What Is Integrated Pest Management

Local Exterminators Granbury is a process used in hygiene management to manage the existence of certain organisms that are undesirable in enclosed environments such as dwellings; schools, offices, and health care, food processing, or food preparation facilities. The goal of most pest control programs is prevention and/or suppression, and the use of chemicals or other materials is usually a last resort. Eradication is a rare goal in outdoor pest situations, and even when successful it is generally only pursued when the desired outcome, such as crop protection, outweighs the costs and risks of eradication (Mediterranean fruit fly, gypsy moth, and fire ant control are examples). Eradication may also be a reasonable objective in indoor environments, especially when the target is an organism that poses a serious risk to human health or to property, such as rodents, roaches, fleas, and bed bugs.

The most common reason for people to seek pest control services is that they currently have an infestation and want it eliminated as quickly and effectively as possible. Pest control services can provide immediate relief from an existing pest problem by using a variety of methods including physical and chemical controls.

Physical and chemical controls kill or repel the targeted pest, or make conditions unsuitable for it. Traps and other mechanical devices for rodents, weed barriers, steam sterilization of soil for disease management, and nematode applications are all examples of physical pest controls. Chemical pest controls include herbicides for weeds and insecticides for insects, and may involve the application of synthetic chemicals or naturally occurring substances. Pheromones can be used to monitor or confuse pest populations, and juvenile hormones can reduce pest numbers by keeping immature forms from transforming into normal adults.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based approach to pest management that minimizes the need for pesticides by combining elements of prevention, monitoring, and suppression. IPM is an effective strategy for residential and commercial settings, as well as agricultural and forest land uses. It is particularly suitable for urban areas where the availability of alternative pest control methods may be limited.

Preventive measures include reducing food and water sources, cleaning up trash, and removing hiding places, to make the area less attractive to pests. Clutter provides ideal places for rodents to breed and hide, and leaking pipes and faucets can offer them an easy water source. Prompt plumbing repairs can help prevent this. Reduced humidity can be a deterrent to pests, and it is important to keep garbage in tightly-fitting containers to limit the spread of disease organisms like bacteria, Salmonella, and fungi.

Termites, bees, and wasps can cause serious structural damage to buildings, and fleas and ticks can carry diseases such as plague, typhus, shingles, and cat scratch fever through bites. The most common pest control method is to spray pesticides inside or outside structures to kill or repel them. This is usually the last resort and should only be done by trained professionals who follow a variety of precautions to ensure that pesticides do not affect people or pets in addition to the targeted pests.