Pest control companies Long Beach get to answer this question more often than they would like mostly when working with gardeners. Biological insect control is the method of controlling pests by using other living organisms. This method relies on the use of parasitism, predation and a range of other natural mechanisms. There is also an active human role involved to help control the outcomes. Simply put, biological insect control relies on the use of the natural enemies of the insect that you want to eliminate or repel. The key agents include predators, parasitoids and pathogens. There are mainly three types of methods used in biological pest control Long Beach; importation, augmentation and conservation.
Importation
This is a method also known as the classic biological control. With this solution, the natural enemies of the pest are imported from new locale and added to the infested area. This method is mainly used by the government agencies.
For this method to be used by pest control companies Long Beach, the target insect has to be identified. The exterminator then identifies the pest’s natural enemy. The natural enemy is evaluated to determine if it will survive in the target environment and that they will not cause more damage. Once that is done, the natural enemy is mass produced and released into the infested environment.
The importation method doesn’t have to be run by exterminators. You can use the method on your own small garden. You just need to identify the natural enemy of the pests and one that will not cause more harm than good. For example, when dealing with aphids, you can get ladybugs from a local nursery and add them to your garden.
Augmentation
Just like the work implies, this is a strategy in which the number of the natural enemies are boosted in an environment. The method is mainly used in greenhouses where the breeding rate of the natural enemy might be slow thus causing the overpopulation of other pests. The strategy relies on the release of compounds which increase the breeding rate of the predators. This strategy is similar to importation with the difference being no new insects are brought in.
Similar to importation, before you get started with augmentation, you have to evaluate the impact of increasing the population of the target insect. Will the increase cause more problems? How will you control the population?
Conservation
With this third option in pest control Long Beach, predators are usually conserved in order to maintain a balance by feeding on the pests. This is achieved by making the environment conducive for the predators. The problem with this solution is that it can be time consuming.
The use of biological insect control methods is gaining more popularity across the globe. However, for you to enjoy the benefits of this solution, you must make sure you understand what you are up against and what will happen if you increase the population of the predators. Working with pest control companies Long Beach will further guarantee better results.
