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Pests And Pest Control
By Lyn Davis
There are lots of pests in this world, and at some point everyone will find themselves battling a pest. Pest can invade our garden, our home, buildings; the list goes on and on. Pests can be bugs, plants or animals. Just the mention of fleas, cockroaches, dandelions, mold, mice and rats can elicit strong emotions. Pests present a health hazard to your family, pets, and garden.

It is important to know how to properly control these pests that invade our lives. It is nearly impossible to eliminate pests, but it is imperative to control these invasive pests. There are various methods of controlling pests; these can include chemical control, biological control, mechanical methods, or a combination thereof.

Mechanical pest control is usually the most cost effective and if implemented before a vast infestation takes place can produce desired results. Mechanical methods include hand picking (such as pulling weeds) and traps (such as a mouse trap). Mechanical methods of pest control are usually the most environmentally friendly.

Biological pest control includes insecticides that are derived from plants or other naturally occurring substances such as microorganisms.

Chemical pest control includes the use of more toxic synthetic pesticides. Chemical pest control is not environmentally friendly and is never considered as an organic method of control.

"Integrated Pest Management is the coordinated use of pest and environmental information along with available pest control methods, including cultural, biological, genetic and chemical methods, to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment". (Proceedings of the National Integrated Pest Management Forum. 1992. American Farmland Trust)

Integrated Pest Management stresses the use of complementary methods of pest control such as the introduction of natural predators. This method of pest control is much more ecologically sound than relying on chemical methods.

The first step in pest control is to identify the problem. Particularly when plants are involved, the problem may involve poor growing conditions instead of an attack from an invasive pest. Sometimes identifying the pest is obvious, if you see a mouse scurrying across the floor it is obvious you have need for pest control. The next step is to identify how serious the infestation is, or is this just one mouse that has found its way into your home, or is there a family of mice that has taken up habitation in your home. One mouse can often easily be eradicated using a mouse trap or possibly the family cat. However if you have a large infestation of mice, you may need to resort to stronger chemical methods or find it necessary to hire a professional exterminator to rid your home of the pest problem.

For more information on pest control visit Pest Control Site

How Natural Insecticide Kills Insects

A natural insecticide will kill insects, that much is certain. Natural insecticide has been used for centuries, at least. If you are a curious person, you might like to know how natural insecticide kills insects.

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural insecticide made of the skeletal remains of plankton. What it does is to puncture the bodies of the insects. Then, it dehydrates them. When this natural insecticide has done its work, unwanted insects will dry up and practically blow away.

Rotenone is a natural insecticide, as well. It is made from the roots of the derris plant. It does its killing by poisoning the stomachs of insects. However, it is slow-acting and needs to be reapplied often for maximum effect.

Rotenone also seems to keep insects away from plants. It will keep the insects from growing and will stop them from eating if they are not adequately poisoned. Sabadillia also kills by stomach poison.

From Ecuador and Kenya comes a species of chrysanthemum that yields a natural insecticide called pyrethrum. This natural insecticide destroys insects by paralyzing them. It works instantly and it works on most types of insects.

The only problem is that the pyrethrum will often wear off. The insects will come around after awhile. They are not killed after all. For this reason, it is often combined with a poison that finishes the insects off.

Natural insecticides used in the termite control industry work in a different way. They cause the termite to lose their appetite. In fact, they can't eat at all.

The natural insecticide will cause the termite to be disoriented due to damage to its nerve endings. (People and animals do not have these same nerve endings and so are safe.) Due to all these problems, the termite will eventually die.

A bacterium, Bacillus thurengiensis or Bt, is another natural insecticide that is popular these days. It is best used when the eggs of insects are just hatching. The young come out, eat the toxin, and are poisoned. They will stop eating and die of starvation.

Neem preparations get rid of insects in many ways. This natural insecticide repels the offending bugs by means of an active ingredient that mimics an insect hormone. It makes it hard, if not impossible, to digest food. It stops their cycle of reproduction. It works well on insects that chiefly eat leaves.

Some non-plant natural insecticides do their work by dehydration, as Diatomaceous Earth does. Chalk dries out insects on contact. Mineral oil either dries out or suffocates its victims.

A mixture of cow's milk, flour and water can be used as a natural insecticide. It is very good at killing the eggs of the insects. It also destroys insects themselves, by suffocation.

Corn meal can be sprinkled around plants to kill insects. If a tomato hornworm happens to eat some, the cornmeal will swell up in the insect's stomach. The insect will explode.

There are all kinds of ways to kill insects. Some are by simple poisons. Some ways are more exotic ways. It may not really be important to know how a natural insecticide kills insects; only that it does.

Other Pest Related Articles
Food outlets closed over cockroaches

A living hell: Cockroach infestation unbearable

Animal Planet star shares how insects affect our everyday life

Joke Center
ON THE ROAD AGAIN ...
The weary holiday traveler looked in disbelief at a bunch of mistletoe hanging above the luggage check-in center ...

Turning to the attendant he asked, "Ok, I give up. Why is the mistletoe there above the luggage scale?"

The attendant replied, "So you can kiss your luggage goodbye."