The best pest control method depends on the pest, the environment and your infestation’s size. Start with removing clutter where pests breed and hide.
Physical methods include traps, barriers and exclusion techniques. These are most effective when you know the pests’ preferred routes so you can block them off. Contact Pest Control In Bakersfield now!
Insects are the largest group of animals that belong to the phylum arthropoda, which includes crustaceans and arachnids (millipedes and centipedes). Despite the common name of insects and their connotations of being creepy-crawlies, they are important components of our ecosystems. They are the most diverse animal group with more than 1.5 million species.
In addition to being food for other organisms, insects serve as pollinators, aerate soil, help regulate the water cycle and disperse seeds. They also play an important role as decomposers and recycle nutrients. On farms, insect pest control is a vital activity, as it can be used to manage the population of unwanted plants and animals that can damage crops or weeds.
Although insects may be beneficial in some ways, they can also pose a threat to human health. Insects can act as vectors of pathogens, bringing the contamination into the environment or food. The two major types of pathogens that arthropods transmit are bacteria, viruses and parasites. The former include mechanical vectors such as cockroaches and flies that pick up contamination on their feces or other biological fluids and disseminate it in the environment and food. The latter, primarily blood-sucking arthropods such as mosquitoes, sand flies and fleas, acquire the infection from feeding on an infected host.
Infection in insects in intensive rearing facilities may be caused by contaminated feed, environmental factors and rearing conditions. The result can be rapid disease outbreaks, which can cause crop losses and threaten the safety of foods produced in the facility. Infections can be spread amongst the insect population through contact and direct feeding, or by indirect routes such as aerosol dispersion in the environment, contaminated food and litter, or the introduction of new-farmed specimens into the population.
Insects can be managed by preventing infections, ensuring adequate nutrition, proper rearing conditions and establishing effective pest control programs. Guidelines for disease prevention in insects in intensive rearing facilities include maintaining optimal environmental conditions, surveillance and sanitation procedures, and reliable and rapid screening methods to identify potential problems. Increasing knowledge about the susceptibility of insects to pathogens and about their biological transmission, along with careful selection and management of predators and parasitoids, can help to ensure safe and healthy operations.
Rodents
Rodents are the most common pests in residential and commercial settings. They are highly adaptable and can thrive in a variety of environments. They have short gestation periods and can produce many litters each year. They are omnivorous, but eat seeds, fruits, grain-based foods and meat products. They are known for carrying disease and destroying property. They have oversized front teeth for gnawing, which can damage wood framing in homes and other structures. They also chew on electrical wiring, leading to fires and other dangerous situations.
Rodents destroy crops and gardens, contaminate food and water supplies and threaten human health. They are responsible for a number of serious diseases in humans and pets including plague, leptospirosis, rat bite fever, hepatitis E, salmonella poisoning and other food-borne illnesses. They can also cause respiratory issues in humans and pets, especially those sensitive to rodent dander and urine.
Pest rodents are particularly troublesome in urban areas, where they have adapted to living with people and sharing the same sources of food, water and shelter. These are called “commensal rodents.” They can cause significant problems, including burrowing under sidewalks and streets, causing them to collapse, and gnawing on utility lines and buildings, which can lead to power outages, fires and even death. They can also transmit fleas that carry the bacterium that causes plague.
To control rodents, remove food sources such as garbage, rotting fruit and other debris. Store food, grains and animal feed in rodent-proof containers. Keep grass mowed, and remove brush, piles of wood and dense shrubbery that provide rodents with cover and protection. In addition, repair leaking roofs, gutters and downspouts, and seal gaps and cracks. Place spring-loaded traps inside and outside buildings, but take care not to harm children or pets who may come into contact with them. Thoroughly clean areas with signs of rodent activity to reduce the spread of germs and other rodent-borne diseases. Avoid touching dead rodents or traps, and use rubber gloves when handling garbage and other items in or around homes. Also, do not play with or near spring traps, as they can be deadly.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are tiny, wingless insects that feed on blood and live in crevices and cracks. Their flat shape helps them fit into small openings where they can hide by day. They lay adhesive eggs that are white and glued to surfaces. Adults are rusty red, about 3/8″ long and oval with six legs. Nymphs look similar but are slightly lighter and more elongated.
Unlike cockroaches and flies, which are attracted to filth, a bed bug infestation is often unrelated to cleanliness. They can be transported from room to room or floor to floor via cracks and crevices, or by hitching a ride on luggage, clothing, backpacks and other items that are brought into a dwelling.
Once bed bugs are established, they can be difficult to eradicate. The best way to detect them is to regularly inspect the home or building for them, particularly after bringing in new furnishings, after vacations and when preparing for guests. A flashlight and magnifying glass can help you see in dark corners and recesses.
A thorough inspection includes stripping the bed, examining seams and tufts, and looking underneath mattresses for signs of nymphs or eggs. Also check dressers, nightstands and other furniture for them, as well as baseboards, door and window frames, and wall molding. Examine books, clocks and other personal items for them as well.
If you find them, they can be killed with registered pesticides applied to a wide range of surface areas, including walls, ceilings and floors. The most common chemicals for this purpose are pyrethrins and pyrethroids, which are forms of botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers. They are available in total release foggers. There are also biochemicals that can be used, such as neem oil pressed directly from the seeds of the neem tree.
Successful control of bed bugs and other pests requires an integrated approach that includes cultural, mechanical and biological methods as well as chemical treatments. These include excluding pests from their hiding places, killing them with heat/steam/cold and changing human behavior. Regular monitoring by occupants is important because pesticides alone are seldom enough to get rid of a well-established infestation.
Ants
Ants can be a nuisance inside homes and businesses as they seek food. Their scent trails lead scouts to the nearest source and can encourage more foragers into a home or business. Ants can also damage wood structures and create large anthills around homes and businesses. The venom of some species of ants, such as the red imported fire ant, can sting people and pets.
Interestingly, ants can sometimes be beneficial pest control agents. They are a natural predator of many pests, including fleas, flies, bed bugs, silverfish, cockroaches and termites. Some ant species even prey on nematodes and other parasitic insects, which can damage crops.
The use of ants as biological controls has been shown to improve crop yields. Some studies suggest that ant populations can be more effective at pest control than chemical treatments, especially when used with shaded crops. Unlike commercial insecticides, which may affect the balance of an ecosystem, ants can be a more environmentally friendly option for pest control.
To prevent an ant infestation, store foods in tightly sealed containers, clean up crumbs and spills promptly, sweep regularly and rinse food containers before recycling them. Repair leaky pipes and faucets, and trim any shrubbery or vegetation that touches the structure of your home or business. This will reduce the number of scouts reaching your home and help prevent the development of a full-scale ant infestation.
A professional ant exterminator can identify the specific ant species in your home or business and determine the most appropriate ant control measures to take. Ant baits can be used to disrupt the ant colony and are usually safe for children and pets when placed in areas that are out of the way of active ant paths. Alternatively, a professional can spray a barrier around the property and on ant trails.
Over the counter ant treatments are available, but they often do not produce long-term results and are subject to a number of drawbacks. For example, some ant species are resistant to over-the-counter products. In addition, many over-the-counter products are greasy and difficult to apply properly, resulting in uneven coverage.