Pests (wasps, bees, flies, ants, roaches, mice, rats, termites, etc) are a problem for residences and businesses the world over. By definition, pests are considered detrimental to a person’s health, to the environment, or even to the economy. For instance, bees and wasps pose a concern to the health of most people, even those who do not have severe allergic reactions to stings; a regular bee sting is very painful and requires treatment.
Pest control, the regulation and management of any species considered a pest, is at least as old as the practice of agriculture. It has always been an important process for keeping crops healthy. Still, the conventional approach of using insecticides to combat pests on every front — in the fields and in the home — leaves a lot to be desired. Many chemical pesticides kill insects effectively but can also be toxic to human beings. On a large scale, many pesticides are also toxic to the environment, particularly if they are not used in a responsible way.
A growing concern for the environment has prompted many people to look for effective yet environmentally friendly pest control methods. Some pest control professionals have gone one step further and introduced the very best homemade methods for pest-control. Although they focus on showing you the best methods for eliminating wasps, hornets, and bees (a slightly higher degree of pest than your average mouse, rat, ant, or roach), they also touch upon natural, home-made remedies for all of these types of pests, leaving you with more than enough information at your fingertips to overcome just about any unwanted house guest you happen to encounter.
Of course, we all want pest-control methods that are simple, straightforward, and effective. The problem these days is a lack of information… or rather, too much of the wrong information. Most people, when they set about pest control, turn to one of two methods. They either eliminate the breeding grounds of the pest or they create some kind of poisoned bait system. Both can be effective for dealing with small infestations but in most cases, neither of these methods is enough (they are too little, too late) when you have any real sort of infestation in your home.
Inside and outside the home, proper management of waste elements, from open air sewers to garbage facilities, is one way of eliminating breeding grounds. It is certainly a good pest prevention method. Laying poisoned bait can a good way of controlling rat populations, too. If you’re talking about a large population, however, you may again need something more substantial.
Regardless of the size of your pest-control problem, you can find simple, straightforward, home-based solutions for pest-control, solutions that will help you get rid of your pests in one afternoon.
Integrated Pest Management or IPM emphasizes the need to control most types of pests (e.g. plant pests) and, only as necessary, to eradicate harmful pests using a combination of cultural, physical, and biological practices. Primarily, IPM minimizes the use of pesticides when eradication is necessary. You can use IPM with the more eco-friendly eradication techniques and, even more importantly, the most effective methods for preventing the entry of pests into your home.