Pest Control Abbotsford BC involves taking steps to reduce the number of pests in a given area. Preventive measures include keeping food in sealed containers and removing clutter where pests can breed and hide.

Natural forces affect all organisms and cause pest populations to rise and fall. These factors include climate, natural enemies, natural barriers, and food and water supplies.

Identifying pests is important to determine the need for pest control. A pest is any organism that damages, degrades or destroys crops, food or other natural resources. It may also cause diseases in humans, animals and plants. The level of damage determines the need for pest control, the potential harm or inconvenience to the food supply, and the cost of controlling the pest. Pests are:

• Typically small mammals.
• Crawling insects (such as cockroaches and ants).
• Flying insects (e.g., houseflies and fermentation flies) or mites.

A pest’s appearance can change as it goes through the different stages of its life cycle. For example, a weed seedling may look very similar to an immature beetle or worm. In addition, many insect species undergo significant physical changes as they go from eggs to larvae, nymphs and adults. This can make the identification process difficult.

The first step in identifying a pest is to examine its physical characteristics. This can include the shape and color of the body, the position of the wings, the number of antennae and other distinctive features. In some cases, it may be necessary to compare the specimen with a photograph or other information to confirm its identity.

Another step is to observe the damage caused by the pest. Indirect damage is when the pest transports pathogens to the plant or deteriorates the plants through feeding. Direct damage includes holes in the plant’s tissues, speckles on the leaves and flowers and weakened or wilted plants.

Once the pest has been identified, a pest management plan can be developed to minimize or eliminate it. The type of pest can influence the type of preventive, cultural or chemical controls that are appropriate.

The MuseumPests website offers a series of easy-to-read PDF Pest Fact Sheets for most of the common museum pests. They are based on a survey of professionals in cultural heritage institutions. The sheets provide general information about the pest, its life cycle and how it causes damage, as well as tips on prevention and control.

The plant pest lab is able to provide identification services for most insects that damage plants. To submit a sample for examination, please use our Submission Sheet. Samples used to be preserved in alcohol, but this is now considered a shipping hazard. County offices have or can order safe shipping vials for you to use when sending samples for identification.

Pest Prevention

The primary goal of pest prevention is to avoid the need for pest control. This is achieved by removing food, water and shelter sources that attract pests. Storage of food in sealed containers, removing garbage regularly with tightly covered trash cans, and trimming vegetation close to buildings are essential to pest prevention. Regular maintenance of buildings, especially repairing leaky plumbing and sealing cracks, also is important to pest prevention.

Despite the best efforts of building maintenance crews, pests can sometimes invade buildings in large numbers. The presence of pests at such levels can result in contamination, damage and/or disruption of normal operations and services. In addition, if a pest is present in a large enough number, it may have health implications for the occupants of the building.

To determine the need for pest control, it is necessary to estimate when pest populations will reach unacceptable threshold levels. Monitoring pests, including identifying the species and life stages, can help in this effort. Life-stage information, such as the number of eggs, nymphs and pupae, can help in estimating population growth rates, which are often limited by the availability of food and shelter.

Pests that are often considered to be nuisances include rodents (e.g., black and brown rats, mice), cockroaches, ants and bees and wasps. They can cause contamination with bacterial pathogens that affect the wholesomeness of foods and sanitary conditions, and they are a source of allergens that can trigger asthma attacks in children and adults.

Some natural forces affect the growth of all organisms, including pests. Climate, natural enemies, overwintering sites and the availability of food and water can limit pest populations. Other factors that influence pest populations are the availability of breeding sites, the presence of predators and prey, and environmental barriers. For example, mountains and bodies of water can restrict the spread of some pests. In addition, a pest’s ability to reproduce and grow quickly is affected by the hormones in the plant or animal on which it feeds. A pest’s host can even affect the chemical signals that are used to communicate with other members of its species.

Pest Control Methods

Pest control involves a wide range of techniques designed to keep pests from damaging crops, buildings, or other areas. Methods include biological, physical, and chemical methods. Some of these techniques involve using parasites, natural predators, and pathogens to manage or eradicate pest populations. Other methods involve altering the environment to discourage pests, including using barriers and traps. Chemical pesticides are also commonly used to control pests, though this approach can be hazardous to humans and other organisms.

Before pest control tactics can be employed, the need for control must be determined. This is based on whether the pests cause significant economic or aesthetic damage, or have reached threshold levels where action should be taken. Monitoring and scouting can be used to identify pest species and determine population levels. Monitoring of insect, weed, and vertebrate pests can include trapping or scouting, while microbial pest monitoring usually relies on visual inspection.

Several factors can influence the need for pest control, such as the length of a pest’s life cycle, environmental conditions, food availability, and available shelter. Natural features such as mountains and bodies of water can restrict the spread of some pests, while sanitary practices can reduce others. Clutter can provide hiding places and breeding sites for pests, so removing it can help reduce their numbers. Food-handling and storage facilities can be improved through sanitation and waste management practices to reduce the attraction of pests.

Once the need for pest control is established, the next step is to develop a strategy to manage the pests. Integrated pest management (IPM) is one of the most common and effective strategies for managing pests, including insects, weeds, disease organisms, and mammals. IPM plans take into account a pest’s life cycle and damage potential, its economic or aesthetic injury level, its natural enemies, and the effects of weather. Traps, barriers, fences, radiation, and modifications of the environment can be used to control pests, with a combination of tactics often needed to achieve success. The goal of IPM is to prevent pests from reaching unacceptable numbers before a treatment plan is initiated.

Pesticides

A pesticide is any substance used to kill or repel pests. It can be natural or synthetic (manmade). Types of pesticides include herbicides to destroy weeds, insecticides to kill insects and rodenticides to kill mice and rats. Other types of pesticides include fungicides to control mildew and mold, molluscicides to kill snails and slugs, and nematodes to kill worm-like creatures that feed on plant roots.

All pesticides carry some risk to human beings. Proper use decreases this risk to an acceptable level. This includes selecting a pesticide designed for the particular pest, following the label instructions exactly, and using the minimum amount necessary to achieve the desired result.

The form a pesticide takes, such as solid, liquid or powder, will influence the way it enters the body and affects your health. It’s also important to avoid spraying any pesticides into or near your face. If you do, it can cause eye irritation and/or damage the lungs. If you do not wear the protective clothing suggested in the label instructions, you can suffer from skin and lung irritation. Some pesticides can also cause headaches, dizziness and nausea. Some can even be fatal if they come into contact with the skin or respiratory system.

Many pesticides are toxic to non-target organisms, including humans, pets and native wildlife. They can also degrade soil, water and air quality, and can be transported from the site of application to other places where they don’t belong. Pesticides can also contribute to the loss of biodiversity and endanger endangered species.

Whenever possible, try to use non-chemical methods of pest control. Remember that pests are usually a symptom of an imbalanced ecosystem, not just a sign of an unhealthy garden or home. So take steps to improve the overall health of your garden or home, and you’ll naturally reduce the number of pests. If this is not feasible, be sure to consider your options carefully before deciding on the most appropriate pesticide.