Once upon a time (like back in the stone ages), a common practice was to routinely spray baseboards as part of an ongoing pest control program. For the most part, those days have long since come and gone. Spraying inside your home may kill any bugs that may now be present, and may kill any others that come into the area, but is unlikely to actually keep anything out. To keep bugs from getting in, focus your attention outside the home.
As we say “farewell” to chilly temperatures and welcome warm spring days, insect pests also begin to enjoy the warmth. Warmer weather and changes in the daylight length trigger a variety of pests, such as boxelder bugs, lady beetles, cluster flies, ticks, fleas, swallow bugs, wasps, ground-nesting bees and mosquitoes, to move in or out of a structure and become a nuisance for customers. Reactive treatments for several spring pests could be unnecessary and probably unwise; however, preventive applications to prevent spring-invading pests could be an effective way to keep these pesky intruders at bay.
Mosquito eggs are among the early eggs to hatch in the spring and their developing adults can bite in a week or so. To deal with mosquitoes, especially those that are known as disease vectors, advise your customers to locate and remove any larval breeding places first. These breeding sites may include standing water around their property, such as puddles, buckets, gutters and downspouts clogged with water. Secondly, recommend mosquito “barrier” treatments, which can provide up to 95 percent reduction in the mosquito activity in and around a structure. These treatments should be developed to apply proven residual pesticides to foliage using a power mister at three- to four-week intervals.
Ant activity between late winter and early spring indicates to the PMP where they may be located. The presence of winged ants, especially in large numbers indoors, is a clear sign that the ants, mainly carpenter ants and pavement ants, have already established their nests nearby. In this case, you should properly and promptly treat for ants before the infestations grow.
However, treatments for fall-invading pests in the spring are ineffective. This is because boxelder bugs, cluster flies, multi-colored Asian lady beetles, brown marmorated stink bugs and other fall- invading insects are emerging from their overwintering sites and are moving away from buildings. If they re-enter again into the indoors — mistakenly or because of weather conditions — they will not reproduce there. In this case, advise your customers to physically remove them by vacuuming and discarding the vacuum’s contents outside. In commercial accounts, the use of insect light traps (ILTs) can be a wise choice to capture and reduce the number of flying insects around people. Moreover, treating fall-invading insects in the spring does not have any impact on the number of fall invaders next fall.
In general, to manage spring-invading pests and prevent them from entering a structure, an effective preventive perimeter treatment should be implemented along with IPM approaches, such as pestproofing practices and habitat modifications. Remember, timing is a critical key to success. All pesticide applications and exclusion practices, such as replacing worn-out door sweeps, sealing all pest entry points, and managing outdoor lights, tightening screens, windows and doors, etc., should be made early enough before spring pests become active on or around a structure.
Finally, watch the weather forecasts and plan your pesticide applications accordingly. Encountering an extended winter or heavy rains in the spring may render a liquid treatment ineffective. Select the best time for treatment following the label directions. Make certain to communicate your perimeter treatment expectations as well as the follow-up treatment evaluations to customers. Paying attention to the biology, behaviors and habits of common spring-invading pests can help you manage them more effectively.
To practice IPM in the landscape, choose plants that are well suited to the site. Plant them properly and keep the plants healthy by carefully watering, fertilizing, and pruning them.
Watch out for problems on your plants as they arise. If a pest or disease causes unacceptable damage despite preventative efforts, choose an effective management method that will have the least amount of impact on other living creatures and the environment.
Look for pests and diseases and the evidence or signs they leave. Look for symptoms the plant exhibits as a result of pest activity. Examine your plants often. Identify your plants to be sure that the twisted leaves, unusual coloration, or strange-looking structures you see are not a normal part of the plant.
Try to rule out site-related problems by making sure that the soil type, drainage conditions, fertility level, and other environmental conditions are favorable for the plant.
Effective pest management depends on the accurate identification of the pest. Insects and mites often are associated with specific plants, and they follow certain development and behavior patterns as the season progresses. Use reference books from the library or garden center to identify pests. If you can't find an accurate description there, consult someone in your local extension office. Learn about the insect's life cycle, behavior, and natural enemies.
Plant diseases may be caused by pathogens including fungi, nematodes, bacteria, or viruses. Each pathogen is capable of infecting only certain plants. Infection occurs under particular environmental conditions, with symptoms of the disease appearing later. To identify plant diseases accurately, compare visible signs and symptoms of the disease with descriptions in reference books. Some diseases are more difficult to identify, and you may need a laboratory analysis or the help of an expert. These services are available through landscape professionals or your local extension office.
Determine if the damage is severe enough to justify a management tactic. Is the damage actually affecting the health of the plant? If not, does it make the plant look bad enough to detract from the appearance of your landscape? You may become alarmed if you notice that caterpillars are making holes in leaves, but if the damage is slight or occurs late in the season, you probably won't need to control the caterpillars.
Are the pest's natural enemies present? In most cases, they will be. If so, an application of a nonselective insecticide could kill them, allowing the pest population to rebound uninhibited by predators and parasites, which may have been providing significant control.
If a control is needed, consider physical or biorational methods first. If they are unavailable or impractical, you may need to carefully use a conventional chemical control.
Pests can be removed from plants physically. For example, some aphids and mites can be knocked off by spraying the plant with water. Bagworm larvae can be picked off an infested plant.
You can use traps to catch certain pests, and barriers to protect plants from insect attack or disease infection. One effective method for controlling gypsy moth larvae on small numbers of trees is to put a band of folded burlap around the tree trunk to provide an artificial resting site for the caterpillars, and then destroy the caterpillars that gather there. Applying an anti-transpirant spray to lilac leaves in summer to prevent infection by the spores of powdery mildew is another example of a protective barrier.
In some cases, the best solution may be physically removing the plant and replacing it with one that will not be affected by the pest or disease. Thinning crowded plants to improve air circulation can reduce many disease problems.
Pest Control Near MeBiorational methods can be divided into two groups. The first group includes living organisms that can kill the pest. The second group includes naturally occurring biochemicals that are harmful to the pest yet often are harmless to other living organisms.
Insect pests frequently have natural enemies that are beneficial to the landscape. These beneficial insects often exist in the landscape naturally, but they also can be introduced. "Beneficials" may be predators or parasites. One common example of a beneficial predator is the lady beetle. Both the larvae and adult lady beetles eat aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Other predators include lacewings, spined soldier bugs, flower flies, and spiders. Parasites live on and often kill another organism, called the host. Some parasitic wasps use caterpillars, whiteflies, aphids, and soft scales as hosts.
An example of a method that uses a naturally occurring biochemical is the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt contains a protein that is poisonous to specific insects, yet harmless to other organisms. Bt can be sprayed on plants. When the sensitive insect pest feeds on the sprayed leaves, it will ingest the protein and be killed.
Conventional chemicals are used only as a last resort in an IPM program, but sometimes are the most effective means of control. To have the greatest effect, these materials need to be applied on a specific part of the plant when the pest is most vulnerable. Always apply chemical controls according to label directions.
In many cases, environmentally safe pesticides such as horticultural oil or insecticidal soap are effective choices. Again, applications must be timed carefully to have the greatest effect on the pest insect population. Because they have no residual activity after they have dried, soaps and oils are usually the option that is the least disruptive to populations of beneficial organisms.
The label of every pesticide formulation displays a signal word that relates to the pesticide's level of toxicity. These words, from least toxic to most toxic are: "caution," "warning," and "danger." Use these words as guidelines to help you choose the least hazardous material among the effective alternatives. For most landscape pests, you need to consider pesticides in only the first two categories. Some pesticide formulations can be applied only by applicators with special training and who are certified by the state's department of agriculture.
A pesticide may be applied only to plants that are listed on the label. Refer to the Woody Ornamental Insect, Mite, and Disease Management Guide, published by Penn State Extension, or to another current reference for a list of materials that are registered for use on plants in your state. Read the label to be sure that you have chosen a product that is effective against the pest you have identified, and choose your timing based on professional recommendations.
A pesticide may be applied only to plants that are listed on the label. Refer to the Woody Ornamental Insect, Mite, and Disease Management Guide, published by Penn State Extension, or to another current reference for a list of materials that are registered for use on plants in your state. Read the label to be sure that you have chosen a product that is effective against the pest you have identified, and choose your timing based on professional recommendations.
Mix pesticides according to label instructions. Do not use more or less concentrate in the mixture than the label recommends. Mix only as much material as you need for the application.
Label a set of mixing and measuring tools that are used only for insecticides and fungicides, and store them with the products. Use a separate set of measuring tools and spray equipment for herbicides.
Keep pets and people away from the area where you store, mix, and apply pesticides. Stay away from a treated area for as long as the label directs.
Do not spray on a windy day or when air temperatures will be above 85°F before the spray solution dries.
After spraying, change your protective clothing and bathe. Wash the clothes you were wearing separately from your regular laundry.
Keep records of where and when you sprayed, what pesticide you used, and how much you used. Give the treatment time to work, then evaluate and record your results.
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Do you have bugs OR cockroaches in your house? Did you say no? We are pretty sure it’s a yes. There are so many different types of pests in every house OR office. Pest control is something that every house and office needs. You might not be able to see those little ants, termites or even cockroaches that come out to make merry when you sleep at night. The thing about these pests is that they can be really small and so they cry in all tiny cracks in the walls and also under furniture etc. If you have lots of books, you can be sure that there are lots of silverfish also in it. The biggest problem is that these pests cause a lot many health issues. They contaminate all things that you use at home including vessels that you cook in the next day. Especially, diseases like dysentery, diarrhea and even asthma are caused or affected by them. The kids in your house are even more prone to diseases than the adults.
