While it’s true that pests are attracted to dirty homes, regular cleaning can help keep pest populations down. It’s also important to seal cracks, patch holes, and remove garbage regularly.
Natural, biological, chemical, cultural, mechanical, and regulatory controls can all be used to manage pests. Ben’s Pest Control helps preserve property values, protects health and safety, and keeps pets and children safe from allergens and pathogens.
Insects can cause severe damage to crops, transmit diseases, and disrupt ecosystems when their populations are unchecked. They also provide a valuable service by breaking down organic matter like leaf litter, animal feces and dead plant material to make nutrients available for new growth.
In order to control insect pests, several methods are used. These include chemical, physical and biological controls. Chemical pest control involves the use of synthetic compounds such as pyrethroids, organophosphates and neonicotinoids to kill or prevent the growth of insects. However, these compounds can have negative environmental and human health effects and may be less effective over time due to pest resistance.
Another method of pest control is through the use of physical barriers and traps to deter insects from entering a crop. Examples of these are row covers, netting and trap crops. Biological control methods involve the introduction of natural predators and parasitoids to deter or kill pests. This is a more sustainable approach that can be integrated into holistic pest management programs. Examples of biological control agents are parasitoid wasps, nematodes and entomopathogenic fungi.
The use of pheromone traps to lure insects into a trap where they are then killed is a common way to manage insect pests. Pheromones are chemicals that insects release to communicate with one another. Chemical pheromones are made from a substance extracted from plants, while synthetic pheromones are synthesized in a lab.
There are also a number of behavioral and mechanical pest control methods to help reduce the need for chemical pesticides. For example, pheromone lures can be used to attract insect pests into a trap where they will be killed by physical means, such as heat or cold. Pheromone traps can also be placed near crops to deter them from being eaten by pests.
Many people are surprised to learn that not all insects are bugs. In fact, most bees, ants, wasps and flies are not considered to be bugs by technical definition since they belong to the order Hymenoptera. This order includes bees, flies and wasps that have retractable proboscises instead of a fixed stylet as found in true bugs.
Rodents
Rodent infestations are more than a nuisance, and they can impact human health and safety. Rodents carry diseases and contaminate food, and their droppings, saliva, urine, and nesting materials can trigger asthma and allergies in sensitive people. Additionally, they chew through wires and other structures, posing a fire hazard and potentially leading to electrical failure and structural damage.
Rodents typically enter homes and buildings through small gaps around doors and windows. They also seek shelter under debris, discarded items, and other hiding spots. Taking steps to remove these attractive conditions and regularly inspecting and sealing entry points can help prevent rodents from infesting properties. Prompt disposal of garbage and storing food in sealed containers can further reduce attractive conditions, and keeping grass and shrubbery trimmed and free of debris helps to eliminate travel pathways into the home or building.
The high reproductive potential of rodents makes rapid and effective control essential. A single female mouse can produce 6-10 litters containing 5-6 young over her lifetime. This exponential growth means that even a small population can quickly become a large infestation unless control measures are implemented.
Once inside, rodents can cause major structural damage, gnawing through wood and other building materials and causing cracks and holes in walls and ceilings. They also spread disease through their excreta, urine, and saliva, and they can contaminate food through their bites. Look for gnaw marks along baseboards and other areas, as well as squeaking or rustling sounds in the walls and ceiling at night.
A combination of prevention methods is the best way to ensure a rodent-free environment. Regular inspections and thorough cleaning, along with proper trash disposal and food storage can help to keep rodent populations down. Infestations that continue despite taking preventive measures may require professional intervention to ensure complete elimination and eradication. If you see signs of rodent activity, including droppings, gnawed wires, or squeaking and rustling noises in the walls and ceilings, contact a pest control expert immediately. Alta Pest Control can assess and implement long-term rodent control strategies that will protect your property and family.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, elusive wingless insects that require blood meals from mammals—including humans—to survive. They become a problem when people bring them into homes, apartments and hotels in suitcases, clothing, bags or other items they have used on the move. The insects spread from place to place by hitching rides on people, pets and luggage. Bed bug infestations are more common in socially disadvantaged and inadequately housed populations, but they can happen anywhere. The pests are more likely to spread when conditions are untidy and people don’t regularly clean bedding, mattresses and other places where the bugs live and lay eggs.
Infestations can be hard to manage because the pests are difficult to find and treat. In some cases, a bed bug infestation can persist even after the use of conventional insecticides. This is because the insects can develop resistance to insecticides and can also enter a state of dormancy called diapause when exposed to low temperatures or lack of food. In addition, flea control products designed to kill pet fleas are not effective for controlling bed bugs, as the insects feed primarily on people rather than animals.
The most important first step in managing a bed bug problem is to identify it. Look for rows of itchy bites on arms, legs and back. Also, check for dark or black spots on pillows and sheets, which are the pest’s excrement. You might also find white, oval-shaped eggs on the underside of a mattress or in bedding.
Once the infestation has been identified, it’s crucial to isolate the area to prevent the bugs from moving to other rooms in a home or apartment. Infested areas should be vacuumed and cleaned frequently, with special attention to cracks and crevices. It is also recommended that all fabric items in infested rooms—including clothing, sleepwear, pillowcases and bed sheets, curtains, rugs, dust ruffles and other furnishings—be washed with hot water and then dried on high heat settings. This process can be time-consuming, but it is essential to achieving successful control.
Because of their ability to adapt and resist insecticides, the management of a bed bug infestation is challenging and requires an integrated pest control approach with non-chemical techniques, careful hygiene and the judicious use of chemical treatments. This NCCEH fact sheet provides guidance for controlling the pests and information on where to go for provincial and territorial information on prevention, treatment and monitoring.
Termites
Termites are wood-eating insects that can cause serious structural damage to homes and other buildings. They are drawn to wooden structures that contain cellulose, a component found in plants and trees. Although helpful in nature by breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients, they are destructive pests when they invade houses, causing costly repairs and lower property values. Termites are difficult to detect until it is too late, but homeowners can reduce their risk by scheduling routine termite inspections with their local pest control professionals.
Unlike most insects, termites are not blind and communicate by releasing a chemical substance called pheromones to send messages throughout the colony. These chemical scents allow the colony to distinguish between different sources of food and warn members of potential threats. Soldiers also use vibration and touch to communicate, tapping their heads against the walls of their nest to create a rumbling sound that alerts other soldiers to come defend the nest.
The color and appearance of a termite depends on its role in the colony. Swarming termites are dark in color and resemble ants. These swarmers will release their wings after mating and flying to establish new colonies. Shed wings are a good indicator of a termite infestation.
A termite worker has a long, narrow body with two wings and two antennae. This termite caste builds and defends the nest, feeds on cellulose, and is responsible for most of the damage caused by termites.
Baby termites are white, yellow, or clear and have a thin cuticle that protects them as they grow. Once they mature into workers, soldiers or reproductives, their cuticles shed, revealing a darker, more robust skin that is able to resist the outside environment.
The colony’s queen and king are the reproductives, and they lay thousands of eggs over their life span. The eggs are fertilized by males and then deposited in a central chamber within the nest.
A termite’s diet varies by species, but most require moisture to digest cellulose. Typically, they feed on the roots of living trees but are also attracted to man-made structures that contain cellulose. In addition to destroying wooden support beams, termites can eat carpeting and insulation as well as books, art canvases, cardboard, paper, and drywall.