It is estimated that invasive pests will destroy more than 1.4 million trees in the USA between 2020 and 2050. The estimate also says that it may cost more than $30 million per year to manage these pests. It highlights the extent of damage pests can cause. Therefore, it is essential to identify and eliminate a pest infestation at an early stage.
However, it is impossible to eradicate pests without proper identification, so you employ the correct pest control method. Therefore, you need to understand different pest control methods that are suitable for various types of pests. You can click here to learn more about common pests and appropriate control methods.
Different types of pests
There are hundreds of different species of invasive pests in California. Irrespective of species, pests invade your house for food, water, and shelter. However, they can be broadly categorized into the following three categories.
- Insects: Insects like ants, bedbugs, cockroaches, termites, fleas, wasps, bees, moths, etc., are some of the most common types of invasive insect pests that can swarm into your house and damage your health and infrastructure.
- Rodents: Rodents like rats, mice, and squirrels are some common rodents that can easily make their way inside your home and cause severe damage to infrastructure while increasing the risks of spreading deadly diseases like salmonella, hantavirus, listeria, diarrhea, etc.
- Birds and others: Apart from rodents and insects, birds and other animals like pigeons, bats, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, etc., can also make their way to your property in search of food and shelter and cause destruction. Some animals can also harm you.
Different methods of pest control
Depending on the type of pests and the architecture of your home, one of the following methods can be useful for pest control.
- Physical pest control: Physical pest control involves methods like killing or trapping pests to get rid of them. However, while trapping pests cannot be a permanent solution, it can surely bring things under control for a while so that you can find a permanent solution.
- Poisoned bait: Poisoned baits are more appropriate for pests like rats and other rodents as they could otherwise be hard to eliminate. For insects like ants, slow toxins target the entire colony. However, some may consider it inhumane, which is why it is not widely used these days.
- Fumigation: Fumigation eliminates pests using a liquid insecticide in a covered area for an extended period. While the process may be inconvenient and costly, and you cannot use the property during the treatment, it can be effective on most pests.
- Sterilization: Sterilization or sterile insect techniques use low-level radiations like x-rays and gamma rays to sterilize insects so they cannot further increase the population. The method has proven to be highly effective in controlling mosquito populations.
- Insulation: While insulation provides excellent noise-cancellation properties and creates a good thermal envelope, it can also be mixed with elements like boron to prevent insects from finding a way inside your home.
Understanding why pest control is important
Pests can be dangerous to your health and house infrastructure. The following are some main reasons why pest control is important.
- Pests can spread diseases like mosquitoes can spread malaria, rats can spread salmonella, etc.
- Many pests, like cockroaches and dust mites, can cause severe allergic reactions like asthma.
- Pests carry several viruses and bacteria and can contaminate food and water, leading to illness and infections.
- Pests, like termites, rats, mice, carpenter ants, etc., can cause severe damage to infrastructure that may require several dollars for repair.
Final takeaway
Pest control becomes necessary when you are facing an infestation. However, you must not try to carry out the pest control on your own, as it involves using hazardous materials. It is advisable to hire a professional for enhanced efficacy and long-lasting results.
