Pests are very worrisome and a serious threat to plants, animals, and even humans. There are different kinds of pests like rodents, bacteria, fungi, insects and so much more.
With the number of damage pests cause to living organisms, it would only be right to look for ways to control or manage pests.
For pests to be controlled, you need to first make sure that your environment is very clean and hygienic. Throw dirts in the bin, keep cupboards, shelves, and cabinets clean, throw away stagnant water, and just generally keep your environment clean. There are multiple approaches you can use to get rid of pests around you.
Pest Control Methods
When you read and study pest management strategies, you’ll be able to properly eradicate the pests around you and make sure they are properly controlled.
Here are the five methods of pest control.
1. Chemical Pest Control
This pest control method is using chemical pesticides to get rid of pests lurking around. You may want to opt for organic pesticides, but sometimes, organic pesticides do not get rid of pests like it is meant to.
There are thousands of chemical pesticides that you can find online that can be used in your homes, offices, stores, farms and so much more. They also come in solid, aerosol, and liquid forms.
When getting pesticides to get rid of pests around you, you should remember that some chemical products and ingredients used to make pesticides are very hazardous and could contaminate food, air, and water.
Based on the type of insects you’re dealing with, you need to get specific chemicals that would get rid of them as some pests are resistant to some kinds of chemicals.
There are chemical pesticides available for almost every insect pest, so you just have to look carefully for the one that would get rid of whatever pest you’re dealing with. Chemical pesticides as mentioned earlier also come with their fair share of disadvantages as they can be toxic and can cause harm to humans and the environment at large, but they do your job very well and get rid of pests quickly.
Advantages
- Chemicals kill pests very fast.
- They are inexpensive and can be gotten anywhere.
- The chemical method is one of the most reliable pest control methods.
Disadvantages
- Insects can develop resistance.
- It can cause pesticide poisoning.
2. Biological Pest Control
This is simply a method whereby other living organisms are used for the main purpose of controlling pests. However, this is very popular because there are no chemicals involved and it is very safe.
There is no fear of being exposed to toxic chemicals or having pesticide poisoning. This method has been used for a long time, from people buying cats to control the rat infestation in their homes, or Chinese farmers getting ants in their orchards to feed on the caterpillars and beetles.
Getting an animal that can get rid of pests around you is a great way to control the pest infestation around you.
Advantages
- This method of pest control is environmentally friendly.
- There is no use of chemicals in biological pest control methods.
- Insects cannot develop a resistance to predators.
Disadvantages
- It is not the most reliable method.
3. Physical Pest Control
This pest control method relies heavily on the use of equipment to control pests. This is usually carried out by a professional pest controller. You can control pests physically by:
- Setting traps and baits around the building or where the pest is more common. Traps are a great way for capturing rodents and insects. You can also lay out poisoned food to effectively kill the pests.
- Some pets are controlled by extreme temperatures. For example, when it is extremely hot, bed bugs die from the heat, this is a way to control bedbugs in your home. Also, very cold temperatures kill a lot of pests, and if you store your products in a cold room, it would be hard for pests to live in said rooms.
- You can get rid of pests by finding the original spot of their breeding ground and getting rid of them. Keep your home clean, dry, and warm and then that would generally affect the breeding ground that the pests started.
- Burning the field is a very old method of physically controlling pests in a certain area. This typically involves burning down the top layer of the soil and the crops on it to destroy the insects and pests that might be in the soil.
Advantages
- No harmful chemicals are used.
- Great in controlling macro pests.
Disadvantages
- It is not effective.
- Old and outdated.
4. Cultural Pest Control
This method of pest control involves the use of methodologies to control pests and provide unfavorable conditions for them to live in. It is a great way to keep crops safe and away from pests and stop pests’ multiplication. Individuals try to create unfavorable conditions for the pest to scare them away and ultimately get rid of them.
Land preparation, weeding, seed treatment, crop rotation, sanitation, trap cropping are examples of cultural pest control.
Advantages
- It is cost-effective.
- It is the easiest method of pest control.
Disadvantages
- It is not the most effective method to control pests.
5. Mechanical Pest Control
This is a method to directly kill and control the pests. It is very rapid and works by fast. This is great for very acute pest problems and is mostly for those that own farmlands or gardens. This method can be very time consuming because you have to pick up the pests one by one, or shake every single one of the crops that have insect pests on them.
Advantages
- It is a fast method of controlling pests.
Disadvantages
- Not advisable for those that own big farmlands.
- Time-consuming.