With that in mind, here are a few questions before you begin a DIY pest control treatment:
The approach and process of getting rid of existing pest populations is generally far more targeted than general preventative pest control treatments, which are geared towards maintaining an overall pest-free environment. If you are dealing with an active pest infestation, it's a good idea to spend some time researching the particular type of pest to determine which products and treatment approaches are likely to work best. Pest Supply HQ offers a full slate of Pest Control Guides and How-To Articles with information and guidance on how to treat many types of common pests. If you are unsure how to proceed, we also offer free email and phone support to help keep you on the right track. In some instances, it may be advisable to seek the services of a professional exterminator. Pest Supply HQ has relationships with pest professionals all over the country and we would be happy to connect you to one in your area, if necessary.
Your do-it-yourself pest control strategy will to some extent be dictated by which pesticide application equipment you may have at your disposal. At a minimum, those serious about a long-term approach to doing their own pest control should consider a one gallon pesticide sprayer (or something similar) that allows them to make exterior spray applications around the foundation of the home.
Keep in mind that all pesticides, by definition, are toxic. Regardless of which pesticide products or pesticide formulations you choose to use, you will want to make sure you and those around you are shielded from exposure. Chemical resistant gloves, protective eyewear, and a respirator are the bare minimum for most pesticide applications.
It goes without saying that the best approach to maintaining a pest-free environment is to keep pests from ever showing up in the first place. And the best way to do this is to eliminate any factors or conducive conditions that might lend themselves to a pest population. On the inside, sanitation is the key. On the outside, keeping the environment free from debris and pest harborage areas is also critical. If the environment inside the home is cluttered and unsanitary, and the environment outside the home is overgrown and unkempt, any type of pest control treatment is likely to have a limited impact. Before you begin to do your own pest control treatment, be sure to clean inside the home and modify the exterior environment around it.
Ultimately, how you choose to set up your own pest control program will be entirely up to you. Our recommendation at a bare minimum is a monthly comprehensive pest inspection accompanied with consistent, routine applications as warranted.
The foundation of doing your own pest control service is going to center around routine, monthly (or more often) inspections around the exterior of the home. Your inspections will determine what kind of pesticide treatments, if any, may be necessary. It can be easy to forget that pesticide applications in the absence of pests serve no meaningful purpose. Hopefully your objective is not to turn your entire yard into a dead zone incapable of sustaining any life forms, but rather simply to provide a pest-free environment for you and your family to enjoy. Only a tiny fraction of life forms in the environment rise to the level of becoming pests, and responsible pest control efforts should reflect this conscientious approach.
During your inspections, look for evidence of pest activity in areas of concern, with special attention given to around doors, windows, utility penetrations, settlement cracks, eaves, and other potential points of entry into the home. Inspect gutters and downspouts to make sure they are functioning properly and are free of debris. Check to make sure all foliage is being maintained, with no branches or limbs making any contact with the home or the roofline above. Inspect water spigots and sprinkler systems for blockages, backups, and leaks. Inspect bushes and trees for insect populations, and pay special attention to the areas around tree trunks which often become harboring areas for many species of ants and other insects.
If your monthly inspections discover active populations of pests, pesticide applications may be warranted more frequently. In the absence of discernible pests, however, applications probably won't need to be made more often than about once a quarter. If your monthly inspections are good enough, you may even be able to spread out your treatment intervals even further.
Although pesticide applications in the absence of pests serve no meaningful purpose, it is also important to recognize that many pest populations may not be easily observed until their populations have become problematic. For this reason, we typically advise routine pesticide applications every 90 days or so in most environments as a means of preventing pest populations from advancing or new pest species from moving into the area.
For strictly preventative pest control, in the absence of any discernible pest problems, a broad spectrum insecticide such as Talstar One (liquid concentrate, requires dilution in water with a separate pesticide sprayer) or Talstar PL (insecticide granule, no mixing required, requires granule spreader) containing Bifenthrin will provide effective control of most commonly encountered pest species. It may also be advisable to acquire a couple different pesticide products with different active ingredients so that you can rotate them periodically throughout the year. When applying pesticides, be sure to follow all application instructions as provided on the product label. The label will indicate where to apply, how far away from the home you should apply, and other important application instructions.
Well, know this...spraying pesticides in the absence of pests serves no meaningful purpose. In fact, it is largely irresponsible, both for a homeowner and for professional pest control companies. Unless there are pest populations in the environment, or you have reason to believe they will soon be introduced to that environment, monthly applications are typically ill-advised. Depending on your geography and the overall pest pressure in your area, routine pesticide applications are usually important at certain intervals, but monthly is generally far more often than what is necessary. As a general rule, in the absence of discernible pest populations, we recommend routine exterior pesticide applications at quarterly intervals.
Possibly, but probably not. If you've got an active infestation of ants inside the home, the best approach will be a specialized strategy targeting the specific ants species in question. Usually that may require some combination of ant baits or ant sprays. It is often possible to resolve ant problems inside the home through exterior applications, but granular insecticides are typically not the best option for that.
Once upon a time (like back in the stone ages), a common practice was to routinely spray baseboards as part of an ongoing pest control program. For the most part, those days have long since come and gone. Spraying inside your home may kill any bugs that may now be present, and may kill any others that come into the area, but is unlikely to actually keep anything out. To keep bugs from getting in, focus your attention outside the home.
Comments
Leave a comment