Pest Control St Charles MO refers to managing unwanted plants or animals. It includes prevention, suppression (reducing pest numbers to an acceptable level), and eradication.
Natural enemies such as parasites and predators help to control pest populations naturally. Planting crops that attract these enemies, like marigolds and herbs, can also help.
Insects are the dominant organisms on Earth. They comprise over 80% of terrestrial species, including ants, bees, butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles, and many others. Most insects are flightless and have six legs, three body segments (head, thorax, and abdomen), and two antennae. Insect mouthparts are adapted for different food sources, with some having tube-like appendages to suck liquids, while others bite or chew. Insects also have eyes, which help them see and sense vibrations or movements. Most have two antennae, which vary in shape and size and provide a way to communicate with other insects or the environment.
In addition to being an important part of the ecosystem, insect populations play vital roles in agriculture and human food production. Insects pollinate plants and allow them to bear fruit, vegetables and grains. They also decompose organic matter, serve as biological control agents, and act as bio-indicators of healthy streams and soils.
While humans benefit from the services provided by insects, some insect species are pests that affect people and crops. For example, some aphids, mites and true bugs damage crops and are considered pests to growers.
Other insects, like spiders and some beetles, prey on pest insects and other arthropods. And some parasitic insects lay their eggs inside the bodies of other insects or their offspring, helping drive pest numbers down.
The simplest method of controlling most pests is to apply insecticides prior to or just after they hatch from eggs. It is easiest to do this by spraying a field with a contact insecticide, such as Carbaryl, or by banding the crop with a systemic product.
In addition, growers can help suppress insect pressure by deep plowing, applying herbicides to weeds and destroying crop residue after harvesting. Finally, encouraging a diversity of insects in the field can help reduce problems by providing food sources for predators and parasitoids.
In order to ensure the sustainability of insect populations and promote biodiversity, we need to conserve the habitats of natural insect communities, implement sustainable agricultural practices that minimize pesticide use and limit the spread of invasive insect species, and work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Insects are an essential component of the complex ecological web in agricultural, natural and urban landscapes.
Rodents
Rats are a major pest problem because they contaminate food, cause damage to structures, and transmit diseases to people and animals. In addition, their gnawing can create holes in walls, ceilings and floors.
They live anywhere there’s an opportunity to eat, shelter and reproduce. They live under rotting logs and in deep rock crevices, but they also make their homes in buildings ranging from village huts to skyscrapers in large cities. Their climbing abilities and gnawing skills allow them to access most any space, including roofs.
Rats have oversized front teeth and cheek teeth that are well-adapted for chewing. They feed on a variety of materials, but prefer dry pantry goods and fruits, vegetables and grains. They are notoriously unsanitary, leaving behind feces and urine wherever they go. Rats are also notoriously good at gaining access to stored foods and can even gnaw through containers and cardboard boxes.
Rodents are primarily nocturnal and tend to travel in groups from dusk through dawn. They have an excellent sense of smell and are able to sniff out specific items of interest from a distance. You can look for signs of rodent activity by examining your property at night to identify pathways, gnaw marks and grease marks (which appear as oily smudges).
A sudden appearance of rat droppings is alarming but does not necessarily indicate a full infestation. Rats produce 40 to 50 droppings a day, and they are often dispersed over a wide area for communication purposes.
Physical/mechanical controls are recommended for preventing rats in and around structures. Place nontoxic monitoring bait blocks in tamper-resistant stations and check them regularly for feeding. Remove stale bait promptly to prevent the spread of disease. Also, place glue boards or snap traps in visible and inaccessible areas, such as custodial closets, laundry rooms, vending areas and garages. If you choose to use rodenticides inside a building, follow product labels carefully. It’s also important to inspect a structure frequently, especially at night when rats are most active. Doing this helps you catch rats before they cause costly damage.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs (Cimex spp) are difficult and costly pests to control. They are resilient, able to survive multiple treatments, and can reproduce quickly, especially if conditions are favorable. A single adult may produce multiple generations per year, and nymphs are capable of breeding after just a few weeks. They typically feed at night, but also may feed during the day. Unlike fleas, they don’t jump from people to bite them but must crawl on hosts to access blood.
They are most likely to hide in dark cracks and crevices during the day and become active at night as hosts sleep or rest. They can be found in a variety of places, such as along mattress seams and tufts; inside wood joints of box springs and beds; beneath loose wallpaper; behind baseboards; and in the folds and cracks of furniture, appliances and electronics. They are also likely to harbor in luggage, purses and backpacks. They can also be transported in the clothing, shoes, or bags of persons who have visited infested sites or traveled on infested means of transport.
While several registered pesticides are effective in controlling bed bugs, it is important to combine these chemicals with increased sanitation and habitat modification practices. Many bed bug strains have developed resistance to certain pesticides, and insecticide resistance is widespread in urban populations.
Preparation for a bed bug treatment depends on the type and severity of the infestation. Extensive prep is necessary for large, dispersed infestations, while light infestations may require less or no preparation. Prep activities may include stripping and moving bedding and furniture, vacuuming floors and surfaces, and treating mattresses and upholstered chairs and sofas. Excess clutter must be removed as it impedes inspection and treatment and can offer additional hiding spots for the bugs.
Housekeeping staff should be trained to spot signs of a bed bug infestation, including bites and stains, and to immediately report such findings to a pest management professional for treatment. In addition, it is important that all occupants of infested properties cooperate with pest control professionals during treatment. The use of bleach, alcohol, cigarette lighters and aerosol “bug bombs” to kill bed bugs is highly discouraged.
Other
Pests can cause damage to property, threaten human health, or contaminate food supplies. They may also spread diseases and create a sense of fear or discomfort. Some common pests include rodents, insects, weeds, and birds. Pest control is the process of eliminating or managing pests in residential and commercial settings. Pest control can be accomplished using a variety of methods, including baiting, trapping, spraying, and eradication. Different pests respond better to certain methods, so companies often use multiple approaches when dealing with a specific pest infestation.
Chemical pesticides are one of the most widely used forms of pest control. They are available in aerosol sprays, dusts, powders, and gels, and they can kill or control a wide range of pests. They are generally regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and can be safely used when used according to instructions. However, some types of chemicals can also harm beneficial insects and contaminate water runoff or other parts of the environment.
Biological pest control uses natural enemies — parasites, predators, and pathogens — to control a targeted pest population. This type of pest control usually involves introducing more of the natural enemy into an area than would naturally exist there, and it can take some time for the increase in natural enemies to reduce pest populations to an acceptable level.
Mechanical or physical pest control is a broad category that includes devices and methods that physically prevent pests from entering a building, such as traps, screens, barriers, fences, and doors. These controls can also include heating, cooling, and altering the amount of water or food available to pests in an environment.
Another important aspect of pest control is finding ways to keep them from getting into a building in the first place. This can be done by checking for obvious entrances, such as open windows and loose door seals, as well as less-obvious ones, like chimneys, foundation vents, and spaces where pipes or wires pass through walls.
A combination of prevention and control techniques is often the best way to manage pests. Pesticides should be used only when monitoring indicates that they are needed, and they should always be applied in a manner that minimizes risks to people, other organisms, and the environment.