What is Pest Control? This is the question which many people ask who are pest victims. Pest control is a technique by which one manages or eliminates unwanted domestic animals such as pests. Some of these pests get rid of by natural pest control techniques while others must be treated with hazardous chemicals. Some of these pests include ants, spiders, bees, wasps, yellow jackets, ticks, roaches and mice.
There are numerous types of chemical based pest control methods. The most common is the baiting system where a trap is placed beneath the ground to catch the unwanted critters. Other methods include mechanical removal such as digging up the turf and spraying it with an insecticide. The use of biological and organic pesticides have also become popular. These biodegradable substances do not have adverse effects on the soil thus does not pose danger to the people and wildlife.
Biomass pest control involves using materials that do not harm the soil or the plants when they are growing. Bioorganic material are those substances which are created by living things such as organic waste and compost. These include biofuels, such as vegetable oil which when used in crop production releases noxious fumes when burnt. Another source of biomass is wood which is also bio-degradable.
The chemical methods of pest control include the use of fumigants, systemic pesticides and aericides. Fumigation is often considered the least harmful of all the chemical methods as it is thought to kill pests by sterilizing the air. However, it has been found that long term inhalation of the chemical fumigation can cause cancer. The systemic pesticides contain toxins that are absorbed through the skin into the blood stream thereby affecting the whole body. The aericides are mostly used to repel insects instead of exterminating them.
Physical presence involves fumigating with hot steam, spraying insecticides in the air, or applying physical traps to repel pests. Physical presence is considered the most effective of all the pest control methods but is also the most hazardous. Physical traps like those containing traps that release chemicals only when animals step on them are more hazardous than fumigation with toxic gases or aerosols.
Pest exterminators have to be highly trained and experienced in order to effectively do their job. They need to be able to read each plant’s natural pest defense mechanisms and know exactly where to spray the chemicals so that they will have minimal impact on the pests but be efficient enough to completely get rid of them. Pest exterminators must be careful not to leave behind any hazardous chemicals. It is a good practice to consult an expert before trying to do it yourself. This ensures that no hazardous chemicals go to waste and that no innocent lives get affected in the process