Since the environmental movement of the 1960s, people have begun to move away from the use of pesticides for a wide range of reasons, and have begun to rediscover old methods, and invent eco friendly pest control.
One such method is known as biological pest control, or biocontrol, and while the idea that it can work alongside traditional pesticides is new, the methods used are really quite old.
Biological pest control works by encouraging the growth of natural predators and relying on that status to keep unwanted insects at bay. The earliest known attempt at biocontrol was in 16th century China, where farmers there used ants to save their citrus orchards from pests.
The first recorded attempt at biocontrol in America, however, wasn’t until the 1800s, where scientists attempted to thwart a certain species of cabbage worm by using a special type of parasitic mini-wasp.
Their attempt was largely unsuccessful because it was based on flawed research done by an Italian scientist. The project failed completely, but the results would not be totally forgotten.
Biocontrol fell out of favor following the successful use of DDT in World War II, and because it was so effective, following the war it was used everywhere from cities to commercial farms.
It was used widely throughout cities all across America and was even used as the pesticide-of-choice for a worldwide campaign to eliminate Malaria. It remained in widespread use until a book, Silent Spring by conservationist Rachel Carson, was published
Her book explored the use of DDT and the ramifications of widespread use without regard to the environment. Carson’s work is credited for helping start the environmental movement of the ‘60s.
Following these revelations, lawmakers tightened regulations governing pesticides, not just DDT, driving their prices up, and advances in technology have made them difficult to use.
Nowadays, they often require training to ensure that they are used properly. These factors have helped renew interest in biocontrol, which in turn, has helped in the development of a new methodology for exterminators, known as Integrated Pest Management.
Integrated Pest Management combines biocontrol with several other techniques, including a thorough analysis of the specific pest to create a specialized treatment that is designed to be highly efficient at eliminating that particular pest while reducing the amount of collateral damage caused to the environment.
The advantage is that you can reduce, or even completely eliminate the need for harmful pesticides in favor of more natural solutions.
Though IPM itself is far from being a perfect solution, there is no doubt that it is far more practical for long-term use when compared to damaging pesticides like DDT.
By far the biggest drawback to IPM is the amount of skill and time required to develop a proper treatment, and to implement it as well, but through the use of IPM, you spare the environment from the harmful effects of wanton pesticide use, while helping improve pest control as a science overall.