Pest Control Sparta NJ suppresses pest populations through prevention, eradication, or physical removal. Prevention is usually possible by eliminating the conditions that favor pests.
Some plants and animals are naturally resistant to certain pests. The use of such resistant varieties can help to control pest populations.
Other natural controls include parasites, predators, and pathogens. Sterilisation programs often supplement these.
Insects
Insects are the most abundant animals on Earth and form the biological foundation for all terrestrial ecosystems. They decompose and cycle nutrients, pollinate flowers and trees, disperse seeds, maintain soil structure and fertility, control populations of predators, parasitoids, disease vectors, and other organisms, and provide food for mammals, birds, reptiles and other taxa.
Invasive insects, such as fire ants, Japanese beetles, gypsy moths and canker worms, have devastating economic impacts on agricultural production by chewing or boring into crops, damaging wood building materials and destroying stored grains. They also have negative impacts on humans and domestic animals by causing annoyance, inflicting bites and stings, or transmitting diseases.
Pests cause plant disease by introducing pathogens into the plants they feed on. Viruses transmitted by insect saliva, for example, can devastate greenhouse crops like impatiens that are grown in greenhouses. Sucking insects, such as aphids, leafhoppers and thrips can introduce mycoplasma-like organisms that cause bacterial diseases such as Peach X disease and Aster yellows into fruit and ornamental plants, including rhubarb.
The need to protect plants from insects should be based on the economic or aesthetic injury level, not the number of pests present. Spraying with pesticides should be used only when the value of crop damage saved exceeds the cost of labor and chemical costs.
Many insect pests can be controlled with natural methods. For example, releasing beneficial insects such as ladybugs (Aphidoletes aphidimyza) or lacewings (Diptera fuliginosa and Feltiella acarisuga) into your garden can dramatically reduce aphid populations. Keeping your plants healthy, with appropriate amounts of water and fertilizer, will also help control the number of insects that attack them. If you do decide to use pesticides, be sure that the product is labeled for the specific pest you are trying to control.
Rodents
Rodents are important parts of many ecosystems and a significant food source for predators, scavengers, and some predatory birds. However, rodents also consume crops and can cause damage to structures and property. They can spread diseases to people and other animals through direct contact with the rodents, such as by breathing in contaminated dust or touching an infected surface, or indirectly, by bites from ticks, mites, fleas, and mosquitoes that have fed on infected mice or rats.
There are about 1700 different species of rodents worldwide. Of these, only about 5-10% are major pests in agricultural and urban environments and even fewer cause problems over larger areas. In addition to their impacts on crop yields, rodents can damage the environment and create fire hazards.
The characteristics of rodents vary widely among species. They typically have short limbs, long tails for balance, and sharp incisors optimized for gnawing and chewing. They have highly developed senses of sight, smell, and touch and often use whiskers to enhance their ability to feel their surroundings. Many live in social groups and have complex ways of communicating with each other. Mating strategies can range from monogamy to polygyny and promiscuity. Rodents have a broad diet and can survive in a wide range of habitats, including forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra, and swamps.
The best way to prevent a rodent infestation is to take steps to keep them out of buildings and away from food. Clean up crumbs and other debris around the building and store grain, nuts, seeds, and other dry goods in tightly sealed containers. Also, clean up discarded cardboard and paper that can be used for rodent nests.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are blood-feeding pests from the Cimex genus. These insects are very difficult to control once they become established in a dwelling.
The best approach to managing these pests is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy including monitoring, use of several different treatment methods and re-treatment until the bed bug population has been eliminated.
Bed bugs are wingless and flattened to fit into small cracks and crevices. They congregate in habitual hiding places like mattresses, box springs, headboards and bed frames. These areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, dried excrement, and tan-colored’skins’ shed by developing nymphs. Bed bugs are active at night and will readily travel 5-20 feet from their harborage to feed on a host.
Often, heavy infestations require extensive preparation prior to treatment. This may include discarding heavily infested furniture and removing clothes and other belongings from beds and upholstered chairs. Using protective covers that seal mattresses and box springs can help prevent re-infestation. Using interceptor traps under the legs of furniture is also useful in reducing the number of bed bugs. These traps are easily made from cardboard boxes and can be purchased in most hardware stores.
It is important to inspect for bed bugs at least twice a week and frequently check interceptor traps. Carefully reading pesticide labels and following safety directions is essential before applying any pesticide to the home. Rubbing alcohol, cigarette lighters and ‘bug bombs’ are not effective treatments for bed bugs and can be dangerous to people and pets.
It is also a good idea to have a sample of the pest to show to an extension agent or other insect expert to confirm that it is a bed bug. Some species of bed bug, such as those that feed on bats and birds, can bite humans too.
Termites
The detritophagous eusocial insects known as termites are a major threat to the wood framing of residential and commercial structures. The tiny pests can destroy or seriously weakened a building’s structural integrity and, if left unchecked, cause serious property damage.
Termites are wood-destroying insects that typically infest homes in the spring and fall. A qualified pest control expert can inspect your home for signs of an underground or aboveground termite infestation and recommend appropriate treatment.
There are several different types of termites that can infest a structure, including dampwood and drywood species. These species differ in their preferred feeding habitats. However, most species of termites exhibit similar eating and movement patterns. They reside in colonies that can contain thousands or even millions of individuals. Colonies are divided into castes based on the role of their members. Generally, termite colony members include workers, soldiers and swarmers.
Swarmers are the reproductive form of the species. Swarmers are light brown to dark brown in color and have wings that they shed after emerging. They often fly at dusk and are attracted to lights. Workers and nymphs are creamy white in color. Soldiers are wingless and have longer heads than nymphs.
Unlike ants, termites do not forage on the surface of the soil or out in the open. They tunnel into and through wood or other materials to get from one feeding site to another. They also travel in small mud tubes that they construct from soil, debris and other material. These tubes may be found on foundation walls, floor joists and ceilings. They are usually a good indication that a termite infestation has begun. It’s also helpful to save a few swarmers for inspection by your pest control operator in between service visits.
Weeds
Weeds are plants that grow where they are not wanted, interfering with crop production or adversely affecting natural ecosystems. They compete with crops for sunlight, nutrients and water and block or hinder harvesting, processing and animal grazing. They may also carry pests or diseases that threaten crops. Some weeds are poisonous to livestock and wildlife, some are nutritious foods and fodders and some are beneficial to soil health by breaking down dead vegetation and stabilizing soil erosion.
A well-managed agricultural system has enough weed species to provide habitat for beneficial insects and microorganisms that help to control pests. Moreover, the presence of some weeds can improve the performance of cropping systems by preventing them from becoming overfertile or by providing a more stable microclimate for ripening.
Many weeds produce seeds that are dispersed by animals or the wind. For example, common cocklebur seed pods have hooks that attach to fur or feathers; common burdock and curly dock seeds have bladder-like structures that allow them to float; and milkweed, dandelion, and thistle seeds can be carried by the wind on their fuzzy pappuses. Many weed seeds are also dispersed by human activity, including tillage, cultivation, and spraying.
Declaring all-out war on weeds with chemicals or steel can yield clean fields and good harvests for a while, but removing all of the plants in an ecosystem destroys the habitat that supports the beneficial insects, microorganisms, and other organisms that naturally control insect pests and other threats to agriculture. It can also lead to overuse of herbicides and development of resistant weeds on conventional farms, and overcultivation and soil degradation on organic farms.
Weeds are a persistent and costly problem for farmers. They compete with crops for space, nutrients and moisture and contribute to the spread of pests and disease. A regular grid pattern of weed identification and frequent shallow cultivation, followed by one or two discings before bed formation, can reduce many problems. Irrigation uniformity is essential, as well, to limit weed growth and promote crop yields.