Exterminator Bakersfield gets rid of pests, such as cockroaches, ants and rodents, that can damage homes and spread diseases like malaria, encephalitis, Lyme disease, West Nile virus and others. On a daily basis, exterminators use specialized equipment to locate and treat infestations.
Pair students and ask them to identify scientific words in “The Exterminator.” Have them circle the word and write it on a sticky note.
Identifying pests is the first step in an integrated pest management (IPM) program. Without proper identification, a pesticide application may not be effective or could even add unnecessary chemical loads to the environment. Incorrect identification also can result in the misuse of pesticides that are not appropriate for a particular organism, thus increasing the chance of an environmental or human health impact.
Often, a pest can be identified by its characteristic damage, symptoms, or signs of its presence. In addition, knowledge of the pest’s life cycle, habitat requirements, and time and place of occurrence helps in accurate identification. Moreover, knowing whether a pest is continuous or sporadic and understanding the conditions that favor its presence helps in developing prevention methods for the organism.
It is important to always be able to identify a pest to the species level, since strategies for controlling pests vary widely and depend on the particular creature that needs to be managed. For example, two different species of ants may look similar but have very different behavior and lifestyles. In addition, some insects have different life stages and require different treatment methods. Similarly, a plant disease can have different symptoms in different plants. Keeping files of labelled digital images can help with future identification. It is a good idea to also keep insect scouting records by year, season and crop to help with identification in the future.
Pest Control Methods
Pests can be a real nuisance. They’re annoying to have around, and can be dangerous if they invade your home or garden. Mites in your cereal, cockroaches in the kitchen, and spiders crawling in your bed at night are all not good for you or your family. However, you don’t have to call the exterminator when there are things you can do to control pests.
Physical methods of pest control involve preventing pests from accessing food or water. These include barrier sprays that create a boundary pests can’t or won’t cross. For instance, a window screen is a physical barrier against insects; pests that try to squeeze into homes through doors get deterred by door sweeps.
Another kind of physical method involves removing the pests’ breeding grounds. This can be as simple as cleaning up the yard, fixing leaks, or getting rid of places where dark and damp conditions invite pests to settle in. Other forms of physical pest control are traps and baits, crop burning, field burning, and fumigation.
Biological pest control uses other organisms to limit or eliminate the population of a specific pest species. This may be through predation, parasitism, or herbivory. Classical biological control involves introducing natural enemies from other locations or enhancing the densities of existing ones by breeding and releasing them, either on a small scale over time or in a large single release.
Termites
As one of the most destructive wood-eating pests in the country, termites can wreak havoc on a home or building, leaving it structurally compromised and vulnerable. It’s essential to take a proactive approach towards tackling the issue before it’s too late, and an exterminator can help.
Unlike standard pests, which can be eradicated by general pest control chemicals, a termite infestation requires specially formulated products designed to destroy entire colonies and prevent them from returning. Liquid termiticides are typically applied to the foundation, soil and other affected areas by a trained professional using specialized equipment. The most common termiticide is Fipronil, which acts as a slow-acting insecticide that interferes with the termite’s central nervous system.
In addition to liquid treatments, some termite control experts may also use bait stations around the property. These contain cellulose-based food mixed with slow-acting poison that termites will share among themselves, eventually eliminating the colony.
Those worried about a potential termite infestation should watch for telltale signs like hollow-sounding wood, mud tubes and flying swarmers. A swarmer is a winged reproductive termite that looks similar to a flying ant and will flit from place to place in search of food, constructing tunnels into walls and other wood structures as they go. To identify live swarmers, homeowners should look for even wings that droop slightly, a thin abdomen and straight antennae. The longer a termite has been around, the more damage it will cause and the more severe the infestation will be.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are among the most insidious of pests. They are notoriously hard to kill and re-infest homes with amazing speed. They thrive in the dark and are a menace to sleep, often leaving itchy bite marks that cause anxiety, loss of appetite and even depression. These tiny insects also feed on animals and other humans, a fact that leads to feelings of shame and embarrassment for the victims.
A trained exterminator can often spot the signs of a bed bug infestation through a visual inspection. The bites are small, red and itchy, grouped together in a pattern. They often appear on the arms, back and legs of a sleeping person. Infestations can be harder to identify in apartments and other multi-family dwellings, where it is common for tenants to share the same beds.
Various insecticide sprays are used to control bed bug infestations. These are available as liquids, foams and dusts that can be applied to mattresses, beds, furniture and in cracks and crevices. Moat-style interceptors are also available, which surround the bed with talcum powder so that the bugs fall in and can’t escape.
For more serious infestations, exterminators may recommend whole-home fumigation. This is a process where the house is covered with a tarpaulin and an odorless, lethal gas, which penetrates all spaces in the home, is pumped in and kills the bugs. This type of treatment is particularly effective against resistant bed bugs.
Wasps
There are thousands of different wasp species and they can be a real nuisance when they make a home in or around your home. They sting, which can be painful to those who are allergic and potentially dangerous for those who experience anaphylaxis from their venom. They also can cause property damage when they chew through drywall and wood trim.
While they may be annoying and unsightly, wasps are a vital part of ecosystems because they prey on insects that would otherwise become overpopulated. In fact, they help keep harmful garden bugs like caterpillars and aphids in check. In addition, they also play a small role as pollinators and transfer pollen from one flower to another as they move about their habitats.
Generally, a pest control expert will remove a wasp nest as quickly as possible to prevent a population explosion. This is done by spraying a targeted area with an aerosol or dust that kills the wasps and prevents them from returning to that location.
Orkin professionals use safe, EPA-approved insecticides and baits to control wasp populations in and around the home. An exterminator will determine the size and type of wasps in your area and design a customized pest management program for you. They will address the underlying causes of wasps choosing to nest and forage in and around your home. In addition, they will provide you with tips on how to help deter wasps from settling in and around your house.
Rodents
Rodents are warm-blooded mammals that can cause a lot of damage in and around homes. They are a major nuisance because they chew on almost anything and can also carry diseases. In addition, they often contaminate food and can ruin plants and trees. Rodents are elusive and fast-moving, making it difficult to trap them without the help of an exterminator.
When most people think of rodents, they envision rats and mice. However, taxonomically, the term “rodent” is more expansive, including animals like gerbils and squirrels. In fact, the order Rodentia contains more than 100 families. Although rodents vary greatly in appearance and behavior, they all share some features:
- They are mammals (not birds or reptiles).
- They have tails.
- They give birth to live young.
- They have highly specialized teeth for gnawing.
Rodents have oversized front incisors that are separated by a gap from their premolars and molars. These incisors grow continuously and are used to bite, scrape, and chew. Animals that lack these features do not belong in the order Rodentia, such as moles and shrews.
To keep rodents from entering a home, an exterminator can spray the exterior with a repellent that works as a deterrent. He or she can also use traps or poisons to eradicate the pests. Poisons include the toxins magnesium phosphide and carbon dioxide. The former is more toxic and may be dangerous if ingested by pets or children. The latter is less toxic and leaves no residue.