Biological Pest Control

Pest control is a set of tactics that reduces pest populations to an acceptable level. Often the first step in controlling pests is to remove their food, water and shelter sources.

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Pest identification is the first step in the pest management process. Accurate pest identification is essential because it enables the use of the most appropriate and effective control tactics. Incorrect or ineffective pest control can be costly and may cause damage to non-target organisms or the environment. Pest identification is also important because pests change in appearance as they progress through their life cycles. For example, an immature beetle can look similar to a caterpillar or worm.

A number of resources are available to help with pest identification. These include county extension offices, which serve as local resource hubs for entomology information; university entomology departments and labs; and textbooks that describe insect characteristics and behavior. In addition, many state and federal agencies set regulations and enforce standards for pest control.

Once a pest is identified, the next step is to monitor its population and impact. Monitoring involves checking fields, landscapes, buildings or forests for signs of pest activity. It can also involve collecting samples for analysis. Monitoring gives you a clearer picture of how a particular pest impacts its environment, such as how much of a plant the pest damages or how fast it is spreading. Monitoring allows you to make informed decisions about whether or not to control a pest, and if necessary, which controls are best.

Proper pest identification can also contribute to safer levels of pesticide application. Some pests, such as cockroaches and other household insects, are capable of transmitting diseases to humans. Identifying these and other pests can help prevent unnecessary pesticide usage.

In many cases, pest identification is a key part of developing an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. IPM focuses on controlling pests by combining cultural practices, biological controls, or other methods to limit their population and damage without the use of chemical controls. Knowing which pests are continuous, sporadic or potential and the conditions that favor their presence can allow you to predict when they will appear, so that prevention strategies can be put in place before they become damaging. This will also enable you to choose control tactics that are specific to the pest, rather than general and broad, reducing the amount of chemicals applied.

Pest Control Methods

Accurate pest identification is the first step in any pest management plan. This enables you to determine basic information about the pest such as its life cycle, the conditions that favor it, and when it’s most likely to be controlled. It also helps you select the best control method.

Physical and biological control methods can be used to exclude or capture pests and prevent them from damaging plants. For example, netting can prevent fruit from being spoiled by birds while trapping them or keeping them off of a building; barriers and fences can keep rabbits and other rodents away from crops and structures; and caulking and sealing cracks and openings can stop mice, squirrels and chipmunks from entering homes and killing plants. Altering the environment can also be effective in controlling some pests, such as thinning crowded plants to improve air circulation and reducing the spread of plant disease organisms.

Chemical pest control methods use natural or synthetic chemicals to kill or control pests. The most common organic chemicals are horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps, which can be used to control some insects, but need to be applied frequently and carefully in order to work. Synthetic chemicals include pyrethroids, which are often combined with other substances to make them more effective and less toxic, and neonicotinoids, which are used to kill insects by interrupting their nervous systems.

Another type of chemical pest control is the introduction of a natural enemy to control the pest population, which is called biological or biorational pest control. This usually involves releasing a stable population of the pest’s natural predator, such as ladybugs to control aphids. It can also involve the release of other organisms that damage the pest, such as parasites, herbivores or pathogens.

Microbial pesticides, such as the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), are also used. These microorganisms produce proteins that are toxic to certain pest insects, such as caterpillars, when ingested. They are also low in toxicity to people and animals and do not harm other plants. Other biorational pesticides are nematodes and mycoplasmas, which are microscopic bacteria that infect or parasitize the pests, and pheromones, which act as messengers to influence the behavior of other organisms.

Pesticides

Pesticides are chemical products used to kill or control unwanted organisms. They include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and plant regulators. They can be applied directly to plants, sprayed on soil or water, and used as fumigants.

Using less-toxic methods first is always the best option for pest control, but when this is not possible, judicious use of pesticides can be helpful. Always select the lowest-toxic pesticide product available for your situation, and carefully read and follow label directions.

The term “pesticide” encompasses a wide range of chemicals, and most commercial pesticides are complex mixtures composed of different active ingredients. These are usually grouped into chemical “families,” such as organophosphates, pyrethroids and carbamates. Individual chemicals within a family act in similar ways on the target pest (for example, the active ingredient in an organophosphate insecticide may interfere with nerve-impulse transmissions by disrupting the enzyme that regulates acetylcholine).

Most pesticides are designed to be absorbed and moved through the plant so they can reach and kill the targeted organisms. However, they can also harm a variety of other organisms and damage the environment. Some pesticides are rapidly toxic, affecting organisms directly; others have more chronic effects resulting from low-level, repeated exposure.

Because of their toxicity, many pesticides have detrimental effects on the environment and human health. In addition, the repeated use of some pesticides can cause insects and other organisms to develop resistance.

The UC IPM program encourages gardeners to minimize the need for pesticides by practicing good growing practices, such as selecting high-quality seed and sod, avoiding over-fertilization, minimizing perennial weed problems, managing soil fertility and applying water wisely.

When you do need to use a pesticide, always apply it as sparingly as possible and only when the damage is severe enough to justify action. Avoid spraying hard surfaces that can be washed off and into streams, rivers or lakes; rinse chemicals from equipment after each application in a safe location away from open waterways. Keep unused pesticides out of the hands of children and pets, and don’t store pesticide solutions longer than needed.

Biological Control

Biological control, or biostimulation, involves the use of living organisms—predators, parasites and disease agents—to suppress pest populations. This is an important component of integrated pest management (IPM). It can be more effective than chemical controls and is usually safer for the environment, plants, people and pets. It is energy self-sufficient and cost-effective, and can be readily incorporated into IPM programs. It also provides a natural, sustainable approach to pest control.

Several types of biological control methods are used. These include the importation and release of exotic natural enemies into an area in which they are not already present, and the augmentation of native or introduced natural enemies that are currently present in an area. The latter is often called augmentative or seasonal inoculative biological control and may be done in vegetable, fruit, and field crops. In this type of control, an organism is mass-reared and periodically released into an infested area, such as a greenhouse or a lychee orchard, to increase the population or effectiveness of the natural enemy to reduce a pest problem. Examples of organisms are the nematode genus Trichogramma, which can be released in field and vegetable crop fields to kill off aphids, or a parasitic wasp that attacks caterpillars.

This approach is based on the principle that the pest’s natural enemies are more effective at controlling it than the human-introduced biocontrol agent, and that the natural enemy’s population will increase naturally to control the pest. This is a long-term approach, and it can provide long-term pest control with minimal intervention by humans.

A variety of factors influence the success of biological control, including the habitat of the natural enemy, food availability, environmental conditions and other stressors, and pesticide exposure. To increase the effectiveness of biological control, growers should promote habitat for natural enemies and avoid exposing them to detrimental stresses such as excessive fertilizer or herbicide. In addition, application methods that result in low environmental exposure should be employed—such as enclosed baits or spot applications. Pesticides should be used with caution to ensure they do not damage or kill natural enemies, and the choice of a pesticide should take into consideration its effect on beneficial insects.