Pest Control

Rabbit Pest Control

by
rabbit pest control

rabbit pest control

Rabbit pest control is a necessity for many reasons. They destroy crops and pastures, damage banks and hedges, and can cause havoc for businesses. Additionally, they pose a health and safety risk on footpaths. A good solution is to install rabbit-proof fencing. Adding rabbit-proof fencing will discourage the animals from accessing your property.

Regulations for rabbit pest control

Regulations for rabbit pest control provide guidelines and information for the management of rabbits. Their purpose is to reduce the negative impacts of rabbits on people and the environment. The use of humane and effective methods is the key to achieving this goal. To help manage rabbit populations, these regulations are constantly updated to take account of new knowledge and techniques.

Humane rabbit control methods include live trapping, physical exclusion, and toxicants. If these methods do not work, professional pest control companies can help you with the necessary solutions. For more information, contact your county agricultural commissioner or UC Cooperative Extension. Also, contact a local pest control company for advice.

Rabbits must be housed in properly ventilated and clean conditions. This includes proper lighting and temperature. The temperature of the air around live rabbits should be at least 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Effects of rabbit pest control on native plants

In recent decades, scientists have developed methods for controlling rabbit populations using biocontrol agents. While these agents have provided significant benefits to agriculture in many countries, there are still concerns about their effects on native plants. For example, rabbits may not be able to eat native plants if they are not surrounded by dense vegetation.

While humans may not realize it, the destruction caused by rabbits can be staggering. In Australia, rabbits cause an estimated $600 million in damage each year, largely due to the costs of control applications and lost agricultural production. Additionally, they are an important contributor to the decline of native species. In New South Wales, feral European rabbits outcompete native herbivores and threaten the native vegetation. As a result, their presence has been identified as a key threat to biodiversity.

A new biocontrol strategy is being developed by the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions. It incorporates various approaches, including genetic biocontrol technologies and artificial intelligence to manage rabbit populations. The long-term goal of this strategy is to permanently solve Australia’s rabbit problem and help native plant and animal species recover.

Cost of rabbit pest control

The cost of rabbit pest control depends on several factors, including the type of crop or land being damaged, the climate, rainfall, and control methods. The value of the crop or commodity also influences the costs of control. Higher-valued crops are more expensive to eradicate than lower-valued crops. While this can increase the overall cost of rabbit control, it can also provide a higher return on investment.

While there are several options for reducing the rabbit population, live trapping is usually the most effective method. Live trapping requires relocation of the animal to a safe location, and it is time-consuming and expensive. However, it is recommended to carry out rabbit control during winter months when rabbits are less active.

Another effective method for rabbit control is shooting the rabbits. This method is very effective, especially in fields where the animals do damage. However, this method must be done with proper planning. If you are planning on shooting the rabbits, make sure to shoot them early in the morning or at dusk. Keep in mind that lead ammunition is being phased out throughout the state.

Ant pest control

by
ant-control

 

Ants are nuisance pests around the home because they feed on and contaminate human foods, infest structures by nesting in wall voids and/or underneath kitchen sinks and other places, and build unsightly mounds in lawns and other landscapes. In some cases, ants are able to inflict painful bites or can have venomous stings. Ants do not attack or eat fabrics, leather or wood in houses. However, some species can establish nests in decaying wood, including wood in human structures. Here is some information about ants provided by the professionals at Pest Control London.

Several species of ants are found in or around houses in London. In general, the most common ants can be grouped as house-infesting ants, yard-infesting ants, and carpenter ants. The most commonly encountered pest ants are pharaoh, white-footed, Argentine, ghost, pyramid, carpenter, rover, native fire, imported fire, crazy, thief, Caribbean, acrobat, and big-headed ants.

Identification

Ants can be recognized from other insects because they have a narrow waist with one or two joints (nodes) between the thorax and abdomen. When identifying ant species, the first characteristic to look at is whether the ant has one or two nodes. Also, ants have elbowed antennae. The antenna is the second most important structure in ant identification. The antenna is divided into segments starting with a long and thin segment called the scape, which is the first segment counted from the head of the ant. In some imported pest ant species, the antenna ends in a club that is formed when the last two or three segments of the antenna are significantly enlarged. Winged reproductives have four wings, with the first pair much larger than the hind pair.

Biology

Ants are social insects. Two castes (workers and reproductives — females and males) can be found in most colonies. Worker ants, which are sterile females, are rarely winged. They often are extremely variable in size and appearance within a given species, although some species have only one size of worker (monomorphic = one form), and others have two sizes (dimorphic = two forms). The functions of the worker are to construct, repair, and defend the nest, and feed the immature and adult ants of the colony, including the queen. The worker ants will forage for both solid and liquid foods and water. However, most adult ants cannot ingest solid food. Solid particles are given to the larvae, which are able to digest solid particles. Some ants favour foods that are sweet, and species that are sweet feeders can be found tending to honeydew-producing homopterous insects such as aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects.

Reproductive females normally have wings but lose them after mating. Therefore, queens do not have wings. The primary function of the queen is reproduction. However, in some of the more highly specialized ants, the queen cares for and feeds the first brood of workers on her salivary secretions. The queen may live for many years, and in some species is replaced by a daughter queen. Depending on the species, ants can have one or more queens. The male is usually winged and retains its wings until death. The sole function of the male is to mate with an unfertilized female reproductive. After mating occurs, the male dies. Males are produced in old or very large colonies where there is an abundance of food. After reaching maturity, the male usually does not remain in the colony very long.

Ants have an egg, larva, pupa and adult stage. Eggs are almost microscopic and hatch into soft, legless larvae. Larvae are fed by workers, usually on predigested, regurgitated food. This process of exchanging food is called trophallaxis. Most larvae are fed liquids, although some older larvae are able to chew and digest solids. The pupa resembles the adult except that it is soft, uncoloured, and immobile. In many ant species, the pupa is in a cocoon spun by the larva. Six weeks to two months are required for development from egg to adult in some species.

Ants establish new colonies by two main methods: flights of winged reproductives and budding. The most common method is for male and female reproductives to leave the nest on mating flights (nuptial flights). The several hundred to thousands of winged reproductives that emerge from colonies for their nuptial flights have also been termed “swarming.” These ant swarms, in early spring, can lead to increased frantic homeowner calls to pest management professionals. The mating flights are usually triggered by weather cues such as the right temperature and/or 24 hours after a rainstorm. The mated queen constructs a cavity or cell and rears a brood unaided by workers. The first brood moults into small workers, which then forage for food and take over the brood-caring and other duties in the nest while the queen continues to lay eggs. The colony grows in size and numbers as more young are produced. The colony grows rapidly but slows its growth when the colony size nears maturity.

Food Preferences

Most ants eat a wide variety of foods, although some have specialized tastes. Fire ants feed on honeydew, sugars, proteins, oils, seeds, plants and insects. Pharaoh ants feed on sugars, proteins, oils and insects. Crazy ants like sugars, protein and insects; carpenter ants prefer sugars and insects. Often ants’ preference for certain foods will vary throughout the year depending on how much brood is being produced in the nest. This variance in food preference has some consequences on the use of baits for ant control. Sometimes changing from sugar-based baits to protein or oil-based baits may be important in maintaining the ants’ interest in the toxic baits.

Ants use scouts to locate food. When a scouting ant finds promising food, she carries it or a piece of it back to the nest. Some ants leave scent trails composed of various chemical compounds known as pheromones that others can follow to the food source. The pheromone trail that is deposited by scout ants is typically short-lived and must be reapplied continuously. Ants require water and will travel some distance for it if necessary. Workers are able to bring water to the colony in their guts.

Control, Prevention

Prevention is the best line of defence against the establishment of any pest insect. Relatively small ants, such as the white-footed ant and rover ant, can fit through extremely small openings to gain access to the home. Sealing cracks and holes where ants may be entering a structure can effectively stop most ant invasions. If these entry points can be located, they can be blocked by the application of caulk or some other exclusion device. This can also help to prevent other insects from gaining access to your home.

The best approach to ant control in the home is cleanliness. Any type of food or food particles can attract and provide food for ants. Store food in tight containers. Remove plants that can attract ants, or control aphids, whiteflies and other honeydew-producing insects on plants in and around structures. Removing any materials or vegetation that is serving as a nesting site for ants is beneficial for a long-term management strategy. Try to remove piles of old lumber, firewood, railroad ties, and debris that can serve as potential nesting sites for many ants including Argentine, Caribbean crazy, crazy, white-footed, and fire ants. Reduce moisture sources, including condensation and leaks.

article by https://www.pantherpestcontrol.co.uk

Common Places Cockroaches Hide in Your Home

by
cockroach-pest-control

 

Cockroaches are resourceful insects that can hide your house in so many ways. They fly, crawl through small crevices, bags, sometimes shoes, boxes, and containers where they can hitch a ride and go to another place.

 

So, if you see a small crack in your home or anywhere outside your property, trust that a cockroach and its cohorts have already made that spot as their passage.

 

What Attracts the Cockroach?

These insects are highly attracted to exposed left over food.

For these insects, finding crumbs of food in the sink, laying on the floor or just plain in sight, these critters will eye their prize almost instantly without a doubt.

 

So, when you’re in the dining area or at the kitchen, keep your food away, store them or discard them safely. Always clean your eating space so these roaches aren’t invited with tiny food droppings that you didn’t notice immediately.

 

Cockroaches find moist places attractive as well.

You will find cockroaches hanging out in leaky pipes under your house. They can be also seen lurking under spaces where it’s always wet such as the bathroom sink, kitchen sink, and loitering about in the garage where there’s a leak.

 

Seems like they always have places to stay, which is so true about them. That said, cockroaches aren’t seasonal insects as they tend to be around all the time.

cockroach-control-facts

Where Else Do Cockroaches Hide?

They thrive mostly in places where it’s dark and wet.

Cockroaches nest in clothes, cabinets, shoes, curtains… even right in your own bed.

It’s a horrible truth in every household. Always remember to keep your things and home clean, free of food droppings, and plan a schedule of having cockroach pest control come over at your place and eliminate them.

 

Will Cockroaches Go Away For Good When Treated With Pest Control?

The great thing about having your place treated for cockroach infestation by a pest control company is this: they eliminate the source, kill the eggs, and the cycle stops right there. Not only that, the living cockroaches are done for.

Cockroaches are eliminated so they stop breeding, laying eggs in your home, and start another cycle for them. An insect-free home means your place is safe from disease-carrying insects such as cockroaches.

Watchdog Pest Control

3542 E Altadena Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85028,

Phone 602-842-5290

What is a Mice Infestation?

by
how-to-get-rid-of-mice

Mice come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Nevertheless they rarely come alone! At the least not for extended should they get comfortable in your home. One of the reasons mice are such a problem is they can appear just about anywhere, they multiply quickly, and they’re very difficult to obtain rid of.

One of the biggest questions folks have when they believe of mice problems is: just how many mice is considered an invasion? We will have a look at the answer to that particular and additional mice related questions.

What Is A Mice Infestation?


A mouse or two can be quite a problem, nonetheless it isn’t considered to be an infestation. But among the reasons for mice is that just a few mice in your  home can grow and become an invasion in a really short space of time. Mice management experts Central Coast Pest Control recommend acting fast because you don’t have time and energy to delay.

Although the actual definition of an mouse infestation isn’t clear-cut, if you have higher than a handful of mice at home, you have an infestation. Have the mice started leaving their droppings behind, squeaking in the walls, and coming and going throughout the house? At this time, you have an infestation.

A significant fact to note is that by the time you begin seeing signs of mice, you almost certainly already have an invasion in place. A couple of mice isn’t going to create anything very noticeable. They’re also nocturnal animals, so you won’t see a lot of them.

Signs of a mice infestation include:

  • Mice Droppings
  • The Smell of Ammonia
  • Squeaking
  • Signs of Chewing
  • Mice During The Day

In the event that you see mice, it is advised that you never attempt to catch them with your bare hands. Cute they might be, but they can have plenty of health issues connected with them. And you never want bacterial infections being transferred to you or your family.

How To Handle A Mice Infestation

Mice are difficult to deal with. The life cycle of a mouse is incredibly short. They therefore breed quickly.  They create a number of problems and it needs plenty of work to manage them. Knowing just how many mice is considered an invasion is only the initial step. Because the best way to take care of a mice infestation is to avoid it before it happens, you need to begin by preventing your home from becoming the sort of environment mice like. Most mice infestations start because the house is just a perfect place for mice to live.

Just correcting the surroundings won’t make the mice go away. You may also have to discover a way to encourage them from the home. Natural methods such as peppermint acrylic or ultrasonic noise emitters are great. But they might not be enough.

Often, a pest control expert must completely handle a mice infestation. Pest control experts deploy methods such as traps and repellents. In extreme cases, they might deploy poison but modern pest control methods attempt to prevent poison because of the side effects that it can create.

How to Keep Your Yard Free of Mosquitoes

by
How to Keep Your Yard Free of Mosquitoes

Did you know that mosquitos kill more people than murderers do? Yes! These killer bugs are responsible for spreading life threatening diseases including malaria, yellow fever, chikungunya and many more, which claim a whopping 600,000 humans lives per year. You’ll therefore be doing yourself and the people around you a huge favor by eradicating the blood suckers from your property. However, to effectively rid your yard of mosquitos, you’ll have to understand a thing or two about these pesky insects and stay ahead of their plans. Here’s a simple guide on how to keep your outdoors mosquito free.

Destroy Their Nesting Sites

If you have watched Aliens, the 1986 horror movie, then you already know that to conquer an ever growing army of pest-like intruders, you have to first take out their breeding grounds. Mosquitos are no different. Firstly, you should understand the mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. As such, you should take the necessary precautions by checking and draining any stagnant water in your yard. Places to check include gutters, ponds, kiddie pools, flower pots, tires, puddles, old buckets, pet bowls, etc. Essentially, anything that can hold water is a potential nesting ground for mosquitoes; cutting them down to one generation will surely reduce the number of disease carrying fliers in your yard.

Decorate Your Yard with Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

After eradicating their breeding grounds, you’ll need to keep mosquitoes from other areas from coming into your yard. Well, what better way to do it than to use plants that have both scenic value and scents that repel the little suckers. That’s right, plants like citronella, marigold, and catnip are known mosquito deterrents you can opt for.  Here is more information on plants that repel mosquitoes.

Install Bug Lights Instead of using Incandescent Lights in Your Yard

As you may already know, insects are attracted to conventional light bulbs for various reasons. As a result, mosquitos might be attracted to your yard because of the type of security lights you have on your porch, gate or just around the property. It is therefore advisable to use lights that do not attract insects such as the Warm LED bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, or other insect lights to keep mosquitos at bay.

Keep Your Yard Tidy

Mosquitoes like to hide in dark places especially during the day to strike at night. Therefore, outgrown bushes and branches, unkempt fences, overgrown grass and heaps of debris and plant matter in your yard are perfect hiding places for mosquitos. As such, keeping your yard clean by pruning and trimming your plants and fence and mowing your lawn are imperative for a mosquito free yard.

Note that, mosquitoes are can be annoyingly persistent even with these strategies if your immediate neighbors don’t join in your efforts. However, if the problem persists after all the effort, you can always consider professional treatment services. Otherwise, follow these four simple tips to kick mosquitoes out of your yard.