Pest Control St Charles MO helps keep homes and businesses clean, healthy and productive. It locates the cause of the infestation and prevents the spread of diseases brought by unwanted pests.
Always have a professional identify the pest and tailor their treatment method to that species. Be sure to ask for the name and EPA registration number of any chemicals used.
Insects are the most diverse group of animals on land, with more species than all other land animal groups combined. They can be predators or prey, parasites or hosts, herbivores or decomposers. In fact, insects can occupy almost any microhabitat on the planet. They vary in size, shape and behavior, from the inert flies that lay in the nutrient bloodstreams of their hosts to the fast-running dragonflies, tiger beetles, and predaceous water beetles that outrun or outswim their prey.
In some cases, pests destroy crops or damage plants to an extent that makes the plant unsuitable for food use. Such insect pests are often referred to as weeds, thrips, mites or leafhoppers. Others chew fruit or leaves or suck sap from plant tissues. They may also defecate a sticky liquid that supports sooty mold. Sucking pests include aphids and squash bugs, while the mouthparts of beetles, caterpillars, or grasshoppers are designed for chewing.
A gardener’s knee-jerk reaction to these pests is often to reach for a can of pesticide and spray the bugs away. However, this approach is not always a good one. Many insecticides can be dangerous to other organisms, including beneficial insects, earthworms and birds. Careless spraying may also contaminate water supplies or result in chemical resistance by the target pest.
The timing of spray treatments is also important. It is most effective to apply insecticides when the target pests are small and newly hatched, before they can fly or move about. It is also best to use a pesticide that will control the specific organism rather than a broad-spectrum product, which may cause unnecessary damage.
Some pests go through a pupal stage during which they do not feed. The pupal period can last a few days to a few months, depending on the pest. If the pesticide used is a contact or systemic compound, it is most effective to apply it when the pests are still in the egg or larval stages.
The decline in the numbers of honeybees and other pollinators is a concern to many gardeners, and articles about such a decline frequently mention that pesticides are one of the factors that contribute to the problem. Savvy PMPs will understand that the public is sensitive to these concerns and are more likely to support companies that take steps to protect beneficial insects.
Rodents
Rodents are a common problem in homes and businesses. They are often considered nuisances because they can chew through wires, ruin food supplies, damage buildings and spread disease. Rodents can also cause fires, which pose a serious hazard to the property and health of people in the building.
Rats and mice are the most commonly found rodents in and around buildings. They are also known as commensal rodents because they have adapted to living with humans and eating the same foods. They can also carry diseases, such as the bubonic plague and typhus.
The best way to prevent rodents from entering a home or business is by reducing the availability of food and water, keeping surfaces clean and removing nesting materials. Getting rid of clutter and keeping pathways clear will also help. A pest control professional can help with more advanced solutions, such as installing exclusion measures, that are more effective at deterring rodents.
Rodents are found in every terrestrial habitat, including human-modified environments. They can be arboreal, fossorial (burrowing), saltatorial/richochetal (leaping on their hind legs) or semiaquatic. The common characteristics of rodents are their small size, robust bodies and short limbs. They have a single upper and lower pair of ever-growing incisors.
A wide range of species comprise the rodents, from pygmy mice, weighing 4 grams, to capybaras, which can weigh over 70 kilograms. Many rodents live in societies with complex social structures and behaviors. Mating practices range from monogamy to polygyny and promiscuity. Some have litters of underdeveloped young, while others are precocial and have fully developed offspring.
While rodents provide a vital service in the ecosystem by helping to maintain forest and grassland habitats, they become pests when they infest houses and disturb the comfort and safety of people. They can also cause billions of dollars in losses to agriculture and public health. They can be carriers of diseases, such as the plague and typhus, and destroy crops and native plants. In addition, they can carry parasites that can affect human health. Long-term rodent control in urban areas should include sanitation, exclusion and a combination of baits and traps called integrated pest management (IPM).
Mosquitoes
There are 3,500 species of mosquitoes, and although they often annoy humans as we swat them away while enjoying the outdoors, not all are pests. Most species rarely bite, relying instead on mammals, birds and reptiles for blood meals. Only when they target human hosts for a blood meal that will supply nutrient-rich eggs are they nuisances and harbingers of disease.
Mosquitoes are the primary vector for a wide range of diseases, including yellow fever, dengue and Zika. They also carry a host of other viruses that pose serious threats to public health, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Many of these virus-transmitting mosquitoes belong to the genus Aedes, but other species from the Coquillettidia, Culex and Culiseta genera can transmit some of the same pathogens. Each of these species has different ecologies, behaviour and life cycles over the seasons. They are found in diverse habitats and differ in their ability to transmit viruses to humans. Some are container-breeders like Aedes, but others can breed in ephemeral pools of water. The behavioural and life history differences among these different species create a formidable challenge for effective mosquito control (Sherwood et al., 2020).
Most mosquitoes breed in ephemeral pools and die with the first frost in autumn, but the Aedes aegypti mosquito has adapted to urban environments by breeding in cisterns, buckets and other artificial containers. This makes it much harder to eradicate this species than other Aedes mosquitoes that breed in natural water sources such as rivers and streams.
Aedes aegypti has developed resistance to the most commonly used insecticides in mosquito control. New tools are needed to reduce mosquito populations and limit their transmission capacity. Some of these tools may involve genetic modification of mosquitoes to reduce their ability to spread diseases such as dengue, Zika and malaria. Other products will include chemicals that kill mosquitoes or impact their breeding, or a combination of both.
Effective control of Aedes mosquitoes requires political commitment, sustainable allocation of resources for planning and surveillance and training of public health authorities as part of a comprehensive strategy. The best results will be achieved when education programs are targeted to the local community and geared to their beliefs, habits and infrastructure.
Bedbugs
Bedbugs are small insects that feed on people in their beds while they sleep. They pierce the skin with their mouth parts and inject saliva that contains an anesthetic and an anticoagulant, so their hosts don’t feel it. Then they suck blood until the victim is full. Some people are allergic to the bites and develop hives or blisters. The bugs can also cause loss of appetite and insomnia. They don’t fly or make nests, but can crawl rapidly over floors and walls. They are found in the cleanest hotels, motels and apartments, as well as people’s homes.
Bed bug infestations are difficult to treat. People who suspect bed bugs should contact their pest control operator as soon as possible. A professional will use high heat to get rid of the bugs and their eggs. They may also suggest encasing the mattress and box springs in a plastic cover that has duct tape over the zippers to prevent the bugs from crawling out.
Infestations are easier to detect and treat when they’re at a low level, before they spread. That’s why people should keep their beds as clean as possible, removing all bedding, washing it in hot water and drying it on the highest dryer setting. They should also vacuum their floors frequently, sealing the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and throwing it away right away.
People should also wash clothing that has been worn in an infested hotel or place of business and put suitcases on a stand rather than on the floor. They should also check their shoes before entering a home and use the same precautions when traveling on public transportation or visiting friends’ homes.
People should repair cracks in plaster and peeling wallpaper to cut off places where bedbugs can hide. They should also buy or build a bug-proof mattress and box spring covers and seal them with duct tape. And they should only use pesticides registered for indoor use; those labeled for garden or outdoor use won’t work against these hardy insects. A professional can help identify the pesticide best suited to the situation and explain how to apply it correctly.