Pest control

Pests cause major problems in the world and many of these pests have the ability to infiltrate homes and damage properties significantly. Termites are a good example of this. These cellulose feeding pests can infest and destroy entire homes. In addition to household pests, there are agricultural pests which attack food crops and other plants. They damage and, depending on the seriousness of the infestation, may even kill the plants, causing farmers to lose thousands of dollars of plants to these pests. Luckily, there are methods of control that exist for both household and agricultural pests. Among these methods are natural methods and chemical methods, both with their advantages and disadvantages.

Pest Problems

An infestation of aphids on a plant stalk

There are several kinds of pest problems that affect people. A few common pests that are known to infest homes and properties include several species of ants and beetles, mites, small rodents, spiders, bed bugs, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, bees and wasps, ladybugs, silverfish and termites. Bed bugs, about the size of an apple seed, are flat and red brown, . They feed on blood and are more active at night, while the hosts are asleep. They infest homes and can be found in mattress seams, furniture, behind baseboards, sheets, and even electrical outlet plates and picture frames. The females can lay up to five eggs per day, which adds up to 200-500 in its lifetime.

Cockroaches can present major problems, not only in home infestations, but also in restaurants. Some grow to be about two inches long; some have wings, although are not very good at flying. These pests carry diseases due to the fact that they live around waste and waste deposits. They remain active year-round and reproduce quickly. Their skin, dead bodies, and droppings can also produce allergies in some people.

There are several species of flies that are considered pests. Fruit flies, house flies, gnats, and blow flies are just a few of these. Flies carry many diseases (about 100 pathogens) including Salmonella, Staphylococcus, E. coli and Shigella. These pathogens can cause typhoid fever, cholera, bacillary dysentery and hepatitis. In general, they live eight days to two months. One pair of flies can produce up to 1 million offspring (through the offspring of their offspring) in just a week. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, flies destroy and contaminate 10 million agriculture products per year.

Termites are well known for infestation and destruction of property. They are sometimes called "the silent destroyer" because signs of damage are not always noticeable early on. Termites feed on cellulose plant materials, however in an infestation, they can feed on any home. They can be found in house foundations, furniture, shelves and even books. Termites can infest the walls of dwellings, within the wood that they consume. Mature termites (after they develop wings) create swarms.

Silverfish are another pest that feeds on cellulose. They are white, blue-silver or grey and about 19 mm in length with long antennae and three bristles on their rear. Silverfish prefer damp, dark areas such as basements, attics, garages, kitchens and bathrooms and piles of damp clothes. They feed on shampoos, the glue in books, other dead insects, linen and silk. The number of eggs the female produces depends on the species, certain ones can lay clusters of 20 eggs per day, while some only lay 2-3 eggs per day.

Rodents and other small animals such as squirrels, rats, and mice can also invade attics and crawl spaces in homes, leaving behind droppings and often dead bodies. This causes allergies and the rodents also act as hosts for other pests such as fleas, which can then be transmitted to pets and people. They cause destruction of property due to their chewing and gnawing.

There are several pests in agriculture, including varieties of weevils, beetles, the larvae of beetles and weevils, and also worms and mites. Infestations of aphids, sometimes called plant lice, are caused by the the mature, winged adults laying eggs on a plant. They feed on young plant growth, inserting a proboscis and drawing out the plant's juices. They can cause plant deformities and also transmit many plant diseases.

Caterpillars, the larvae of moths and butterflies, present serious problems for crops. Caterpillars consume huge amounts of plant material and have been known to defoliate entire trees and sometimes, entire forests. They tunnel and bore holes through fruits and leaves, and some, such as the tomato hornworm can be heard eating.

Methods

Natural

A sample of food grade diatomaceous earth, a natural pest repellent

One method of pest control that does not use harmful substances is biopesticides. These pesticides are usually in the form of sex pheromones or scented plant extracts. Microbial pesticides, pesticides made from microorganisms, can be formed with a certain bacterium, fungus, virus or protozoan as the main active ingredient. Some fungi can destroy weeds while others can kill some insect species. One example of a microbial pesticide are strains of a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. A different strain of this bacteria contains proteins that could kill a specific species, or a few related species of insect pest. For example, one strain of Bt contains a protein that has the ability to bind itself to a gut receptor within the larvae, which then causes the pest to starve to death.

Scientists are also able to take the gene of the Bt protein that kills pests and add the gene into the plant so that the plant produces the protein instead of the bacterium. These substances are known as Plant-Incorporated-Protectants (PIPs). The use of pheromones as a pest control method is highly effective. Pheromones are chemicals secreted by an insect in order to send signals to members of the same species. They are a form of communication by which the organism can decipher information such as sexual receptivity, signal potential dangers, and to show dominance among individuals. Pheromones can be used as mass trapping methods, with the pheromones acting as bait for he pests. Sprayable formulas of these pheromones have been developed and can be distributed by helicopter. The pheromones have been proven to disrupt the mating processes of the pest, causing them to cease or slow reproduction.

Pheromones can also be utilized in households in the form of small traps, with a female sex pheromone as the bait, attracting and trapping the males and slowing infestations.

Another method of pest control that involves natural substances is the use of diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is made from tiny fossilized remains of aquatic organisms that are known as diatoms. These skeletons are made of silica, which is a common substance found on earth. As a pest repellent, diatomaceous earth works by making small cuts on an insects exoskeleton and soaking up the oils and fats produced by the insect's cuticle. This drying out process eventually kills the pest. It works on a large variety of pests such as, cockroaches, bed bugs, crickets, fleas, ticks, and spiders. Diatomaceous earth usually comes in a powder form, but can also come as wettable powders and pressurized liquids.

Chemical

Picture showing a residence that has been "tented" in order to fumigate it

One common method of chemical pest control is fumigation. The chemical can be sprayed into the soil, or a granular form of the chemical can be sprayed and then worked into the soil. In household fumigation, the house must be sealed completely before the pesticide is released into the air. This method is very useful to eradicate pests that are not always visible. f, bed bugs and termites which prefer to hide in cracks and crevices and even within walls. There are certain kinds of pesticides that may be used to combat pests. One of these is Organophosphate Pesticides. Theses work by disrupting certain enzymes that regulate neurotransmitters. Carbamate Pesticides also affect the nervous system, however, the effects are often able to be reversed.

Insecticides can come in many forms. Granular and pellet forms allow the toxin to slowly leach out and these can be placed around the base of a plant. Dusts can be an insecticide formulated with ash, talc, clay or chalk. Stomach poisons are often in a dust form because they are easily picked up on the feet of the pest and then accidentally ingested. Wettable powders can be mixed to make sprays. Aerosols are useful for greenhouses and warehouses and can come in pressurized cans or unpressurized so they can be used in fogging machines. Ultralow-Volume Concentrates are useful for aerial applicators (such as crop dusters for large agricultural fields).

Video

Video showing the basic methods of fumigating a residence.