Pest Control involves stopping the spread of unwanted organisms that damage property or threaten human health. It can be accomplished through prevention, suppression, or eradication.

Mice gnaw on household items and leave droppings the size of rice grains. They can also contaminate food by spreading bacteria and diseases like hantavirus and salmonella. Contact Apex Pest Solutions now!

Natural forces—including climate, natural enemies, and the availability of shelter, food, and water—affect pest populations. These natural controls help limit pesticide use and can be used with other control methods.

Prevention

Pests are a nuisance and can cause costly damage, but they can also pose health and safety risks. The best way to control them is by prevention, avoiding their presence altogether. This can be done by identifying and blocking entry points and cleaning and sanitizing on a regular basis. Keeping food in sealed containers, keeping garbage cans closed rem,oving trash regularly, and fixing leaky plumbing are some basic prevention steps.

Another important step in preventing pests is to keep items that are of external use, like tools and lawn equipment, outside. This will prevent pests from entering through these areas and gaining access to your home or office. Inspecting the exterior of your building on a regular basis and sealing any cracks or holes found will also help to prevent pests from getting in.

Rodents and other pests can easily gain access to a house through small gaps around doors, windows and vents. Sealing these areas will greatly reduce the number of pests that enter. Keeping shrubs, bushes and trees away from the foundation of your house will also allow for more effective pest control as these plants can act as a highway for pests to gain access to your home.

Keeping the space under and around furniture clean will also limit the amount of pests that can find refuge in these spaces. This is particularly important in museum storage and display areas, where pests can easily gain access to artworks and other artifacts. Regularly wiping down shelves and sanitizing the floors will greatly decrease the likelihood of an infestation.

The final preventative step is to monitor the effectiveness of your prevention methods. It’s a good idea to do this on a weekly basis so that any problems can be addressed quickly. There is a difference between a few bugs or a few rodents and a full-blown infestation, so if you are constantly having to deal with pests, it may be time to call in a professional.

The use of chemical pesticides should be avoided whenever possible. They can have serious, even deadly, side effects and should be used only in a professional manner by licensed pest control professionals. In addition, a few well-placed traps or baits can effectively manage many pests and be much safer than spraying pesticide around your entire home.

Suppression

Pest control is the activity of reducing pest numbers to a level that can be tolerated or to a level that prevents further damage. The first step in controlling pests is to monitor the problem. This involves checking for the presence of the pest and determining how much damage it has caused. This information helps in deciding whether or not the pest can be controlled using non-chemical methods, and if it is necessary to use chemical controls, what kind. Monitoring also helps in evaluating the effectiveness of control tactics and ensuring that they do not cause unacceptable harm to people or property.

Preventing pest infestations is possible with a combination of environmental, biological, cultural, physical and mechanical controls. Environmental controls limit the availability of food, water, and shelter to pests and make conditions unfavorable for their growth and reproduction. Biological controls, such as natural enemies that injure or consume target pests, can manage pest populations without chemicals.

Cultural and physical controls include devices, machines, and other techniques that physically restrict or alter the environment in which pests live or travel. These may include barriers, screens, traps, fences, radiation and electrical controls. Chemicals can be used to destroy or repel pests, but they should be applied in ways that minimize risks to beneficial and non-target organisms and the environment.

Many pests invade homes and other buildings in search of food or shelter. A variety of things can attract them, including crumbs left on counters, overflowing trash cans and cracks in walls. The most effective way to keep pests out is to eliminate their sources of food and shelter. This includes cleaning and vacuuming regularly, storing foods in sealed containers, and fixing cracks and leaks. It is also a good idea to periodically clean out closets and other storage areas where pests might hide, as well as to seal cracks around doors and windows.

Some microorganisms, such as the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), can be engineered into biological pesticides that are applied to soil and kill or repel certain insect pests. These can be an important part of a pest management program when other controls are not feasible or are not desirable.

Eradication

Pests can cause damage to crops or other property, spread disease, or create an environment of fear and distress. Pest control strategies aim to prevent or eliminate pest problems by using various methods, including physical, biological and chemical controls.

The most common type of pest control involves the use of chemicals to kill or repel unwanted organisms. Pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. They are generally used to protect crops from pests, but may also be used to control diseases, weeds and other nuisance plants. Pesticides are often the fastest and most effective way to control a pest infestation, but they can be harmful to humans and other animals.

Aside from pesticides, there are other ways to manage a pest problem, such as mechanical and cultural controls. Mechanical controls include mowing and mulching to prevent weeds from growing, picking ripe fruit before pests attack, and pruning to remove fruit or vegetable overhangs. Cultural controls include modifying habitats to make them unattractive to pests, such as clearing brush and removing weeds.

Eradication is a rare goal in outdoor pest situations, since pests are usually managed through prevention and suppression. It is occasionally attempted, however, when an exotic pest invades an area and is not yet under control (Mediterranean fruit fly and gypsy moth control programs are examples). Eradication is easier to achieve in enclosed areas such as homes and offices.

Some pesticide failures are due to resistance by the pest. Others are the result of improper application or timing. In these cases, it is important to review the situation and try to determine why the pesticide failed.

Keep the Yard Clean

The best way to reduce pest problems is to prevent them from entering the home in the first place. Make sure trash cans are tightly sealed and garbage is removed regularly. Keep the garden free of weeds and tall grass, which provide places for pests to hide. In addition, keep the house clean by removing food sources from the kitchen and sealing any cracks or holes that pests could enter through.

Essential oils, such as mint, lavender, and citronella, can be used to repel pests and keep them away from the home. They can be applied to the skin or sprayed around the perimeter of the house. Another natural option is to release parasitic nematodes into the soil. These microscopic worms feed on the roots of pests, such as fleas, grubs and ants. They can be purchased from most greenhouses and some gardening centers.

Treatment

Many pests are dangerous to people because they carry and spread bacteria and disease, or because they damage property or spoil food. They also cause a lot of damage to crops, interfering with agricultural production. Pest control measures include prevention, suppression and eradication.

Chemical sprays, traps and baits are commonly used to kill pests. Pesticides may harm other plants or animals, however, so care must be taken to limit their use. Other methods to control pests include changing the environment, such as by altering the amount of water or light available. Physical controls, such as nets, screens and fences, can also be used to prevent pests from entering an area.

There are several types of pests, including insects, birds, rodents and mammals. Some are continuous pests, requiring regular control, while others are sporadic and only need control under certain conditions. Some pests, such as fleas and cockroaches, can carry diseases that are dangerous to humans.

Pests are often attracted to food and shelter, and may live in or around homes and offices. To help reduce their numbers, it is important to remove food sources and remove garbage regularly. It is also a good idea to seal and caulk cracks and crevices.

Before a pest control treatment, it is helpful to move any items that are stored in cupboards and drawers so the pest control professional can access them easily. If large items, such as bookshelves and dressers are flush with the walls in a room, it is especially important to pull them away so that the pest control expert can get behind them.

After a pest control treatment, it is also a good idea to clean and wipe down surfaces that have come into contact with chemicals. This will make them less attractive to pests, and it is also a good idea to open windows and doors to let fresh air in to disperse any lingering odors. Odor absorbers, such as activated charcoal and baking soda, can also be useful in reducing odors in rooms that have been treated with pesticides.