Randolph Pest Control is the monitoring, treatment and prevention of pests. The goal is to reduce the pest population to below a threshold level.
Insects are the largest class of arthropod, with more than 100,000 different species found on earth. There are insects that damage crops, but there are also beneficial insect species that help keep pest populations in check. Insects have a tough outer covering, called an exoskeleton, that provides protection and support. They have three segmented bodies and six legs. Their heads have one or two pairs of sensory antennae for detecting chemical cues and environmental stimuli.
Most insects have wings that allow them to fly. Some have tails for stabilization or to propel themselves. Some, such as the larvae of the drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum), are known for tunneling through books. The holes left by these beetles are often filled with piles of paper powder, giving them the common name of bookworms.
Scientists have been intentionally introducing beneficial insects to control pests since the 1930s. But with the invention of synthetic insecticides in the 1940s, interest in biological controls waned until the development of resistance to insecticides renewed interest.
The sterile insect technique, or SIT, is an integrated pest management strategy that reduces targeted pest populations by sustained releases of radiation-sterilized insects. This method takes advantage of the natural mating behaviors of insects to limit the number of fertile offspring produced by a release, which ultimately decreases target pest numbers and the frequency of resistant offspring resulting from genetic mutations.
SIT is effective in controlling pests such as the codling moth Cydia pomonella, and pink bollworm Peltinophora gossypiella. It is also being used to control the invasive weed kochia africana in cotton fields.
Cornell AES is working on research to develop SIT strategies that could potentially be used against other invasive crop pests, such as the corn rootworm Heliothis virescens. Other biocontrol techniques include the use of parasitoids, which attack and kill harmful organisms, as well as the development of transgenic crops that express insecticidal toxins. In addition, researchers are developing male-selecting transgenes for the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella that would suppress female insect reproduction. This approach may eventually provide an alternative to synthetic insecticides.
Rodents
Rodents are small animals, ranging from the tiny African pygmy mouse to the capybara, that have become an important part of many ecosystems. They have a very high reproductive rate, which contributes to their continued success as an evolutionary group. Their ability to survive in diverse environments, exploit a wide range of niches, and adapt to different habitats allows them to thrive around the world. Rodents are a major source of economic loss in agriculture and can cause damage to buildings and other structures from gnawing. They also spread diseases such as bubonic plague and typhus to humans.
Rodents have sharp, continuously growing incisor teeth on both their upper and lower jaws that they use to defend themselves, gnaw food, and excavate burrows. They are often able to learn how to avoid poisons and other traps, making them difficult pests to deal with. They are very intelligent and can develop a number of behavioral adaptations such as cheek pouches (for food transport), long tails (that help with balance, movement, and communication), specialized integument and pelage (such as porcupine quills and chinchilla fur), and sensory organ variations (including well-developed smell and vomeronasal organs).
Rodents chew and dig through food, paper, and other materials in homes and offices to make their own nests. They leave behind feces and urine, dislodge insulation, and cause water damage to drywall and other building components. They also carry and transmit a variety of diseases, including bubonic plague, typhus, hanta fever, and leptospirosis.
While many people keep rodents as pets, the decision to do so should be made after consulting with a veterinarian familiar with exotic mammals. Pet rodents require a large amount of space to roam and exercise, special bedding, and diets, and they can breed easily, creating numerous litters that must be cared for and rehomed. Pet rodents should be examined at least once a year to ensure their health and well-being.
The best way to prevent rodents is to seal entry points into your home, clean up any messes they create in the house, and set traps outside. If you do find yourself with a rodent infestation, professional pest control can safely address the issue and help you prevent it from happening again.
Birds
Birds are highly effective predators that can reduce insect pest populations without the economic, environmental and health costs associated with chemical sprays. Despite the fact that birds sometimes damage crops (especially during migratory periods), they are important for managing pests in agricultural ecosystems. The relationship between food producers and wild animals is complicated — home gardeners and rabbits, cattle ranchers and wolves, farmers and birds. The wrong species can decimate a farmer’s crop, but if used effectively, the right kinds of birds can provide valuable insect control services.
Whether in tropical rainforests or on Midwest farms, a variety of scientific studies show that birds are important for natural pest control. In fact, in a study of 118 pest-control studies across several types of farms, scientists found that birds reduced the need for pesticides by more than 80%.
In the 1960s, Rachel Carson’s best-selling book, Silent Spring, brought worldwide attention to the dangers of environmental contamination caused by the widespread use of pesticides. The accumulated chemicals, known as DDT and its derivatives, had a direct impact on bird populations by poisoning their eggs. DDT was also toxic to the fatty tissues of birds, causing them to lay eggs with very thin shells that would easily break under their weight during incubation.
Since then, accumulating research has shown that other common pesticides are affecting birds in similar ways. In the United States, for example, neonicotinoid insecticides, which have become popular as seed coatings, foliage sprays and soil drenches, are associated with a decline in many bird species.
While some researchers have focused on studying the effects of individual pesticides in lab experiments or on other continents, a new study by a University of Kentucky assistant professor offers the first large-scale analysis to determine how neonicotinoids are affecting bird populations nationwide. The results were published recently in the journal Nature Sustainability.
Scientists are exploring how to integrate birds into agricultural systems, particularly in Integrated Pest Management. One approach is to encourage the use of hedgerows, woodlots and streamside habitat on farmland, which can serve as a sanctuary for wildlife that provides pest control services. Other options include placing raptor perches and offering hawk and falcon training on the land, both of which can deter unwanted birds while bringing in the predators that control them.
Other Creatures
Often organisms rise to pest status because they escape control by natural regulating factors. This can occur because of their direct importation into a new area, or because human activities compromise the effectiveness of the organism’s natural enemies. It can also happen due to the uncontrolled reproduction of an organism. For example, thrips can quickly become a pest due to the high fecundity of its larvae.
Biological control uses the introduction of a pest’s natural enemies to suppress population growth. This can include importing predators from the pest’s home region (e.g., vedalia bettles were imported to control citrus cushion scales), or using genetic manipulation to create sterile pest males which cannot mate with fertile females. This is an expensive option, however, and carries with it ethical issues.
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