A pest is any plant or animal that causes damage. Control measures aim to keep the number of unwanted plants or animals below an unacceptable level.
Monitoring is the key to determining whether a pest problem warrants action. It includes scouting, observing, and analyzing information about the pest, its habitat, and its behavior. Contact Killian Pest Control now!
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a method of controlling pests in crop fields, landscapes, buildings, and gardens using an assortment of techniques. It is a comprehensive approach that seeks to provide the safest, most effective, economical, and sustainable solution to pest problems. IPM takes a preventive approach to managing pests by denying them the food, water, shelter and other elements they need to survive, grow and reproduce. IPM practitioners use knowledge of pest biology, ecology, and behavior to select the best control measures for each situation.
UC research has been a leader in IPM since the 1940’s, with pioneering work on alfalfa pests and the founding of the Center for Biological Control at UC Riverside. Today, UC IPM programs work with partners in local communities to develop and deliver comprehensive IPM services that are site-specific and environmentally sound.
IPM is a four-step process: monitoring, identifying, assessing and implementing. Monitoring means checking plants on a regular basis to see what pests are present and how much damage they are causing. Accurately identifying a pest is key, and UC IPM on-line pest identification guidelines offer step-by-step instructions for determining which insects are in your field or garden. Once you know what pests are invading, assessing their numbers and damage is important to decide whether or not they need control.
Elimination of all pests is not practical, so establishing threshold levels at which enhanced control methods are used is another key element in IPM. Thresholds are based on a variety of factors, such as the loss of yield or plant appearance, potential health impacts, and damage to the environment.
IPM focuses on prevention and avoiding the need for chemical controls, but pests will occasionally invade even the most carefully planned gardens. When this happens, control options include physical and mechanical techniques. Stretching netting over berry bushes, for instance, helps keep marauding birds from helping themselves to the fruits of your labors, while easy-to-use rodent traps can stop pocket gophers from ruining your raspberry and blackberry crops. In addition, many natural predators and parasites can be recruited to help keep the population of harmful pests in check.
Pesticides
Pesticides are chemical substances used to kill or control harmful pests. They are most often used in conjunction with other management strategies, such as scouting for pests regularly and putting up barriers to prevent them (like netting).
Before pesticides can be sold or applied, they must be thoroughly tested and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This involves evaluating safety standards and monitoring effects on humans, plants and animals. Local governments may also set bylaws regarding the use of pesticides on municipal and private lands.
Chemical pesticides come in a variety of formulations, including liquids, solids and gases. Liquids include sprays, solutions and emulsifiable concentrates. Solids include granules, pellets, dry flowables and soluble powders. Gaseous pesticides are typically fumigants.
Some chemicals are formulated to target specific types of pests, such as herbicides targeting weeds, insecticides attacking insects or fungicides managing diseases. Others are broad-spectrum and will kill a wide range of organisms.
Most commercial pesticides are synthetic, meaning they have been manufactured. Organic or natural pesticides are those made from things found in nature, such as diatomaceous earth or plant extracts. These usually break down quickly in the environment and are less toxic to non-target organisms, but can require more applications.
The EPA defines pesticides as “any substance or mixture of substances that is introduced into the environment to control pests”. It is important to remember that even naturally occurring chemicals can be toxic if misused, so any chemical should only be used if it is needed.
If all other management options have been exhausted, pesticides can be an effective tool for eliminating the unwanted organism. However, it is always wise to consider other alternatives, as pesticides can be costly and can leave residues that can harm unaffected plants or people.
The best way to reduce the risks associated with pesticide use is to apply them as sparingly and as precisely as possible. Follow the Integrated Pest Management guidelines, and be sure to read and follow all product instructions. Protect yourself when applying pesticides by wearing rubber gloves, eye protection and a dust mask. It is best to mix up only the amount of pesticide you will use immediately; storing unused pesticides can lead to quality changes or contamination with other substances.
Physical or Mechanical Control
The physical or mechanical control method involves using traps, screens, barriers and other devices to prevent pests from accessing a garden or crop. This technique is considered one of the most environmentally friendly and non-toxic ways to manage a pest problem and can be used in conjunction with other strategies as part of an IPM plan. It is also a good choice for those concerned with the health and safety of their family, pets and community. Physical controls are effective for preventing pests from entering buildings or gardens and for reducing their numbers. One of the benefits of this type of pest control is that pests cannot develop resistance to it, unlike chemical methods.
Some types of physical control include removing weeds by hand, burning or spraying them with water, or using barriers like fences and row covers. Another physical control is the use of traps such as sticky, pheromone or light traps which attract and kill pests, thus lowering their population size. These devices are usually reusable and easy to clean.
Other physical controls include smothering plants with mulch or covering them with tarps to keep insects off. Some people use diatomaceous earth which is a powder made from finely ground skeletons of fossil diatoms. Its sharp edges scratch the waxy or oily coating of soft-bodied pests, causing them to dehydrate and die.
A specialized type of physical control is the use of ultrasonic transmitters, which emit sound waves that scare or disorient pests. These devices are usually portable and reusable, making them ideal for pests that move rapidly or which are difficult to reach with other means of control.
Some other physical controls are the use of radium or gamma radiation to kill insect eggs and larvae, and the application of various repellents. The latter often contain essential oils or chemicals that make the environment uninhabitable for pests.
Other than physical and mechanical control, other pest management techniques include cultural practices, biological control, and chemical controls. Some cultural techniques include proper sanitation, removing debris and infested plant material from the field, crop rotation, modifying planting times or spacing to reduce weeds, soil solarization and incorporating plants resistant to pests into a garden or crop.
Natural Forces
Whenever possible, pest control methods should be designed to utilize the forces of nature rather than fighting against them. A natural approach focuses on long term prevention and promoting ecosystem health. This is accomplished through a combination of biological control, habitat manipulation, crop selection and other cultural practices. Pesticides are only used when monitoring indicates they are needed according to established guidelines, and are applied as a last resort after assessing the risk to human health, beneficial organisms and the environment.
Pests are undesirable organisms such as insects, bacteria, fungus, nematodes, weeds, viruses and vertebrates that degrade crops, gardens, landscapes and the surrounding environment. They can also displace native species and alter ecosystem factors such as soil health, water availability, nutrient content, biodiversity and fire regimes.
Some pests are more damaging than others, and pest problems can affect all types of plants, turfgrass, agricultural crops, and wild plants. Pests can be continuous, sporadic, or migratory and they may need to be controlled regularly or only occasionally depending on their impact and the availability of resources.
Many pests have natural enemies that control or displace them. Natural enemies include predators, parasitoids and competitors. The predatory owl butterfly, for example, is the natural enemy of the Japanese beetle. Parasitic wasps, such as the aphid-eating lady beetle (Hippodamia spp), can be introduced into vegetable garden beds to control aphids and other insect pests.
Other natural forces that can control or displace pests include climate, the presence of natural barriers, and the availability of food and shelter. Mountains, large bodies of water, and other natural features restrict the spread of many pests. Pests are also limited by their roost and water supply, and the ability to find shelter from predators and parasitoids.
The best pest control method is preventive, using good gardening practices to make the plant healthier. This will reduce disease, weed and insect pressure. Aim for a high level of biodiversity, as this increases the chances that natural enemies will be present to keep the pest population in check. Threshold-based decision-making is a key part of this approach and involves regular scouting and monitoring. A few aphids or other pests seen here and there shouldn’t warrant action; however, seeing them in large numbers every day may be an indicator that the ecosystem is being out-competed.