Suburban Pest Management

Suburbs are neighborhoods that are located outside the central city of a metropolitan area. They are typically less densely populated than those in the inner city, and people often commute by car to work or play.

Pests are unwanted organisms that damage or interfere with crops, ornamental plants, landscapes, and wildlands, as well as homes and other buildings. They also affect human health and may be a nuisance.

Pest Identification

Pests are organisms that are harmful to plants, animals, and humans. Generally, they eat plant tissue, damage roots or fruit, or spread diseases from infected plants to healthy ones.

Different pest species may attack a crop at different stages of plant growth, or under varying environmental conditions. Knowing what stage of the pest is most susceptible to control helps you determine the right management tactics for the problem.

A pest's appearance can change significantly as it goes through its life cycle from egg to immature to adult form. This information can make a big difference in a pest's control and the use of appropriate pesticide products.

Weather conditions, such as temperature and day length, can affect a pest's rate of reproduction. In addition, many predators, parasites, and pathogens suppress pest populations. This is called biological management.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

IPM is an informed, sustainable approach to pest management that combines biological, chemical, physical and crop specific (cultural) management strategies in a way that minimizes risks to human health, beneficial and nontarget organisms, and the environment.

Integrated pest management plans include monitoring programs to determine the presence and population level of pests, natural enemies and weather factors before a pest control plan is implemented. It also threshholds the use of pesticides only when the pest population is below the economic injury level, thereby protecting both crops and the environment.

Integrated pest management involves improving the sanitary conditions within and between residences to deny the movement and access of pests to food, water, shelter and other resources. It is a nonchemical, judicious approach to pest control that focuses on prevention rather than control.

Monitoring

Monitoring is a key part of any pest management program. It's the best way to get a handle on what types of pests are present, how many and what they're doing. A good monitoring system will also identify the most likely culprits and provide information on how to address them. Suburban's experts can help you choose the right system for your business and ensure it's a success. We even offer a free audit of your pest control systems to make sure you're getting the most out of your investment!

Control

The first step in suburban pest management is to establish control standards. These standards are intended to indicate the levels of performance that should be achieved, and deviations from these levels should be corrected by implementing changes or procedures.

Once control standards are established, the next step is to choose a strategy for achieving them. This may involve suppression, prevention, or eradication of the pest population.

The most important considerations in a pest control strategy are the amount of pest harm that needs to be prevented and the safety of people, animals, and the environment. The strategy should be based on a thorough evaluation of the benefits and risks associated with each tactic or combination of tactics. It should also include observing local, State, and Federal regulations that apply to the situation. Finally, the chosen strategy should be used correctly. It should reduce pest numbers to an acceptable level and cause as little harm as possible to the rest of your garden or landscape.