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Chemical pesticides can have serious health implications when used incorrectly or if children and pets come into contact with them. They can also harm surrounding plants and cause environmental damage. Contact Pest Control Chesterfield MO for professional help.
Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on Earth. They range in size from microscopic to the wingspan of the hercules beetle. They can fly, crawl, swim, dig, suck, burrow, chew, or sting, and many produce pheromones to attract mates.
Insect populations fluctuate wildly. They are affected by temperature, humidity, precipitation and the presence of natural enemies such as predators and parasitoids. Consequently, troublesome insects may not be numerous in some years and in others they may cause serious damage to or even destroy plants.
Proper identification of insect pests is the key to controlling them. This can be done by examining the insects, their eggs, and their damage or by referring to various publications such as the USDA guides, Peterson Field Guides and ‘Destructive and Useful Insects of America North of Mexico’ (Metropolitan Entomology Service). Insecticide treatment is most effective when it is applied when the insects are first detected, usually in small numbers. Then all surfaces can be treated with the minimum amount of chemical and the insecticide will be more likely to kill the pests.
Insects are of special concern to pest management professionals because they also serve as vectors of pathogens that can cause diseases in humans and other animals. The most common pathogens transmitted by insects are viruses and bacteria, resulting in more than 700,000 deaths per year worldwide from vector-borne diseases. The best way to limit the number of vectors is by reducing the use of chemicals and by introducing or maintaining populations of natural enemies such as birds, bats, dragonflies and lizards. Another important step is to practice sound cultural practices in order to minimize crop losses and the need for chemicals.
Rodents
Rodents are mammals that vary in size from a rat to a capybara. Their unifying feature is teeth that are optimized for gnawing and chewing. These incisors never stop growing, and as they gnaw, they can cause structural damage to buildings and wires, spoil crops, and transmit diseases when they come in contact with humans. Some rodent species are considered to be invasive and have contributed to the extinction of island birds, such as the dodo.
The most common pest rodents that people encounter are mice, field mice and wood rats. The house mouse is a dark colored rodent that can be found in cities and suburban areas, while the field mouse is larger and typically lives in fields and open areas. Wood rats have long tails and are typically brown in color. These rodents are considered to be a nuisance pest and can cause food contamination in people’s homes by chewing through packages, walls and other items in order to gain access to the food they find inside.
These rodents are also a significant source of diseases when they enter the home, contaminating food and spreading germs through their droppings. Diseases that are spread through rodents include Lyme disease, Salmonella, Leptospirosis and Hantavirus.
Mice and rats can be extremely difficult to control once they are inside a building. Inspecting for signs of rodents can be done by examining all areas, including those that are hard to see like behind furniture or appliances. Observe for gnaw marks, droppings and sebum trails (an oily residue that appears on pathways that rodents use frequently). Identifying these signs can help to determine where rodents are coming from and how they are entering.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are wingless insects that feed on blood and tend to bite people during sleep, usually leaving reddish-brown fecal spots or light-colored shed skins. Heavy infestations may cause itchy welts. Bed bugs are a difficult pest to control and serious infestations can spread rapidly. The most effective strategies involve thorough sanitation and habitat modification practices. Insecticides are used to supplement these methods. Infestations often spread from apartment to apartment and from house to house on infested furniture or secondhand bedding.
A thorough inspection is the key to detecting and controlling bed bug problems. Inspect the seams, tufts and crevices of mattresses, box springs, headboards and dressers. Check for fecal spots and light-colored shed skins, which resemble poppy seeds. Also inspect nearby furniture, such as nightstands, dressers and chairs, for signs of bed bugs; upholstered items should be steam-cleaned or dried in hot temperatures above 120 degrees. Check closets, drawers and other storage areas for signs of bed bugs. Look behind picture frames and wall hangings for bed bugs, and examine baseboards and other void areas for out-of-the-way hiding spots.
The use of a vacuum cleaner with a nozzle attachment helps to reduce the population and remove dead insects and eggs. Vacuuming should be done daily, and the vacuum bag should be sealed and discarded promptly. Laundering bedding, clothes and other textiles in hot water above 120 degrees Fahrenheit kills the bugs and their eggs. Infested items that cannot be washed should be steamed, heated or placed in a freezer using specialized equipment.
Insecticides can be effective but must be properly applied. Aerosol “bug bombs” and other sprays mainly kill the insects that are exposed, and don’t reach out-of-the-way places behind baseboards and in wall voids. Dust products such as borates and diatomaceous earth, along with formulations of the botanical insecticides pyrethrins or pyrethroids, can provide effective control as part of an integrated pest management program.
Wasps
As wasps and yellow jackets become more aggressive during late summer and fall, it is important to be aware of the risks associated with interacting with their nests. These pests often sting when they are threatened or if their colony is attacked, and some people can have serious allergic reactions to wasp stings. If you are stung, avoid running or flailing around the area since these actions could trigger a wasp swarm to continue attacking. Instead, try to calmly and slowly move away from the area to allow it to disperse. Some wasp species also release pheromones that signal to other wasps to join the attack, so leaving the area quickly can reduce the likelihood of additional attacks.
The papery nests that you see clinging to trees, eaves, and other sheltered locations are made from regurgitated wood and plant material mixed with wasp saliva. Some solitary wasps will also paralyze and lay their eggs inside the bodies of insects such as caterpillars, spiders, and beetles to protect their young from predation. Solitary wasps are also effective pollinators and help with plant fertilization.
Despite their negative connotations, wasps are valuable pest control agents for crops and natural ecosystems. Their predatory behaviors, such as killing caterpillars that feed on plants, can lower insect populations and reduce the need for chemical pesticides in agriculture. Additionally, many solitary wasps can parasitize or paralyze crop pests that require the use of toxic chemicals in their control, such as caterpillars and fruit flies.
Using parasitic wasps in agricultural settings should be done with care, as some crops are highly sensitive to these pests. In addition, if farmers do not carefully monitor pest populations and their responses to pesticides, the use of these products may negatively impact biodiversity and ecosystem functions. It is therefore important to balance the use of conventional pesticides with biocontrol strategies in order to achieve sustainable crop production.
Ants
Ants are among the most abundant insects in nature and provide many ecosystem services including pest control. However, their presence in homes and gardens may cause problems such as food contamination, structural damage, sabotage of crops, and health issues (stings).
Ant infestations can cost homeowners thousands of dollars in extermination costs and repair bills. Carpenter ants in particular nest in wood, which can compromise the structural integrity of buildings. The sting of some species can be painful or even toxic to humans.
For do-it-yourself ant management, baits in refillable bait stations offer the safest and most effective treatment. In addition to these measures, repairing leaks, caulking cracks and crevices, and keeping trees and shrubs trimmed away from structures can help keep ants out.
If a problem persists, it is best to contact an IPM-certified pest management professional trained in the use of integrated ant management. In addition to specialized materials, such as fipronil, these professionals can apply gel baits at entry points to eliminate the colony before it expands.