Basic Pest Control Method Effectivess

In recent years, consumers throughout the country have made it clear in that they want a safer, more effective pest management methodology and at the same time want to protect the environment. Whether used to control insects, rodents, weeds, microbes, or fungi, pesticides have important benefits. They help farmers provide an affordable and plentiful food supply. Pesticides also are used in other settings such as our homes and schools to control pests as common as cockroaches, termites, and mice.

When houses and yards are kept clean, there is no food for pests and nowhere for them to live and breed, and this in turn means that there are few pests. This is the old way approach to control pest through sanitation.

Pests can be controlled by practicing good hygiene in the following ways:

  • Clean up after meals. Put food scraps in the bin, and wash and dry plates, cups, glasses, cutlery and cooking pots after use.
  • Put all rubbish into the bin
  • Wrap all food scraps tightly in paper before putting them in the bin
  • Keep all the benches, cupboards and floors clean and free of food scraps
  • Regularly clean behind stoves, refrigerators and other household appliances
  • Keep food in containers with tight-fitting lids
  • Use the toilet properly. Make sure that all urine and feces goes into the pedestal pan and that the toilet is flushed after use. Toilet paper is the only kind of paper that should be flushed down the toilet.
  • Make sure the toilet is clean and the cistern works correctly
  • Make sure that all septic tanks and leach drains are well sealed
  • Make sure that the community rubbish tip is operated correctly with the rubbish being buried regularly
  • Use fly screens to stop pests entering the house and seal holes around pipes

There is little point to having a pesticide program to control domestic pests if the relevant hygiene factors are not addressed as well. The pests will soon return if good hygiene is not maintained.

Biological control methods

Biological control methods can also be used to control pests. These methods include using natural enemies of the pest and biologically interfering with their ability to breed. Pesticides are not used.Two examples of biological control methods are:

  • the use of Australian native fish to feed on mosquito larvae in water bodies
  • the use of the dung beetle to break down and bury cow feces so that it is no longer available as a breeding place for flies

Originally designed for agriculture, IPM is also being used as a model for reducing the risk associated with pesticide use in other settings such as homes and schools. The IPM system consists of four steps:

  1. setting action thresholds;
  2. monitoring and identifying pests;
  3. preventing pests; and
  4. controlling pests when necessary.

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