the size of some pest populations. For example, a mountain range or a large body of water can restrict the movement of many pests.
Physical or mechanical controls kill pests directly or block them from a location. Traps, screens, fences, nets, radiation, heat, and electricity all can be used to kill or keep pests from an area. Cultural practices and environmental modifications also can be used to reduce or prevent pests. For example, mulches help control weeds and steam sterilization can control diseases in some crops.
Threshold-based decision-making involves assessing the severity of pest problems and determining when to initiate control efforts. This involves examining the pests, the damage they are doing, and the environmental conditions that encouraged their growth. For example, noticing a few Japanese beetles flying around doesn’t necessarily warrant action; however, if the same pests are continually present in increasing numbers and causing significant damage, a trap crop or spraying may be appropriate. In addition, it’s important to consider whether the pests are continuous (nearly always present) or sporadic and migratory.
