Coquitlam Pest Control is managing pests’ existence and presence to minimize harm. This includes removing food and water sources, cleaning up spills, and fixing leaky plumbing.
The most common pest control methods are traps and bait stations. Physically toxic chemical pesticides are also used, but these should only be applied by qualified commercial pest controllers.
Many insects are beneficial to humans in the ways they reduce plant diseases, aerate the soil, and disperse seeds. However, some insects cause crop damage and must be controlled to protect our food supply. Biological control uses living organisms to suppress pest populations, making them less damaging than without intervention. These organisms include predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. It can be achieved through conserving existing natural enemies, introducing new ones to a region and establishing them there, or mass rearing and inundative release of the biological agents.
Insects that rise to pest status typically do so because they escape the normal population controls of their natural enemies. This may occur due to their accidental or intentional introduction into a new area, the destruction of natural enemies by human activities, or simply because they are better competitors than their natural prey and therefore reach higher densities. The alfalfa weevil is a classic example of this phenomenon. It was first introduced to the United States in 1904. By 1951, alfalfa weevil larvae reached levels that required growers to spray them several times a year. After the introduction of several parasitoids and a predator to control the weevil, the pest numbers were reduced to an acceptable level.
Beneficial insect predators such as lady beetles, ground beetles, rove beetles, and predatory true bugs can control pest species by feeding on them. They can also prevent the occurrence of pest outbreaks by monitoring the density of the pests and responding to it with their own predatory activity. These predators are typically more effective than vertebrate predators such as birds, amphibians, and reptiles, which feed on a wide range of insects and seldom focus their attention on specific pest species.
Chemical pesticides have a variety of negative impacts on the environment, including the development of resistant pests and residue accumulation in crops. They can also be transported from their point of application to other areas by atmospheric spray drift or through runoff and leachate transport into streams. Agricultural and commercial facilities, wastewater treatment plants, chemical manufacturing plants, and residential and industrial construction can all introduce insecticides into surface water.
Rodents
Rodents are opportunistic feeders that will eat almost anything, including fruits, vegetables, grains and meats. Leaving food sources available or failing to clean up spills, crumbs and trash can lead to rodent infestations. Rats, mice and squirrels are a common pest in homes and businesses and can create damage to roofs, foundations, walls and electrical wires. They can also spread disease-causing pathogens and bacteria through their droppings.
Rodents can cause extensive property damage and are known to reproduce quickly. A single female mouse can have 6-10 litters with 5-6 young per litter. Understanding the nature of rodent behavior and how they are affected by environmental factors, as well as using preventative measures, is important for long term control.
The most common rodents are house mice, field mice and wood mice. They are small mammals with brown or gray fur and short limbs and tails. Their front teeth are sharp and never stop growing, which means they must gnaw on materials to wear them down. This can include wooden beams, causing structural damage. In addition, rodents can chew through wires and cause fire hazards, contaminate food with their urine and saliva, and spread disease through their droppings.
Rodents can enter buildings through holes, cracks, and crevices as small as a dime. Sealing these entry points with caulk and steel wool can help prevent a rodent infestation from forming in the first place. Additionally, cleaning up spills, crumbs, garbage and other debris can keep rodents away from your home or business.
Various other types of rodents are less commonly encountered but can still have a significant impact on your property and health. Strictly arboreal rodents like tree rats and squirrels have prehensile tails, while semi-aquatic rodents such as beavers, muskrats, nutrias and water rats have specialized traits that allow them to forage in aquatic habitats yet den in ground burrows. These unique characteristics may allow rodents to access areas of your home or business that are typically inaccessible to other types of pests. These rodents can also create significant property damage by burrowing through the roof of your home, causing leakage and rot in the structure.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are cryptic insects that can go undetected for months and even years. They are nocturnal and feed during the night, although they will also seek hosts in full daylight if hungry. They prefer to harbor within 6 or fewer feet of areas where people sleep or rest, but they will also hide in couches, chairs, electrical outlets, and tiny cracks and crevices. Because they can be so difficult to detect, pro-active inspections by tenants, housekeepers and pest control professionals are critical for early detection. In multi-occupancy buildings, a neglected infestation is more likely to spread to other units in the building.
Unlike fleas, bed bugs do not fly or jump onto people to bite them, but they will crawl up beds and other furniture to get at sleeping or resting humans. While they tend to prefer human hosts, they will also feed on other mammals and birds. Females can lay hundreds of eggs during their lifetime, and immature nymphs require five blood meals before maturing.
Both adults and nymphs are very small, about the size of an apple seed, and can fit into extremely tight spaces. They also do not produce a distinct odor, which can make them especially challenging to detect. When bed bug odor is present, however, it can be an indicator of a serious problem.
There are many nonchemical methods for managing bed bugs, including removing and cleaning infested items. Vacuuming and steaming can help, but it is important to use a thorough treatment procedure. Insecticides are used as a last resort, and should only be applied as liquid sprays to the surfaces of mattresses, box springs, or bed frames. They can also be applied as dusts to cracks and crevices. Insecticides should not be applied to clothing or other fabrics, and over-the-counter total-release aerosol foggers are not effective for controlling bed bugs.
Educating staff and tenants in hotels, dormitories, apartments and homeless shelters about bed bugs is another way to prevent an infestation. Providing regular training on how to recognize signs of an infestation and what to do about them can help managers respond quickly to an outbreak. In addition, staff should be instructed to regularly clean upholstered furnishings and other potential hiding places, and to wash all linens and clothes in hot water or run them through the dryer.
Pest Control Companies
If you’re dealing with pests, hiring a professional can help you get back in control. A company can shoulder the responsibilities of finding the right pesticides, monitoring traps and looking for nests. In addition, pest control professionals understand how pesticides work and can use them sparingly to minimize health risks.
While most pest control companies use chemical-based spray treatments, many also offer eco-friendly or green solutions to combat pest infestations. Green pesticides typically replace toxic chemicals with natural ingredients that are effective against specific insects, such as essential oils and fatty acids.
Before you choose a pest control service, check the licenses of the company and its technicians. You can do this by calling state pest management regulatory agencies or using online databases such as Service Magic, Angie’s List and Yelp!. You should also look for a company with a good reputation and an excellent customer satisfaction rating.
As the owner of a pest control company, you must constantly seek revenue opportunities and manage expenses to keep your business profitable. One way to do this is by offering specialized treatments, such as termite inspections or wildlife removal, to reach new customers and boost profits. Additionally, implementing digital tools and software into your operations can streamline scheduling, optimize routes, clarify communication with customers and improve efficiency.
To attract repeat business, offer loyalty programs that reward customers for their ongoing business with your company. Similarly, encourage customers to leave reviews on Google and other social media platforms. This will help build trust, drive referrals, and boost your visibility in the community.
Another way to attract repeat business is by providing a money-back guarantee for your services. This is especially important if you’re dealing with a high-risk pest, such as bed bugs. In addition, a loyalty program can boost retention rates by encouraging customers to continue their regular service, even during the off-season. Lastly, invest in technician training. Well-trained technicians can detect problems, perform services more efficiently and increase customer satisfaction. They can also recommend additional services, such as preventive treatment or insect prevention, to further enhance the value of your services.
