Pests have a frightening or disgusting appearance (like spiders, silverfish and earwigs). They bite or sting (like fleas, mosquitoes, cluster flies and bees). They cause damage to homes or gardens (like rats, cockroaches and mice).
There are many ways to deter pests. These include reducing food sources by keeping garbage bins tightly closed, and regularly trimming trees. For more information, Visit our website.
Insects are the largest group of arthropods, with more than a million described species. They have a chitinous exoskeleton, three parts to their body (head, thorax and abdomen), two pairs of legs, compound eyes and piercing mouthparts.
In addition to being a source of food, many insects are beneficial. They pollinate flowers, aerate soil, keep insect populations in check and provide raw materials for dyes and silk.
Properly timed applications of pesticides are essential to a successful integrated pest management program. The type of control method used depends on the pest’s life cycle, weather conditions and cultural practices. The mode of action also plays an important role. For example, stomach poisons such as Sevin dust and Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, dust require that the insect ingest them to be effective, while contact chemicals such as Sevin spray kill insects on contact.
Rodents
Rodents are opportunistic feeders that can cause damage to buildings and crops. They also transmit more than 35 diseases directly or indirectly, including Hepatitis E and Leptospirosis.
Their lifestyles and habitats vary significantly, but almost half of all mammal species are rodents. They are active all year round, except for periods of dormancy and deep hibernation. They have sharp incisors for gnawing, digging, and excavating shelters and burrows.
Reduce the number of rodents in and around your home or business by storing food properly, cleaning up crumbs, and removing any debris that could provide shelter. Place nontoxic monitoring bait blocks in tamper-resistant stations and inspect frequently. Also, trim brush and dense shrubbery near your structure. Then, clean up any garbage dumps and trash receptacles that may attract rodents. Also, sanitize areas that have been touched by rodent droppings or urine.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a challenging pest to control, particularly in apartments and multifamily buildings. Bed bug treatments require vigilance and cooperation from residents to be successful. Bed bugs are resilient and can survive treatments that don’t fully penetrate their hiding places.
Adult common bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are flat and reddish brown, about the size of an apple seed. They’re active at night, seeking warm hosts to bite and eat. They also seek shelter in mattresses, box springs, bed frames and other furniture, drawers, rugs, pillowcases, curtains, non-washable clothing and wall hangings.
Washing fabrics in hot water and drying them on high heat reduces the population of both live bugs and their eggs. A spot treatment with a liquid or dust formulation of an insecticide can be applied to cracks and crevices harboring the insects, as well as on furniture legs and bases.
Termites
Termites are one of the most devastating pests to infest homes and buildings. An entire colony can consume an enormous amount of wood in a short period. Left untreated, they can render a house structurally unsafe and prone to collapse.
In many states, a licensed termite control professional can drill and treat the soil around the foundation and piers of your home to protect against infestations. This is done by placing a continuous chemical barrier into the ground that is designed to prevent termites from tunneling up and infesting your home.
To minimize your risk, reduce the amount of wood that comes in contact with the soil around your home by storing firewood away from your house and promptly repairing leaks. Regular termite inspections by a certified pest control specialist are also recommended.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are two-winged flies (Diptera: Culicidae) and, in some species, vectors of pathogens that cause mosquito-borne diseases. The ability of any given mosquito to transport pathogens between vertebrate hosts depends on its anatomy, ecology and behaviour.
The Aedes genus, which is responsible for most mosquito-borne disease transmission in Florida, is comprised of several species with different ecology and physiology, making integrated control strategies challenging. Aedes aegypti, for example, has adapted to urban environments by becoming more anthropophilic and breeding in human-made containers, such as buckets, cisterns, flowerpots and tires.
Mosquito control requires community participation in mosquito larval control and surveillance and education efforts. You can help reduce mosquito populations by repairing torn window screens, removing standing water in your yard by aerating or draining areas, and dumping out old tires or other debris. You can also reduce mosquitoes by treating vegetation with adulticides like pyrethroids or organophosphates, such as allethrin, cypermethrin and permethrin.
Fleas
Fleas are a common problem that can cause intense itching in pets and humans. They spread tapeworms, can transfer the bubonic plague and are known carriers of the bacterial disease murine typhus.
A licensed pest control operator can use a number of methods to help eliminate fleas in the home and garden. Good hygiene practices such as frequent vacuuming and washing of pet bedding and collars can also reduce the risk of flea infestations.
When an infestation does occur, a pest professional can use granular products to eradicate flea eggs, larvae and pupae. They can also treat kennels and cat runs with insecticide sprays to kill adult fleas. It’s important to regularly comb pets for fleas and wash their bedding, as well as address rodent problems by removing debris and sealing crawl spaces and basements. These measures will also help prevent fleas from transporting themselves to your home on rodents or wild animals.
Ants
One of the most abundant insect species on the planet, ants prey on many types of pests. Farmers worldwide use ants to help control crop pests, and they have proven more effective than commercial pesticides.
Ants can be difficult to identify, especially when they’re nesting in buildings. Several species can cause damage, including pharaoh ants in hospitals and long-term care facilities, where they spread disease.
Generally, ants that nest outside don’t damage lawns and gardens, but a few species can. Ants that invade houses should be controlled with baits rather than pesticide sprays, to avoid exposing people, pets and beneficial insects. Outside, ants aerate soil, remove weed seeds and reduce populations of pests that feed on grass. This helps reduce reliance on chemical controls for pests such as pear psylla. Formica neoclara and Formica podzolica are appropriate ant species for Washington orchards.
Wasps
Wasps are a common sight in our gardens and can be annoying pests when they build their nests near people, pets and other objects. But if we understand wasps, we can help them and protect ourselves from their aggression and property damage.
Solitary and parasitoid wasps are important members of the ecosystem. They are carnivorous, preying on pest insects like flies, mosquitoes, and spiders. They also serve as pollinators.
Solitary wasps are particularly beneficial around crops. They provide a natural control for some of the most troublesome crop pests, including aphids, whiteflies, leaf miners and stink bugs.
Bees
The use of agrochemicals is sometimes unavoidable, however there are methods available to minimize impact on honey bees and other pollinators. Certain chemistries of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides have significant negative effects on bee health, and are known to weaken their immune system, making them more vulnerable to other stressors, such as pathogens and poor nutrition.
Foraging bees encounter pesticides on their plant-visited surfaces, in their water and in the nectar or pollen they gather for their colonies. Many of these chemicals, such as neonicotinoids, organochlorines (e.g., coumaphos and chlorpyrifos), and carbamates are toxic to bees, with lethal or sub-lethal impacts.
To help protect bees, hives should be sited to avoid fields with frequent spray applications and to prevent pesticide drift into the hive. Consider using weed-free buffers of non-crop, nectar or pollen-producing plants around cropland to provide forage and habitat for bees.
Wasp Nests
Wasps are territorial creatures, and a wasp nest near your home can be a real nuisance. As soon as a nest is noticed, you should consider calling a pest control specialist.
Some wasp species build nests that resemble umbrellas, while others are built of mud or paper. The best time to spray wasp nests is during the night or early in the morning when activity is low.
In addition to being unsightly, wasp nests can cause structural damage to your home or building. Some wasp species will chew through wood, compromising the integrity of your structure and possibly leading to costly repairs. Attempting to remove a wasp nest on your own can also be dangerous. If the nest is located in a wall cavity or other hard-to-reach area, you should consult professionals for both pest control and electrical safety.
