What Is Pest Control and Why Is It Necessary?
Pest Control includes methods to prevent pests from damaging plants, structures, and animals. Preventive steps include removing food sources, keeping areas clean, and closing off entry points.
Some pests can be controlled by their natural enemies, parasites, predators, and pathogens. This is called biological pest control. Chemical pesticides are used to supplement this control when necessary. Contact Apex Pest Solutions now!
Pests destroy and contaminate property, and they can also cause diseases in humans and pets. For example, roaches spread diseases such as food poisoning and diarrhea through their waste, and mosquitoes are the carriers of Zika virus, Chikungunya, dengue, and malaria. Other harmful pests are wood-boring beetles, which weaken the structural integrity of buildings, and rodents, which gnaw through electrical wires resulting in costly repairs and loss of electricity.
Many pests feed on plants, but others damage plant tissues directly or transmit fungal diseases. For example, fungus-causing insects such as fleas, mites, and nematodes infest agricultural and horticultural crops, leading to decreased yields. These pests have been introduced accidentally or through human activities, and they often lack natural enemies.
Some pests attack paper products, such as books and cardboard boxes. Roaches and other cockroaches love to feast on stored papers, causing them to mold and tear. These paper pests may go unnoticed for long periods of time in storage areas like closets and basements. Infestations of these pests can be prevented by keeping paper products in humidity and temperature-controlled areas.
Other pests destroy and eat wood, resulting in expensive repairs or replacements. Termites, for instance, consume wood quickly, and their presence can result in serious structural damage to homes. Their swarms can also leave unsightly holes in walls and floors. Rats and mice chew wood, cardboard, fabric, and other materials to build their nests, and they gnaw electrical wires, increasing the risk of fire.
Integrated pest management (IPM) uses multiple tactics to reduce pest populations and their damage to an acceptable level. It includes preventive and corrective measures, such as the use of traps, screens, fences, barriers, radiation, and chemicals. The IPM approach tries to minimize the use of pesticides, which can lead to resistance by pests and harm surfaces and nonliving organisms in the area where they are used. Pesticides can also be a health hazard to people who touch them or breathe their vapors. The use of alternative control tactics, such as introducing beneficial insects, can help reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
Diseases
Pest control is necessary to ensure that crops yield the food, fiber and other commodities needed to sustain life. Crops are vulnerable to damage from plant diseases, nematodes, insects and other pests, which can greatly reduce or even ruin a harvest. The vast majority of dependable crop yields today are obtained through the use of disease-resistant varieties, biological controls and the application of pesticides.
Some pests directly harm humans and animals; others, such as fleas and mosquitoes, act as vectors of disease by spreading disease organisms. Cat/dog fleas are known to transmit a number of bacterial diseases, including parvovirus and hepatitis, while rat fleas spread the potentially deadly hantavirus. Mosquitoes are responsible for a host of ailments, from annoyance to serious illness such as malaria and dengue fever.
Natural enemies of pests, such as parasites and predators, often suppress pest populations to a point where they are no longer a threat to people or their property. However, there is usually a time lag between when the pest population begins to grow and when the enemies begin to increase in numbers. Supplementing natural controls with the release of biologically-enhanced pathogenic bacteria and viruses is one method of achieving pest control.
The form in which pesticides are applied, the route of entry into the body and how long or often you are exposed to a pesticide can influence its potential effects on your health. Topical effects are those that affect the skin, with irritation and rash being common symptoms. Systemic effects are those that affect the body as a whole, with nausea, headache and intestinal problems also being possible. In advanced cases of poisoning, changes in heart rate, difficulty breathing and coma may occur.
Weather conditions can directly affect pest populations by influencing the growth and development of their host plants or by changing the environment in which they live. Water supply can be an important factor in the survival of some pests, as can availability of overwintering sites and places to hide from predators. For example, a pond or birdbath with stagnant water is an ideal place for mosquitoes to breed. To prevent this, drain puddles regularly and change the water in birdbaths at least once a week.
Human Exposure
Pests can damage buildings and crops, spread diseases, and disrupt the natural environment. In order to control pests, people use a variety of methods. Some methods are physical, while others involve chemicals. Pest control professionals may also use biological methods, such as predators and parasitoids. Pests are typically removed from areas where they don’t belong, such as homes and commercial buildings.
Pesticides are substances used to control pests, such as rodents, insects, weeds, and germs. These chemicals are designed to have a detrimental effect on the targeted organisms. However, they can also harm humans and the environment when used improperly. This can occur when pesticides are applied in the wrong places or at the wrong times, when they are not stored properly, or when they are disposed of improperly.
Most people encounter pesticides in their homes, schools, and work environments. They can come into contact with pesticides through direct skin application or inhalation, or indirectly through the consumption of food containing residues. While consuming residues of pesticides is usually not harmful, the direct application of pesticides to the body is more dangerous.
Symptoms of pesticide poisoning may include immediate or chronic effects. Immediate symptoms are usually topical and can include rashes, blisters, or burns. Chronic symptoms are less common, but can include changes in heart rate, tightness of the chest, muscle weakness and twitching, vomiting, and constricted pupils. Some pesticides can be genotoxic, meaning they can cause mutations in DNA, and can lead to cancer.
There are many different ways to prevent exposure to pesticides, including limiting direct contact, using proper clothing and equipment, and disposing of pesticides correctly. People can also reduce their risk by washing and cooking food after it has been exposed to pesticides, which can decrease the levels of residue in the food.
In addition, people can avoid pesticide exposure by applying pesticides in cool weather and only when necessary. This will help limit the amount of chemical that is absorbed by their bodies, and it will also minimize the risk of accidental inhalation. It is important to only use pesticides when absolutely necessary and to follow the instructions on the label.
Safety
Some pest control methods use chemicals that can be harmful to people, depending on the type of chemical used, how much is exposed to, and how long or frequently it is exposed. To minimize risk, select a pesticide that is labeled for the specific pest you are treating and follow the product’s instructions. Wearing protective clothing and using proper ventilation can also reduce exposure risks.
Pesticides should only be applied in areas that are not frequently occupied. Thoroughly cleaning the area before a treatment and removing food, cooking utensils and personal items reduces risk of exposure. Ideally, traps or baits should be placed where pests are most likely to be found, such as along skirting boards. Surface sprays can also be used in these spaces, but care should be taken to leave the room while the pesticide takes effect. This allows the chemicals to get into the air and not come into contact with anyone inside the building.
Rodents and insects spread diseases and cause damage by chewing and scratching, leaving fecal matter or droppings that can be inhaled or ingested. They can also leave open wounds for infection. In addition, some fecal matter can trigger allergic reactions in people. It is important for a healthcare setting to ensure sterile and clean conditions for patients and staff, and working with pest control can help achieve this.
Some pests are able to enter buildings through cracks and crevices, poorly sealed doors and windows, gaps in venting, open rubbish bins, and more. Pest control can help seal these areas to prevent them from entering, as well as identifying and fixing the sources that are providing them with warmth and shelter.
When selecting a pest control service, check their license and certification, read customer reviews and contact references. Ask what they offer and how their services are priced, and try to visit a site they’ve worked on previously. This can give you an idea of the quality of work they do. Choosing a reliable and experienced service can help to minimize the risk of disease, damage and other safety concerns associated with pest infestations.
