Pest Control Westlake Village services protect your property from damage and preserve its value. They regularly inspect your home for signs of pests and prevent them from returning once they’re gone.
Natural controls (parasites, pathogens, predators and pheromones) are often employed before resorting to chemicals. When chemical treatments are used, they’re carefully selected and applied to reduce risks to humans, beneficial organisms and the environment.
Preventive pest control uses practical, proactive tips to prevent pests from invading homes and businesses and then utilizes treatments to keep the pests away if they do invade. Treatments are reactive responses to existing pest problems, and they usually involve traps and baits that target a specific species of pest.
The best way to reduce the likelihood of pest infestation is to focus on sanitation. The three things that attract most pests are food, water, and shelter and unsanitary conditions supply all of them. By implementing strict cleaning standards, you can greatly decrease the likelihood of pest infestations.
Regularly Clean Counters and Tables: Eliminate food sources by removing crumbs from surfaces on a daily basis. Wipe down counters, tables, and floors with a disinfectant solution to eliminate bacteria that can draw pests in.
Frequent Garbage Disposal: Keep trash cans tightly sealed and dispose of garbage frequently to keep odors at bay. Clean and disinfect garbage bins weekly to avoid attracting pests.
Seal Gaps and Cracks: Pests can exploit even the smallest gaps to enter, so it is important to regularly inspect and seal these areas. Caulking is a common preventive measure, but other options include using expanding foam to fill in gaps, and installing door sweeps and weather stripping. It is also a good idea to use screens on windows and doors, but you should replace these often as they wear out quickly.
Landscaping Maintenance: Trimming trees and bushes that touch your home can reduce the number of bridges that could be used by pests to gain access. Remove piles of firewood or compost that can act as a breeding ground for pests, and make sure to drain standing water to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites.
Education: Learn about the habits, ideal habitats, and life cycle of pests to understand what attracts them. This will help you spot early warning signs of an infestation and take action before the problem gets out of hand.
A combination of routine inspections, preventive measures, and pest management services can help to minimize the need for more severe and costly reactive treatments. However, these measures aren’t a magic bullet; some pests are simply too aggressive or persistent to be controlled with prevention alone.
Pest Identification
It’s important to understand the biology of pests before taking steps to control them. This can help in deciding which tactics are most appropriate for controlling the problem without causing harm to people, property or collections. Knowing the life cycle of the pest can also help with identification and monitoring. For example, weed seedlings can look quite different from mature plants and many insect species undergo dramatic changes in appearance as they transition to adulthood. In addition, different ages may be distinguished by the presence of wing or body scales or other characteristics.
When the numbers of a pest increase to levels that compromise health, safety, property or production, it may be necessary to begin control measures. However, it is important to remember that pests are part of the natural environment and play essential roles in food chains and habitats. It’s therefore important to consider options for reducing or eliminating the number of pests, rather than trying to eliminate them completely.
Once a pest population reaches nuisance levels, the best course of action is often to try and reduce their numbers with non-chemical means. This can be done by removing food sources, creating barriers to their entry (e.g. putting up netting), or using baits and crack and crevice treatments (if safe to do so).
Before applying any chemicals, it’s always wise to consult with a pest control professional to ensure that you have the right product for the specific pest you are dealing with and that it is being used safely. It is also important to make sure that any chemical being used is registered for use in your area and is being applied correctly.
If you are unsure of the pest you have, the MMPC’s Free Pest ID Center can assist you. An entomologist will examine your physical specimen, or if you prefer, images of your mystery pest or insect bites, and provide an identification result and suggestions for treatment. To submit a sample, see the Pest ID Submission page. Specimens can be sent to the Pest ID Center through this website or dropped off at a MMPC office during business hours.
Pesticides
Pesticides are chemicals that kill, repel or control unwanted organisms that harm crops and other plants. They are used on agricultural and residential properties to control weeds, plant diseases, insects and rodents. They are also used in homes and businesses to control mildew, mold and fungus. Pesticides are available in liquid, solid and gaseous forms. They are formulated into sprays, powders, emulsifiable concentrates, microencapsulated suspensions, dry flowables, wettable powders, pellets, tablets and baits. They are classified as either organic or synthetic.
Some organic pesticides are derived from natural substances such as bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus spp.) or from organic compounds such as pyrethrins and chrysanthemums. Synthetic pesticides may be made from a variety of substances, including petroleum distillates, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and phenols. They are usually less toxic than the organochlorine pesticides that were widely used before the 1960s, but they still have significant health and environmental concerns.
The chemical properties of a pesticide determine its effectiveness and hazards. They are grouped into families, depending on their chemical structure and how they act on the targeted organism. For example, the organophosphate family includes insecticides that interfere with nerve-impulse transmissions by blocking the action of acetylcholinesterase. Other types of synthetic insecticides include carbamates and pyrethroids. Fungicides target fungi, while herbicides target plant pathogens and weeds. Rodenticides are designed to kill mice and rats.
Chemicals that make it easier for farmers and homeowners to apply or use pesticides are called adjuvants or surfactants. They can reduce or eliminate the need for high volumes of water for spraying, or they can help the active ingredient reach the pest or pathogen at a distance.
Pesticides must be stored, transported and disposed of properly to prevent contamination of water, air or soil. In addition, the safety of individuals using and working with pesticides is important. People who handle or use pesticides must be trained and certified – see the OSH Answers document Pesticides — Working Safely for more information. Provincial and territorial governments are responsible for licensing growers, vendors and applicators and for responding to pesticide incidents and spills. They are also responsible for regulating the sale, use, storage and disposal of pesticides within their jurisdictions.
Termite Control
Once a termite infestation has been detected, it must be treated. Proper treatment requires special training and equipment to locate critical points of entry where the termites enter a building. These are often hidden and hard to reach and include mud tubes used by subterranean termites to travel between their colonies and food sources.
Conventional liquid termiticide treatments create a barrier in the soil around and under structures that prevents termites from accessing them. These products are also effective when applied to the interior of wood structures, killing existing termites foraging in the area and preventing further damage. Many of the older liquid termiticides were repellent, but newer products such as Termidor (fipronil) / Taurus (fipronil), Premise (imidacloprid), and Altriset (chlorantraniliprole) are non-repellent and lethal to foraging termites tunneling through treated areas.
Other treatments are aimed at eliminating the source of the termite problem, and include soil treatments and baiting. The former involves placing a cellulose-based termite bait in areas of active termite activity. Foraging termites will take the bait back to their colonies and share it with other members, resulting in a gradual reduction in termite population within the colony. This is often more effective and environmentally-friendly than traditional soil or barrier treatments, but it requires regular monitoring of the bait stations.
Another form of soil treatment includes trenching and injecting the soil with a liquid termiticide. This is more effective than just laying a barrier, as it eliminates the access routes that termites use to get into homes. The liquid is injected into the soil at critical points, including under concrete slabs and along foundation walls.
Various natural methods of controlling termite populations are sometimes employed, such as encouraging ant species that prey on termites to live near and around a home, and by not piling firewood near or against wood structures. Keeping tree and shrubs away from the house, properly grading and draining the soil around foundations, and repairing leaky gutters and down spouts are also effective preventive measures.
Fumigation is a last resort treatment for severe termite infestations. It involves completely enclosing the infested structure and filling it with sulfuryl fluoride gas, commonly known as Vikane, which destroys both the termites and their eggs. This is a highly-intensive procedure that requires the homeowner to vacate the home for 3 days while the gas disperses.
