As you could already see in our first entry on pests on the blog, there are several ways to control a pest. In this new installment, we want to delve a little deeper into these techniques, highlighting which are the most common for the different types of species that become pests, quickly colonizing human spaces. Stay with us and discover the 4 most common pest control methods.

General forms of pest control

These are techniques by which a pest can be managed, and prevent its appearance or reinfestation after a first control. It is possible to use them for different species and in different spaces.

There are currently 4 general forms of pest control known:

chemical pest control

With this type of control, the pest is reduced or eliminated directly through the use of toxic substances (chemicals) formulated especially for this reason. Examples of chemicals against pests can be insecticides, toxic baits, and repellants for rats.

Physical pest control

Physical pest control refers to the use of mechanical methods to capture and manage the species that are generating the pest. To use these techniques, all behavioral factors and habits of insects and animals are used.

Some of the most used mechanisms are mosquito nets and traps with food bait.

Biological pest control

This type of control supposes the introduction of an enemy species to the ecosystem of the invading group. In other words, the control and reduction of the pest are carried out using its natural predators, maintaining a balance where it does not spread and, over time, it is reduced.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Finally, IPM is a way in which several methods are combined to control pests more effectively.

Cultural pest control. Have you heard about it before?

There is also what we could establish as the fourth category of pest management related to a change of cultural nature to control pests. This type of control intervenes without the need to use chemical, physical, or biological factors, modifying the production system in the industry to prevent infestations and the permanence of pests based on:

• Cleaning/grooming habits.
• Preventive behaviors.

Therefore, it is believed that this form is more effective before a pest appears to prevent it through practices such as preventing waste from accumulating since these can create a suitable space for a pest to establish itself.

The 4 most common methods of pest control

Next, we leave you with the most used techniques throughout the world to control the appearance and proliferation of different types of pests.

1 – Disinfection

This is responsible for eliminating or reducing pathogenic microorganisms that are housed on surfaces to safe levels. These might be:

• Viruses (Hepatitis A, Rotavirus, and even all types of Coronavirus).
• Bacteria
• Fungi, which we can find, for example, in spoiled food.

2 – Disinsection

With this method it is possible to prevent the appearance and control all types of insects through integrated pest management (IPM), that is, incorporating various techniques to treat insect species such as:

• Termites.
• Cockroaches or cheap.
• Ants
• spiders
• Flies.
• mosquitoes.

Before applying techniques to disinfect a space, it is necessary for pest control professionals to evaluate, to establish solutions appropriate to the context, the following criteria:

• Type of environments and surfaces.
• Pest species.
• Several copies.
• affected places.

Some of the formulas that are used together to disinfect are Spraying chemicals; thermal fogging toxic smoke. Use ultraviolet lamps. Use non-toxic sheets with pheromones. Sex attractants and cold mist.

3 – Deratting

This method is by far the most required day-to-day and is the way to avoid and control the presence of rodents of various species in both private and public properties.

Rats and mice are complex pests, bothersome, and very damaging in terms of the dangerous contamination they can carry on their bodies and the destruction they are likely to cause in search of food and a place to settle.

To eradicate rats, it is possible to use feeding devices individually or as sanitary cordons that are left together in the area where the pest is found. There are also non-chemical alternatives such as traps and non-toxic sticky sheets.

4 – Fumigation

It is a form of pest control used mostly in the agricultural industry. This consists of the use of gases as an effective pest management technique, which attacks by air and comes into contact with animals or insects through their respiratory tract and, in lesser cases, by ingesting toxic droplets left by the air. gas.

This is a method whose effectiveness and danger are currently under debate, since the suspension of toxic gases, fogs or mists can often have unwanted effects, especially when coming into contact with food.