Pests can cause damage to your home or business and also health problems. They can carry diseases such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, leptospirosis and salmonella.
Chemical pesticides are liquids, powders or baits that kill or repel certain types of insects. These can harm pets and children, so proper handling is crucial. Contact Pest Control Shawnee KS now!
The breathtaking control of a dragonfly’s flight, the winsome scattering of a cabbage white butterfly or the clumsy whirring of a daddy longlegs are all part of the remarkable world of insects. Yet fewer than one to three percent of insect species are ever considered pests of homes or crops. Most insects live in well-organized social groups such as ants, termites, bees and wasps. Each member of a group has a specific job, from worker to soldier to king or queen.
Pest control is easiest to achieve when applied at the very beginning of a pest’s life cycle, in its egg, larva or pupa stage. Chemicals are less effective if used when the pest has already matured into an adult.
Fortunately, many insects are natural predators and parasites of pests. Spiders, certain types of beetles and flies, true bugs and lacewings all prey on pest insects or their eggs.
Beneficial insects also aid in the pollination of plants, helping them bear fruit or produce flowers. Native bees, honeybees and monarch butterflies are just a few of the many pollinating insects that are helpful to home gardens and commercial crops.
Pest control professionals must carefully distinguish beneficial insects from harmful ones. Insects can carry pathogens on their bodies or inside them and then inject them into the plant as they feed. These pathogens can cause disease, which is why it is so important to keep insect populations under control. Several natural methods of doing so include row covers, reflective mulch and the application of horticultural oils to plants. The use of bacterial insecticides such as bacillus thuringiensis (Dipel, Thuricide) or bacillus popilliae (Milky Spore, Doom, Japedimic) can also be useful, as long as the proper timing of releases and placement is adhered to.
Rodents
Rodents are mammals that live in the world’s grasslands and forests. They are prey to predators such as cats, dogs, large birds and foxes and play an important ecological role by spreading seeds and spores. However, they also are a major problem for people because they consume and contaminate food, damage property and create fire hazards by gnawing on electrical wires.
Rodents are global in distribution and can be found in all habitat types from driest deserts to wettest rain forest, but their greatest impact occurs where they are accidentally introduced by humans. Species like the Norway rat hitch rides on ocean-going vessels and are responsible for billions in crop damage each year worldwide. In addition, invasive species of rats have contributed to the extinction of several island bird species.
Long-term rodent control usually involves a combination of sanitation, exclusion and lethal controls. The key to preventing an infestation is regularly inspecting structures for signs of activity. Listen for scratching and scurrying, look for droppings (use a flashlight to see them better) and urine, and check for damage caused by gnawing.
Keep woodpiles and stacks of lumber, trash and garbage away from the house; store garbage in rodent-proof containers; trim brush and dense shrubbery that might serve as rodent shelter or hiding places. Clean up garbage, discarded pet carcasses and animal waste promptly and place in sealed trash containers. Do not vacuum or sweep rodent droppings, urine, or contaminated surfaces unless they have been disinfected. Spray surfaces with a district-approved disinfectant or 1:10 chlorine solution (1 1/2 cups of household bleach per gallon of water) and rinse thoroughly. Wear rubber or plastic gloves when handling traps or dead rodents to prevent exposure to disease agents.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a serious problem that require a thorough treatment. The key is to deal with all stages of the infestation, from the eggs to the mature adults. To the naked eye, adult bed bugs look like apple seeds in size and color. They are found in their favorite hiding places, such as the cracks and crevices of headboards and mattresses, and in the seams of box springs. The nymphs, which are translucent and the size of a pin head, are also easy to spot. Even the fecal spots, which are dark and look like digested blood, are visible to the professional exterminator.
Insecticides can be used, but they should be applied sparingly and to all possible hiding places. Dry ice sprays and steam have limited potential to reach hidden bugs, while vacuuming may remove some eggs but will not eliminate the bugs themselves. A professional pest control operator will inspect the home and develop a plan of attack that takes into account the setting and the specific situation. He or she will return several times to check on progress and treat as necessary.
Before a professional comes to your house for a bed bug treatment, you should prepare the area by washing and scrubbing all fabrics (sheets, pillowcases, blankets) in hot water and drying them on high heat settings. Throw out any clothing or books that are infested with bed bugs and caulk any cracks or crevices in your bedroom and around the baseboards, walls, and windows where the bed is located.
If you do decide to use insecticides, be sure to get ones that are labeled for bed bug control and follow the directions precisely. Using more than the recommended amount could lead to resistance, and some products cannot be used on certain surfaces or materials due to health concerns.
Wasps
Although wasps may be annoying, they play an important role in pest control. In addition to pollinating flowers and collecting nectar, they also prey on insects that can be considered garden pests. For example, a study of the diets of the invasive species Vespula platycephala in Brazil found that this wasp primarily captured Diptera (flies and mosquitoes), including the Aedes species that are responsible for dengue, zika, and chikungunya fevers.
In fact, wasps are the only natural predators of flies, which can cause disease in humans and other animals. They can also sting people, but they do so only if provoked. The venom in these wasps is not as strong as those of bees or hornets, and only female wasps have the ability to sting.
The most common wasps are solitary, but some live in colonies. These include the mud daubers, which build nests of mud in trees and shrubs. They are mainly scavengers, but they will eat if their food supply is low. In summer, when cicadas come out of hibernation, these wasps will hunt them.
Social wasps are important for keeping native ecosystems balanced, and their voracious appetites help keep populations of other pests in check. However, if they are accidentally introduced to new areas, their predatory behavior can become detrimental. For example, the exotic Vespula wasps that were introduced to beech forests in New Zealand outcompeted indigenous bird species for food and preyed on the native invertebrates that kept these native plants healthy.
If you have a wasp’s nest on your property, try to leave it alone. If you do decide to remove it, wait until night when the wasps are less active and use an insecticide formulated for wasps and hornets.
Ants
Ants are an important part of the natural world, feeding on a variety of pest insects and dispersing seeds. But they can become pests when their colonies invade homes and other structures. These scavengers also help keep nature clean by consuming decaying plant and vegetable matter.
In general, ants nest outdoors, but they can also create small nests indoors (such as in wall crevices or behind skirtings) to provide easy access to food. These nests can contain multiple queens and a number of worker ants.
The Black House Ant (Formica nigra), for example, is an introduced species that nests inside houses, often close to heating ducts. Workers forage over long distances in search of high protein foods such as meat and fatty foods. They are more stocky than Whitefooted House Ants, about 2.5 – 3mm in length with an intense black colour with a subtle purplish-green iridescence. They are capable of giving a painful sting.
Other ants, such as the Pharaoh’s Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), are found in large colonies with several queens and many workers. Their colony is located in the warmer areas of buildings, such as around ducts and in rooms with warm air. These ants are darker than other forms of ant and have a noticeable ‘orange-y’ smell.
Ants can be controlled with a range of sprays, dusts and baits. The appropriate method will depend on the species and how it has become a pest. However, any treatment must take care to avoid exposure of people, pets and beneficial pollinators to the insecticide. The use of barriers and perimeter treatments to prevent ants entering a home should be considered, but they should only be used by qualified technicians.