Insect Pest Management - Acreage Owners Guide

Insect pest problems are often more severe in rural areas because insects are closely associated with plants, wild and domestic animals, organic wastes and ponds - plentiful resources found in rural settings.

Ticks thrive where grasses and weeds are tall. Mow lawns and ditches near homesteads regularly, inspect people and pets for ticks. Area-wide insecticide applications are rarely effective.

Pest Prevention - Good sanitation practices include:

• mowing yards regularly
• discarding decaying garden produce
• prompt manure removal in animal pens
• caulking cracks and crevices around the home exterior
• inspecting pets and people for ticks after they have been in tick-infested areas
• controlling rodents and birds around buildings

Prudent Pesticide use Includes:

• reading the label
• wearing protective clothing
• applying pesticides carefully: do not mix, apply or dispose of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, or rodenticides near streams or wells, where they can leak into groundwater;
• storing pesticides properly: keep in original container; lock away from feed and foodstuffs; moisture-proof storage is important;
• using only when necessary

Before you Decide to Treat:

• Identify the insect and determine if it is a pest. Most insects are harmless and many are beneficial.
• Find out what will happen if you take no action. Many insects disappear within a few days or weeks.
• Learn whether the pest can be controlled using least-toxic control methods. Most pests are vulnerable to some least-toxic controls.
• Find out if insecticides will control the problem and what type of chemical is most appropriate.