Biological Pezz Pest Control uses living organisms to combat unwanted insects or plants. Examples include the bacterial agent Bacillus thuringiensis which releases a substance that destroys certain caterpillars, and parasitic nematodes which kill fleas, grubs and slugs.
Physical pest control methods use barriers or traps to capture unwanted pests. This includes things like cleaning up food crumbs or securing trash bins.
Pest identification is the first step in any pest management program. Identifying the pest allows you to determine what type of control strategy is needed. Correct identification also helps you to ensure that a problem is actually caused by the pest, rather than some other cause such as disease or weather. Incorrect pest identification often results in the application of ineffective or even dangerous controls.
Identification can be done by examining the pest in its natural environment. It is important to note what kind of environment the pest lives in, its feeding habits and other behavioral traits. This information may be used to determine whether the pest can be controlled with cultural practices or if chemical controls are necessary.
It is also important to note that a pest can take on many different physical forms during its life cycle. For example, an aphid in its egg or immature stage looks very different than the adult form. It is important to know what the different stages look like, where they occur on the plant and when they appear so that management tactics can be timed appropriately.
Insects can be identified by examining the structure of their mouthparts, wings and legs, and by paying attention to their coloration. In addition, other information such as the kind of damage they cause, their environmental and harborage conditions and the location where they are found on the plant can be useful in identifying them.
Other pests such as rodents, nematodes and fungi can be identified by observing their behavior and checking for evidence of damage or disease. In addition, some of these organisms can be detected by their odor or by emitting pheromones that affect the behavior of other organisms.
A key component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is regular monitoring of fields, landscapes, forests and buildings for the presence of pests. This monitoring is intended to give you the information needed to decide whether pests need to be controlled and, if they do, to choose the most effective control tactic at the most appropriate time. It also includes evaluating natural enemies of pests and, where possible, providing the conditions that promote their population.
Prevention
Pests include animals, fungi, germs and plants that damage or threaten human health and well-being. These organisms cause problems by contaminating food, making asthma and allergies worse or damaging homes and buildings. They also carry diseases that threaten human health and can aggravate or spread gastrointestinal, respiratory and other illnesses.
Prevention is the best approach to pest control, which aims to keep pests from causing harm or threatening to do so. It focuses on preventing the occurrence of pests by changing conditions that favor them or their growth, and removing attractants or barriers to their migration. This can be done through monitoring, habitat manipulation, or the use of resistant varieties. Pesticides are used only when necessary, and they are applied at the lowest possible dose to reduce risks to people and beneficial or nontarget organisms.
Preventing pests is an ongoing process that requires everyone at a museum to be on the lookout for prime spots for them, such as open doors or walls. Taking preventive measures can save money and time spent on dealing with an infestation of unwanted pests.
In many cases, pests can be kept under control through sanitation, blocking or reducing their food, water and shelter, or by preventing contact with artifacts. This includes the use of appropriate storage and handling methods, storing materials in sealed containers, regularly removing trash, fixing leaky plumbing and maintaining clean environments. Keeping all areas of a museum clean and clutter-free can decrease the number of pests found, as well as the risk of damage or deterioration.
Often, pests can be controlled without using pesticides, and this is the preferred method of pest management. This is known as integrated pest management (IPM). It involves monitoring to determine whether or when a pest may need to be controlled, and then choosing the best control method to achieve that goal. It is based on the understanding that natural forces affect all organisms and can either help or hinder pest control efforts. This approach takes into account the needs of the environment, the biology of the pest, and its interaction with humans.
Suppression
Pest control is the action taken to destroy or prevent the growth of unwanted organisms, including insects and rodents. It includes both physical and chemical methods, with the goal of protecting the environment, human health and property. Pests are organisms that damage or degrade crops, forests, livestock, buildings or other structures. They also can carry and transmit disease-causing microorganisms. They can also disrupt or alter natural environmental processes such as water cycles and soil nutrients.
Physical and mechanical control measures kill the pest directly or block them from their environment. They include traps, insect screens, and mowing and weeding to remove cover for pests. Chemical controls, such as herbicides and fungicides, are used to kill or prevent the growth of target organisms. Pesticides must be selected and applied carefully to minimize risk to people, pets and the environment.
Biological controls use predators, parasites, pathogens and competitors to reduce pest numbers and damage. These organisms can be insects, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians or mammals. They may feed on or parasitize the pests, or they can compete with them for food or territory. They can also modify the environment in which the pests live and reproduce, such as by altering soil pH or modifying irrigation practices.
Invasive species are organisms introduced into an environment where they do not naturally occur. Many of these species are detrimental to native plants and animals. Others can have ecological (such as causing changes in ecosystem function), environmental or economic impacts. The gypsy moth Lymantria dispar is an example of an invasive pest that causes defoliation of trees and disrupts forest biodiversity in the United States.
Climate influences both the activity of pests and their effects on hosts. Temperature, day length and moisture affect how fast a pest develops and spreads. In addition, weather conditions can influence the growth and development of the pests themselves, whether they are plant-eating or harmful pathogens.
Homeowners can help with pest control by keeping living areas clean and reporting building maintenance problems to managers, supers or other staff. Clutter provides places for pests to hide, and caulking cracks and crevices can make it harder for them to enter buildings. Pesticides should only be used when necessary and by trained individuals, following the label instructions and warnings.
Eradication
The goal of eradication is to reduce a pest population to zero. Eradication differs from prevention and suppression, which focus on reducing the number of pests to an acceptable level. Pests are generally defined as organisms that harm plants, animals or humans. They include rodents, insects, diseases and other unwanted organisms. Eradication is an important goal in agricultural and forestry settings, as well as in public health pest control. The terms exterminate, extirpate and eradicate are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. Exterminate suggests complete annihilation and stresses the destruction of a race, family or species. Eradicate, on the other hand, refers to driving out or uprooting a pest and stresses displacement or dislodging rather than total destruction.
Eradication is difficult in outdoor pest situations because of the difficulty of eliminating all individuals of a pest. Eradication is more common in enclosed spaces, such as dwellings; schools; offices; hospitals; and food processing and storage facilities. In these environments, pests may be controlled by removing harborage; changing the environment so that pests cannot live, breed or feed; or using physical methods such as trapping and fumigation.
Natural enemies, such as predators and parasitoids, are very effective at limiting pest populations. Biological control can be supplemented by increasing the density of a pest’s enemies by mass rearing and release programs or by introducing new enemies that have not previously existed in an area. Pesticides can interfere with the activity of natural enemies, and their use must be reduced or restricted to times when their effect on the pest is minimal. Methods of minimizing the impact of pesticides on natural enemies include timing and placement of applications so that they occur during periods when the enemy and the pest are not active; using less persistent chemicals; and applying insecticides to alternating areas of the field or to individual plants to avoid disturbance of the enemy population.
Regardless of the type of pest control, cost-benefit analyses must be made before a program can begin. The cost of eradicating a single pest can be high, and costs may rise over time as the pest becomes resistant to the control measures. The eradication of the screwworm, cattle tick and gypsy moth has been a failure because of resistance development and subsequent recurrences in formerly eradicated areas.
