It has been noticed that the very minute and simple adjustments of the environment in which a pest prosper can act as a pest control measure. Changes in the long usual practices in farming, which comprises pisciculture, horticulture, silviculture, or animal rearing, can cause havoc in the lives of these parasitic animals. The relationship between pests and their host environment is changed bringing lower survival levels of these unbearable creatures.
The most effective and the hoariest cultural control of pests is crop rotation. Experience has taught that planting the same type of single crop through the years lets different types of pests get familiar with it and grow into damaging levels. But changing the crops planted over an area every year can break the life cycle of several pests that fail to adjust to the changing environments. Cultivating a tuber crop a year and following it up with legumes can put an end to parasites adapted for feeding on tubers. Likewise, using another crop the next year will end in pests who got adapted to legumes getting wiped off due to starvation. The basic principle used here is the withdrawal of the food supply. This is referred to cultural control of pests. It is effective in the animal husbandry field also. However, pests that invade annual crops and have a narrow host range can only be removed wholly by using crop rotation. Furthermore, pests that can travel from one place to another and attack a crop after it is planted stand a higher possibility of survival.
Inter-cropping is another way used in the fight against pests. Planting different crops has been found to lessen the attraction of the living environment. Changing the cultivating or harvesting time of crops can shortly disrupt the food supply for pests, resulting in their famine and death. Cultural control of pests such as flooding a field for some days in the situation of rice paddy is highly effective in controlling pests. Keeping the animals or plants healthy will intensify their pest resistance capabilities to a great extent. Maintaining appropriate sanitation and hygiene in a farm or house environment is also a time-tested policy for keeping pests at bay.
Green Pest Control techniques for Your Home
Taking very good care of the environment is a part of most individuals’ everyday lives. From recycling our water bottles and newspapers to decreasing waste whenever possible and reusing much of what once was inconsiderately dumped in landfills. Today, there is several cultural control of pests or green pest control options.
We no longer have to settle for using harsh or hazardous chemicals to keep our homes free of pests. There are effective alternatives for exterminating pests and prevent recurring infestations. Here are a few of the choices the environmentally mindful consumer has for cultural control of pests or management.
Preventing pest invasion from occurring in the first place is always the cultural control of pests methods. There are a number of ways that can be used to avoid pests from gaining access to your house. If you don’t personally have the time or skill to practice these techniques, consider employing a qualified handyman to help you.
- Making sure your windows are blocked will keep flies and spiders out as well as roaches, ants and a lot of other insects.
- Basic housekeeping tasks can be surprisingly effective pest control methods. Vacuuming will pick up several common pests. Keeping the floors swept will remove food sources, too.
Despite the best precautionary measure, sometimes treatment is essential to get rid of pest issues. However, you can stay green while treating pests. Your exterminator should offer you options and information to choose the best option for your house. Here are a few of the options that may be made available to you.
- Mechanical measures. Traps and barriers are two ways of mechanical pest control methods. You can trap the pest and move it and you can set up a barrier to keep it from reentering the house.
- Cultural control of pests. This means changing the environment to discourage pests or convince them to change their place on their own. Moving a woodpile away from your home so termites decide on a different feeding ground is one illustration of cultural control.