Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
It is noticeable that pest management
professionals often choose products based
on the treatment cost; sprayable for-
mulations are often the cheapest. A number
of studies have shown the relative in-
effectiveness of conventional sprays com-
pared with knowledge-based intervention
methods. In a study conducted by Sever
et al.
(2007), commercial pest control com-
panies were shown to be unsuccessful,
compared to a group of entomologists, at
removing cockroaches and their allergens
from homes in inner-city multi-unit dwell-
ings. The pest controllers relied on calendar-
based (monthly, bimonthly or quarterly)
applications of sprays and dust insecticide
formulations to baseboards and cracks and
crevices. None of the contract-based pest
control companies used traps to monitor the
cockroach infestation. The pest control
companies usually treated only the kitchen
and bathrooms, unless specifi cally requested
by the residents to treat other areas. The
majority of their initial treatments relied
heavily on spray and dust formulations and
used smaller amounts of gel baits. To
improve their effectiveness, the authors
(Sever
et al
., 2007) had suggested additional
training for pest control operators to
increase their knowledge about the most
effective treatment methods and educating
the public to be diligent in reporting
cockroach sightings to the companies and
requesting additional service visits.
It is clearly evident that the unanticipated
act of spraying pesticides was indiscrimin-
ate and unplanned, resulting in control
failures. This led to the realization that
judicious use of pesticide is needed to
overcome control failures, and, to sustain
growth, new avenues have to be explored
on application methods. Consequently,
dramatic changes in pest control strategies
have taken place, which are noticeable
globally. Conventional sprayers and in-
discriminate sprays have been replaced by
precise and targeted delivery systems. Even
in the case where a spray is a must, a long-
lasting residual formulation is used so that
the number of sprays is reduced. The
advent of baits for a variety of pests has
further reduced regular insecticide sprays
as residuals. Baits also removed the use of
the sprayer to a great extent from the indoor
environment.
Sustainable Pest Control
The market presents various choices of pest
control products; however, none perman-
ently eliminates the pest problem or makes a
structure foolproof against pest attack. This
often forces the use of multiple methods,
including chemical, physical, mechanical
and cultural methods, rendering pest control
jobs time consuming, laborious and
expensive. Thus long-term pest management
has to rely on sustainable methods that
combine pest elimination, cost-effectiveness
and environmental concerns together.
It is generally concluded that funda-
mental design problems in both buildings
and landscapes are partly to blame for pest
infestation (Geiger and Cox, 2012). It is also
a common understanding that pests in the
urban environment cannot be permanently
eradicated. Thus there is a need to develop
sustainable methodologies to contain pests.
These methodologies would be key to the
development of repeatable practices.
Eventually, the quality of pest control will
depend on such time-tested practices.
Successful pest control relies on con-
tinuous monitoring and maintenance. This
realization in recent times has encouraged
the invention of a number of pest control
products, delivery systems and application
methods. Product development led to new
methods of application, based on rational
approaches. The impetus to develop alter-
native control methods allowed research on
insect baits. Conceptually, the baiting
system used major behavioural cues of
insect pests that made application methods
practical. This appealed to serious pest
control practitioners. Baiting soon grew in
its popularity and acceptance. Insecticide
baits remain the best example of how the
practitioners' approach to pest management
has shifted favourably towards sustainable
methods.
The success of a sustainable pest control
largely remains dependent on understanding
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