Pest Control Thousand Oaks involves preventing or stopping the actions of organisms that cause unacceptable damage. Action thresholds are established for pests to guide control activities.
Rodents gnaw at furnishings and chew electrical wires, creating fire hazards. They also spread diseases such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, leptospirosis, plague, Salmonella, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Prevention and control can be accomplished through exclusion, repulsion, physical removal, or chemical means.
When pests (insects, diseases, weeds, vertebrates, or microbes) occur, it is important to identify them to develop effective control strategies correctly. Pest identification is based on studying the pest or its damage to host plants. It involves familiarizing yourself with a pest’s life cycle, habitat requirements, and time of year of occurrence. Knowing these details will help you decide if control is necessary and how best to target your management tactics.
In addition, pests leave a trail of characteristic damage or symptoms on the plant they attack. Pest symptoms may include holes in the leaves, distorted leaves or flowers, wilted plants, discoloration from disease or parasitism, and more. Some pests, such as mites and fungi, do not cause visible damage but can still interfere with plant growth by transmitting pathogens through their mouthparts or through chemicals they release from glands on the surface of their bodies.
Using an online pest identification guide can be helpful when attempting to identify an insect, disease or weed. The guides are based on common characteristics and photos of each pest, with links to additional information on biology and management options.
Scouting — regularly searching for and identifying pests — is the key to effective pest control. This helps you recognize infestations quickly and take action before they build up to damaging levels. It also allows you to monitor population trends so that you know if your control methods are working. Scouting can be done manually or with automated tools, such as traps and pheromone lures. Your county extension office or pest management professional can also assist with pest identification. They can send samples to a lab for further examination or recommend pest management strategies.
Pesticides
Pesticides are chemicals used to kill or harm pests such as insects, weeds, rodents and mould. Common household pesticides include insect repellents, weed killers and fungicides. Pesticides can be very toxic and may affect people, animals or the environment if they are not used properly. In order to protect human health and the environment, it is important to follow all instructions and safety warnings when using any pesticide.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency responsible for developing and enforcing regulations, sponsoring partnerships and research, conducting environmental education, and communicating with the public about issues related to the environment. All pesticides must be reviewed and approved by the EPA before they can be sold in the United States. In addition, each state government has its own process for reviewing and registering pesticides.
Pesticide resistance occurs when the repeated use of one type of pesticide causes some individuals in a population to develop genes that help them survive the effects of the chemical. As a result, these individuals pass on the resistance gene to the rest of the population, and over time, the overall population becomes resistant to that particular pesticide.
Using less hazardous pest control methods first is the best option for protecting human health and the environment. For example, reducing clutter in homes can make it harder for pests to breed and hide. Caulking cracks and crevices can also reduce the likelihood of pests entering homes.
If pesticides are needed, only use those products registered for the target pest and always follow all label directions. Keep all pesticides out of the reach of children, pets and wildlife. Use baits rather than sprays whenever possible. When spraying, avoid spraying into air and water ways as these can carry the pesticides to surface or ground waters where they may degrade the quality of the water.
Physical Exclusion
The goal of exclusion is to seal entry points into buildings and structures so that pests can’t gain access. The practice involves identifying and addressing cracks, holes, gaps, and openings in walls, doors, windows, vents, and foundations. Exclusion can also include removing shelter and food sources that attract pests, such as rodents.
The premise behind preventative pest control services is that it’s much easier and less costly to prevent a problem than to treat one once it has developed. It also helps to minimize risk of health and safety issues, protect property, preserve the environment, and reduce dependence on chemical treatments.
There are many physical and mechanical methods that can be used to reduce pest populations by killing them directly or making their environment unsuitable. This type of control can include traps (mechanical devices, often with pheromones incorporated for increased trapping effectiveness) and barriers that create boundaries pests can’t or won’t cross. These can include window screens, door sweeps, and caulking. It may also include changing moisture levels by repairing leaks, adding dehumidifiers or air conditioners, or using mulches to decrease soil humidity and encourage plant growth that discourages insects from feeding on leaves and stems.
Natural forces impact all organisms, causing their populations to rise and fall. It’s important to be aware of these influences and use them as a complement to other control techniques in an integrated pest management program. For example, planting a trap crop like zinnias to attract and concentrate Japanese beetles is an effective way to eliminate them without spraying or poisoning. These beetles are more likely to be found at high humidity levels than at low ones, so the presence of the zinnias can lower their numbers and allow the other control measures to take effect.
Biological Control
A variety of living organisms can limit pest populations and reduce damage to crops, rangeland or wildlands. They are collectively called natural enemies. These include predators, parasitoids and pathogens. For example, certain fungi and mites can parasitize or otherwise weaken the population of the root-knot nematode that damages perennial legumes such as alfalfa, clover and soybeans. Some of these organisms are naturally occurring in fields and gardens, while others need to be introduced and established in order to control a pest. The Xerces Society’s conservation biological control research focuses on the identification of potential pest problems that might be controlled by natural enemies and the development of methods to increase their effectiveness.
Importation, augmentation and conservation of natural enemies are the three major approaches to biological control. The first involves the introduction of a species from its location of origin to an area where it is not present, with the aim of establishing a permanent population. This is sometimes referred to as “classical” biological control.
The second approach is called augmentation, and it is the direct manipulation of resident populations of natural enemies to increase their effectiveness. In augmentation, the number of natural enemies is increased by mass production and periodic release, either inoculatively or inundatively.
The third, and most recent, approach is called conservation biological control. In this type of control, the focus is on the protection and maintenance of existing natural enemy populations in an area, allowing them to keep pests at bay naturally. The Xerces Society is working to demonstrate the effectiveness of these approaches in landscapes and in commercial production agriculture, using pests such as gypsy moth, purple loosestrife, cassava mealybug, aphids, stink bugs and flower flies.
Chemical Control
Pesticides destroy or control pests and prevent them from causing damage. Herbicides kill weeds, insecticides kill insects, and fungicides destroy fungi. Pesticides are generally considered to be the fastest way to get rid of a pest problem, but they can also harm people, pets, and other organisms that share the same environment as the target pest. Pesticides can also contaminate the surrounding soil and water and pollute air. Many efforts are made to develop new pesticides that cause fewer side effects and are more environmentally friendly.
Pest control strategies that do not use pesticides must be able to address the whole environment within which the target pest exists. These environmental factors include the climate, natural enemies, barriers, food and water supplies, shelter, overwintering sites, and other habitat characteristics.
Natural forces such as weather, disease, and the availability of prey often determine how many pests will appear in an area. Identifying the conditions that favor pest development can help you anticipate when they will occur, and thus plan ahead for their control.
Some pests are sporadic, and may require control only occasionally or in certain circumstances. Others are continuous, and must be controlled constantly. Continuous pests, such as nematodes and plant diseases, are best managed through preventive practices.
Biological controls — parasites, predators, pathogens, and competitors — are used to manage pests. Adding more of a pest’s enemies, or introducing enemies that were not previously present, can help reduce its population. These enemies can be invertebrates, such as nematodes and predators; plants, such as fungus gnats and bacterial pathogens; or vertebrates, such as birds, mammals, and reptiles. These are supplemented with cultural controls that change environmental conditions that allow pests to thrive. For example, changing irrigation practices can reduce root diseases and weeds.