Pest control is not a favorite topic of interest, and yet, it is part of everyone’s property maintenance list. For centuries pest control has been a serious concern for people. It became a part of our lives since we first started growing crops as a way of survival.
Through the centuries pest removal has evolved into several types of pest control which have all proved to be active in their way.
Nowadays, pests reach beyond crops and attack food, furniture, carpets and use people as a food source, as well.
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What are the Pests?
The most straightforward definition of a pest is an organism which pisses us off. That’s it; the term is entirely anthropocentric.
Pests are creatures which interfere with our activities in any way, shape or form. In agricultural settings, insects cause damage in a variety of ways.
The most common is the direct or indirect consumption of our goods such as a corn borer or corn earworm feeding on corn.
There’s also the transmission of disease to plants, livestock, and people. Some such as bed bugs feed on us directly, and others like cockroaches share our dwellings and offend our sense of cleanliness.
Others such as wasps or yellow jackets will inject us with harmful substances. Some like mosquitoes or aphids transmit diseases to our plants or us.
Different Kind of Pests
Termites
Termites feast on wood and paper products such as books etc. With an average colony reaching about 300,000 in size.
Carpenter Ants
The Carpenter Ant is black and more significant than most other types of ants. Colonies of carpenter ants can increase to almost 20,000 strong and can cause considerable structural damage to the frame of a house or building if not eliminated.
Bed Bugs
Some people call the Bed Bug a “vampire” because it feeds off of warm-blooded animals including humans. Bed bugs have a flat oval-shaped body where their color is determined by what they fed on last.
Fruit Flies
Fruit Flies breed in several places such as trash containers, empty bottles and in produce like bananas, melons, onions, grapes, strawberries, and dirty rags.
House Fly
The House Fly feeds on dead animals, rodents fecal matter and is a very common insect. House flies are known carriers of pathogens such as anthrax, tuberculosis and other poisons.
What is Pest Control?
Pest control is defined as the management or regulation of a species described as a pest, a member of the animal kingdom that impacts adversely on human activities.
The rational response depends on the significance of the damage done and will range from tolerance, through deterrence and management, to attempts to eradicate the pest. Pest control measures may be done as part of an integrated pest management strategy.
Benefits of Pest Control
- Rodents consume nearly 20% of the world’s food supply.
- Rodents are carriers for dangerous pests such as fleas, ticks, and mites.
- This creature carries sickness that is transmittable to humans and animals.
- 500,000 people are admitted to the emergency room from insect bites and stings.
- Pests such as fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes can transmit deadly diseases to humans including malaria, plague, Lyme Disease, and West Nile Virus.
- Bed bugs were until recently scarce. Pest Control professionals now are working together to diminish the population of bed bugs again.
- More than 45,000 people are bitten each year by rats leading to diseases like rat-bite fever, salmonella, the plague, trichinosis, and leptospirosis.
- If it were not for pest management practice, the food crops would be in danger of pests consuming more than 50% of the plant.
- Public health officials utilize insects for research to better the lives of humans in health matters such as better vaccines and pharmaceuticals, sanitation, and the ability to master the pest control products.
- Without pest management control practices, food sanitation, food regulation, and health regulations would not be achievable.
- Cockroaches have allergens that many people (7-8% of the general public) are allergic to.
Best Pest Control Method
- Biological Pest Removal
If we need to introduce the organic pest control method with a quote, it would be “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”.
In other words, it involves using living organisms to control the vermin population. Also known as the effector, it has proven to be highly beneficial and chemical-free. It controls mites, insect populations, weeds, and plant diseases.
- Chemical Pest Contest
If you wish to exterminate vermin to repel them, you might use chemical pest control methods, which are a prevalent type of pest management nowadays.
Several treatment solutions or sprays might be adapted to divert vermin off your property. In case of an intense infestation, space fumigation is the best solution for a property owner.
- Rodent Pest Control Methods
Most common rodents in Nigeria such as mice, rats, and squirrel may cause terrible harms to your health or property if not controlled on time.
Some prefer DIY methods, others rely on professional pest control companies for the job and pay for a service, which usually puts an end to the pest infestation.
- Bird Pest Control Methods
In Nigeria bird species such as pigeons and seagulls are often considered as pests because of the structural damage disease transmission they cause, which can hardly be avoided.
Nothing can stop them from multiplying, and unlike other vermin, birds cannot be utterly exterminated.
Professional Advice When Pest Are Not Completely Eradicated
Be vigilant in surveillance, identification, and monitoring efforts; hire trained, experienced, and reputable pest management professionals; and use a comprehensive approach.
For example, you may wish to:
choose different types of pesticides from the list of currently labeled ones for sequential treatments; or use pesticides for which insect resistance has not yet been reported, such as diatomaceous earth, in combination with other control techniques.
Conclusion
Interestingly, pest control isn’t something to be handled with levity. You certainly must handle it diligently. This article must have given you or afford you the privilege of knowing the most basic things you need to know about pest control in Nigeria, it up to you to utilize this knowledge judiciously.
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