Pest Control Van Nuys involves managing unwanted organisms. These are often plants or animals that interfere with human activities and cause nuisance or damage.
Stinging pests like fleas, ticks, and ants can carry diseases that affect our health. Rodents and cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks and allergies.
Preventing pests includes cleaning up and blocking entry points to buildings. Clutter provides places for pests to breed and hide.
Pest Identification
Identifying a pest properly is one of the most important steps in determining whether it requires control and what method(s) may be used. Many of the organisms we consider pests are beneficial, harmless, or only a temporary problem. A quick identification can save time, money and resources, as well as reduce the potential risk of harm to people or animals.
A thorough insect scouting program helps to detect the presence of key pests and beneficial insects in the landscape or garden. By knowing what species are present and when they are likely to be at their highest densities, pest populations can be controlled before reaching damaging levels.
In some cases, proper identification can prevent the use of pesticides. Pesticides should be used sparingly, only when needed, to target specific pests at times of their greatest vulnerability or when other methods have been ineffective. Incorrect application can also lead to pesticide resistance.
If a pest is suspected, a good place to start is with an online insect identification guide. Click on a pest to be taken to a page with pictures, descriptions, and tips for prevention or control.
Another source is a local library or extension office, which often has printed guides that can be used to identify pests found in the area. The guide will provide the insect’s name, its life cycle, preferred habitat, feeding habits and threats. It will also contain information about what it looks like, how to distinguish it from a similar-looking pest and where it can be found.
A physical specimen of the pest can also be submitted to a free Pest ID Center at Museums Victoria (click on the Pest ID link). The entomologists at the center will analyze the sample and provide results within two hours during business hours.
Proper pest identification is not only crucial to the success of any pest control action, but it is also necessary for developing a sustainable, ecologically sound, and economically viable system of pest management. By reducing the use of toxic chemicals, organic and non-toxic control options can be more easily integrated into your overall management plan.
Pesticides
Pesticides are any substance used to kill or control pests (insects, rodents and other animals, unwanted plants, fungi and viruses). They may be organic or synthetic, made from natural materials or produced in industrial laboratories.
The ideal pesticide would destroy the target insect or other pest with no negative effect on humans, non-target plants and animals, and the environment. However, no pesticide is perfect; all have side effects.
In addition, repeated exposure to even low levels of some pesticides can lead to illness or even death. Using non-chemical pest control methods can help reduce these risks.
When using pesticides, follow all label instructions carefully. Ensure that all protective clothing and equipment is worn as recommended. Always keep pesticides away from food, drink and pet areas. Avoid spraying in windy conditions, as wind can carry the pesticide to areas where it is not wanted. Ensure that the spray can is closed after each use, and store in a secure place. Never mix chemicals unless directed to do so by the label.
Different types of pesticides exist, and they are grouped into chemical families. These groups are based on the way they act on the pest, and the chemicals within the group share similar properties. Examples include organophosphates, carbamates and thiophenes.
Organophosphates act on the nervous system of insects by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, which leads to neuromuscular junction disturbances resulting in rapid twitching and paralysis. They are the most toxic of all insecticides, and have very broad-range activity against many insect species.
Carbamates act by blocking acetylcholinesterase, leading to inhibition of nerve-impulse transmission and a loss of control over the movement of muscles. They are moderately toxic to birds and fish, with a high level of toxicity to mammals.
Similarly, thiophenes act by blocking acetylcholinesterase in the central nervous system of plants, leading to inhibition of the movement of neurons and ultimately death. They have low toxicity to fish and are the least toxic of the carbamate family of pesticides.
Pesticides can enter surface waters through spray drift, runoff from agricultural and other sites, and the discharge of waste water by factories and other industrial facilities. This can result in the contamination of water bodies and the surrounding ecosystems. Some cities have bylaws that regulate the use of pesticides on municipal lands.
Prevention
Taking preventive steps to keep pests from invading your home in the first place can save you the time, expense and stress of dealing with an infestation. It also gives you peace of mind that the problem was addressed thoroughly and won’t come back.
Ideally, a pest control strategy will focus on prevention, but in many situations it is necessary to use a combination of suppression and preventative measures. The goal of pest control is to reduce the pest population to an acceptable level. Suppression strategies may include a wide variety of tactics, including weed killers, plant disease organisms, insecticides, herbicides and other chemicals.
Achieving a pest control goal requires a good understanding of the environment within which the treatment site exists. The site is usually a complex mix of living organisms and nonliving things, such as soil, air, water, plants and structures. Most pest control treatments disrupt this balance to some extent.
Sealing Entry Points
Pests can enter homes through the smallest of cracks, crevices and gaps. A pest control professional can identify and close such entries in your home to prevent them from entering. Proper trash disposal and regularly cleaning dishes can also help to deter pests, as can sanitizing your home’s linens and vacuuming rugs. Trimming trees and bushes around your house can also help to prevent pests from accessing food sources or hiding places.
Eliminating the Habitat for Pests
It is important to understand that treating a pest problem is a little like treating a disease. You can address the symptoms of the disease, but unless you treat the underlying cause, the disease will reoccur. The same is true of pest problems. Pest control involves eliminating the conditions that encourage pests and stopping their spread.
Threshold levels for pest populations have been established that dictate when action should be taken, whether it be esthetic, health or economic considerations. For example, a threshold has been determined for roaches in homes that dictates when a pest control program should be initiated. This is why the most successful pest control programs are those that combine a variety of tactics, including prevention, suppression and eradication.
Control
A pest is an organism that negatively impacts a food chain or ecosystem. It may also interfere with human activity, such as gnawing on electrical wires (which can cause circuit breakers to trip) or destroying the building structures of a home or business. Pests also can carry diseases that threaten the health of humans and animals, such as the bacteria that cause plague, tularemia, anthrax, and many other illnesses.
The most common method of controlling pests is through physical means. This involves trapping or killing the pests, as well as blocking access to areas where they are not wanted. This may involve sealing cracks and gaps in the home, fixing screens to keep out insects, putting up bird netting or installing screens over windows and doors to prevent rodents from entering. It is important to block all points of entry for pests to prevent them from entering a house, as they can get inside through small spaces behind baseboards or underneath flooring.
Biological pest control uses natural predators, parasites and pathogens to reduce the number of unwanted organisms. These can be as simple as releasing ladybugs to eat aphids, or they can involve the genetic modification of plants to make them resistant to certain pests, such as Bt genes that produce proteins that are toxic to lepidoptera. Biological methods typically require more monitoring and management than chemical controls, but they are often safer for the environment and humans.
Eradication is a rare goal in outdoor pest situations, where it usually is replaced by prevention and suppression. This is because eradicating a pest often can be difficult and requires a comprehensive strategy that may include multiple tactics, such as biological, cultural, and chemical controls.
Some pests are obtrusive, such as pigeons or seagulls that pester restaurants or other commercial facilities, and they interfere with hygiene. Other pests are more dangerous, such as rats that gnaw on electrical wires, which can lead to expensive repairs and loss of electricity. Still others damage buildings, such as termites or wood-destroying beetles, and they can also cause a variety of health problems, including allergic reactions or illness.