Pests are any animals that spoil crops, damage property, contaminate surfaces or cause illness in people. They may be rodents, cockroaches or ants, or flying insects such as mosquitoes.

Regular monitoring and inspection helps identify pests and their damage and determine the best control strategy. Use prevention tactics first and avoid introducing new pests. Reach out to Columbia MO Pest Control for expert assistance.

Pests cause damage to property and threaten the safety and health of people and animals. Some pests, such as rodents, spread diseases such as salmonellosis and carry dry rodent droppings that can trigger allergic reactions in humans. Insects such as cockroaches and mosquitoes can also introduce disease-causing organisms. Prevention is the best way to manage a pest problem, and it includes avoidance, blocking and detection.

Avoidance strategies can include removing sources of food, water or shelter for pests. This can be done by keeping woodpiles away from structures, cleaning gutters regularly and keeping bushes and grass trimmed. Blocking methods can include caulking holes, repairing screens and keeping doors and windows shut. Detecting pests early allows them to be trapped before they infest the building. This can be done with sticky traps, rodent bait and other devices that are designed to attract or kill a specific pest.

A preventive program must also include a careful inspection of the interior and exterior of the structure for pest entryways and attractants. These can be things like loose siding, cracks in the foundation and holes around utility lines that allow pests to enter and do harm.

Monitoring should be ongoing, and thresholds set to trigger action based on predetermined criteria. These thresholds can be based on scouting or other indicators, such as the appearance of certain types of pests or signs that they are increasing in number, such as observing their droppings (rodents leave pointed droplets while cockroaches leave oily smudges).

IPM, or integrated pest management, is an approach to pest control that integrates physical, biological and chemical techniques. It uses scouting and monitoring to determine when to take action, and it tries to use the least-disturbing methods first. Chemical controls are used only as needed and always according to strict guidelines, and they are designed to minimize risk of environmental harm.

Preventive pest control can be a complex task, and it may be difficult to achieve without the help of a trained professional. Pests are resilient and adaptable, and it’s important to have a good plan in place.

Suppression

If pests cause a nuisance to humans, or damage crops and property, they need to be controlled. Using a combination of physical, biological and chemical controls, the goal is to reduce the abundance of the pest to levels that can be tolerated without adversely affecting people or the environment.

Threshold-based decision-making involves scouting and monitoring a site to see which pests are present, how many there are and what they’re doing. This information helps determine whether a pest needs to be controlled, what control methods are needed and when they should be used.

Eliminating food and water sources is a key step to eliminating pests. This can be as simple as storing food in sealed containers and removing garbage regularly, fixing leaky pipes and cleaning cracks where pests enter homes or businesses. It can also involve placing sticky traps for rodents; spraying diatomaceous earth around baseboards; putting out cinnamon powder near cockroach cracks; and planting flowers that attract aphids and other sucking insects to serve as natural insecticides.

Biological pest control uses predators, parasites and pathogens to manage or eliminate pests. These organisms can be introduced into the field or garden, or they can be added through augmentation (reintroducing enemies that were previously eliminated). Fungi are effective as pathogens for insect control and weed management because of their ability to penetrate the cuticle of a target pest or aphid, which allows them to release disease-causing spores.

Pheromones are also useful for controlling pests, especially aphids and planthoppers. These pheromones are chemicals that are emitted from the surface of an insect or aphid and influence the behavior of other insects of the same species.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based strategy that incorporates monitoring, prevention and suppression. Unlike conventional treatments, IPM practices limit the use of pesticides and other toxic substances to a level that is acceptable to people and the environment. By applying preventive measures to the whole system, such as modifying cultural practices and selecting resistant varieties, a sustainable balance can be achieved that minimizes both pest depredations and pesticide residues.

Eradication

Using a combination of prevention and suppression, the goal is to eliminate the pest population. Eradication requires extensive and coordinated effort at the local, regional and global levels. Its success depends on accurate knowledge of the biology of the pest, including its interactions with its vectors, intermediary hosts and human host populations; the timing and effectiveness of control measures; and the availability of financial resources for eradication programs.

To eradicate pests, you need to close off places they enter and hide. Seal cracks and crevices, especially around cabinets and baseboards, and use steel wool to fill spaces under floors. Remove garbage regularly, and don’t allow it to collect in trays under house plants or the refrigerator. Clutter provides hiding places for pests and also prevents control measures from working as well.

Preventing pests in the first place is the best way to deal with them. Keep your home as tidy as possible, and store food in sealed containers. Don’t leave pet food out overnight, and regularly wash surfaces where pests may have gathered.

Pesticides work well to kill adults, but not so much the larvae and pupae that are part of a pest’s life cycle. They can also be toxic to other organisms, and their vapors can trigger dizziness, vomiting and convulsions in humans.

The benefits of eradicating a pest are measured in terms of avoided future infections and vaccination costs, referred to as an “infection dividend.” The cost of eradication should be compared with the discounted value of these benefits to determine whether it is warranted (Barrett and Hoel 2003).

A key tool for eliminating an infectious disease is the virus-free certification process, which requires that independent, respected parties certify that an area no longer transmits the microbe in question. This can be difficult to achieve in areas with limited financial and technical resources, and even the most sophisticated eradication programs have encountered challenges with this critical step.

Choosing the right pest control methods depends on the type of problem you’re having, whether it’s rodents, cockroaches or bed bugs. Different pests require different control techniques, so it’s a good idea to talk with a professional. A professional pest controller will have a range of different methods, and will know which ones are most effective for your situation.

IPM

IPM (Integrated Pest Management) combines science and common sense to reduce the environmental impact of pests and minimize the use of hazardous chemicals. It is a cost-effective and environmentally sensitive way to manage pests in schools, homes, gardens and farms. The emphasis is on prevention, using non-chemical strategies first and pesticides only when necessary. Studies show that IPM can cut pesticide costs and pest complaints by one-third or more, while improving the health and quality of life.

Prevention means creating unfavorable environments for pests to colonize, grow, and reproduce. This can be done by changing conditions that favor pests, such as repairing ripped window screens, sealing cracks, or maintaining clean food storage areas. It can also involve introducing organisms that are natural enemies of pests, such as parasitoids or predators.

Monitoring and inspections are vital to an IPM program. They allow for the identification of pests and their populations at an early stage. This allows action thresholds to be set, indicating the point at which pests must be controlled in order to protect people, property or the environment.

Scouting and trapping are used to monitor pest populations and to accurately identify them. These data are then analyzed to determine the need for control measures. Forecasting and weather data are consulted to determine when and if pests are likely to cause economic or aesthetic injury. This allows treatment to be applied at just the right time, saving sprays and minimizing hazard to people and property.

When controls other than physical, biological and cultural aren’t enough to prevent or suppress pests, chemical treatment may be needed. IPM programs are designed to use the least-toxic pesticides that are effective against a particular pest. They also consider other factors such as the toxicity of the surrounding environment and the potential impact on beneficial organisms.

Under the Structural Pest Control Act, public schools and licensed day care centers are required to implement an IPM program when feasible. This includes developing and implementing an IPM plan, designating a staff member to be the IPM Coordinator, and keeping records of all pest control services, including any use of pesticides.