Enviro-Pest

Environmentally Safe Pest Control

Organic	Biological	All Natural
Pheromones	Ultraviolet	Glue Traps

Insect, Pest Baits

Humane Trapping

Wildlife, Bird Control

The purpose of this article is to discuss what environmentally safe pest control means and how it can be applied to your home or business. This article is not here to argue over "how safe is safe?" or what constitutes a hazard to different environments. This article intends to show the different alternative pest control products are at your disposal that will fit your definition of safe for the environment. Each pest, each environment and every person involves comes into play when choosing and implementing a pest management program that targets certain pests while protecting non target animals and caring for the surrounding areas.

Which Environment?

To some, the health of the planet earth is the main concern in pest management. For others, the goal is to control certain pests in their home without making the home unsafe for children, family pets. If your pest problem is next to or above water, pond, streams, oceans, rivers or wells, you of course do not want to take the chance of contaminating the water source for your own safety or those down stream - including marine life and the consequential food chain.
The is also a large group of people who are involved in pest management programs or integrated pest management (IPM) for restaurants, commercial kitchens or other such food handling areas. IPM for restaurants, buffets, lounges, etc. are discussed at Pest Control for Restaurants web page.

What is Environmentally Safe?

For each person queried, there is always a different answer to this question. Which pest control products (and how, where they are used) are to be used for different pest management projects is the main concern. On the extreme left, you have those that consider any pesticide used is an infringement on the planet. On the extreme right, you will find those who could care less about our environment and use products without caring about the possible consequences of their actions in the short or long term.
In between the extremes, there are alternatives that fit the desires and needs of several types of people and a definition of "environmentally safe" and a special niche that fits your needs.

There are thousands of pest control and wildlife control products in the world. This site only lists a small percentage of such products. The main reason for this is that a great majority of so-called safe and natural products either are not as safe as advertised or simply do not work.

What type of pest control products are used is usually the defining point in one's opinion of what they consider to be environmentally safe. These products vary in what they contain and how they work.

Glue traps can contain pheromones or they can simply be shaped or designed to encourage targeted pests to be trapped on the sticky surface.
Insect growth regulators (IGR) are not considered adulticides; they do not directly kill insects but inhibit their ability to molt, mature or reproduce.
Natural sprays or all natural products contain ingredients supplied by nature. These ingredients are sometimes modified by man to improve their performance or increase their longevity. CedarCide products are derived from cedar oils. Eco PCO products are made using certain tree oils. Many Dr. T Products use castor oil, castor bean, natural grasses and other plant derivatives. Pyrethrin products originate from pyrethrums obtained from specific flowers. Pyrethrin Aerosol, Exciter Pyrethrin Concentrate and Petcor Flea Spray are examples of pyrethrin products. "All Natural" may or may not fit your description of pyrethrin products since many are in concentrated forms, contain different solvents or (in the case of dog and cat flea sprays) may contain alcohol.
Pheromone traps are used on a variety of pests. These type of insect traps use natural or man-made attractants, sexual lures, etc. to entice pests to the device where they are captured in liquid or stuck to a glue strip. Flies, pantry pest beetles, grain moths, clothes moths are examples of pests controlled by pheromones. Other pests (Boll Weevils) are monitored by the use of special pheromone traps, in the agricultural field.
Ultraviolet is commonly used to attract certain flying insect pests. Once lured to the trap, flies and other flying insects are either captured on a sticky pad or "zapped" by electrical grids. Zappers cannot be used in areas where insect body parts can contaminate foods, utensils. Ultraviolet traps with pheromone impregnated sticky pads are used in commercial kitchens, restaurants. Modern ultraviolet traps also incorporate pheromones as an added attractant.
Insect baits are far less invasive to the environment (than conventional contact insecticide granules, pesticide sprays) when used correctly. Very little active ingredient is needed for a product designed for pests to feed on. This makes baiting for ants, fireants, carpenter ants, crickets, silverfish a more desirable pest control method for many people. There is now a slug and snail bait that is made with natural ingredients called Sluggo Slug and Snail Bait. This bait is not only good for the soil and easy on the environment, it is also safe for non target animals. Conventional slug and snail baits are highly toxic to pets, wildlife and non target animals that ingest the baits. Sluggo is non toxic to your pets and wildlife in your area.
Live animal traps are the preferred tools for trapping and relocating many different nuisance animals, both strays and wild. For the sake of the environment, be careful where you release a captured animal. The ecosystem where the trapped animal is released must not be harmed or overpopulated by another animal that belongs elsewhere. Forest, park or other area has to have a certain balance of life forms in order to survive.
Certain animals (birds, deer, etc.) cannot be trapped and relocated as can a stray cat or raccoon. In these situations a sonic or ultrasonic repeller can be used to safely and humanely repel the pest. Sonic repellers can usually be used outdoors; ultrasonic units are generally considered indoor units. The exception to this is the Yard Gard unit that uses sonic and ultrasonic sounds in combination to repel nuisance animals from personal property. When used responsibly, electric animal repellers pose to threat or harm to people or domestic animals.
There are other visual, taste and smell products used to scare nuisance wildlife, as well as physical roost deterrents for use in pigeon control, bird control. When these types of animal repellers are used, it helps to control animals without having to resort to shooting or inhumane methods of wildlife control.

For most properly trained pest control technicians, any product that is used according to strict label instructions and is included in a broad, integrated pest management (IPM) system, can be considered safe for the environment. Their thought process will naturally go through the immediate surroundings, water supplies, pets, children, birds, wildlife - all things that might possibly be affected by their application methods and products used.

Many people (especially gardeners) prefer to use all natural, biological, botanical, organic means of controlling pests in gardens, lawns or homes. We must be very careful when throwing around words such as all natural, organic, biological and others. For instance, organic can include products that are not what you think they are. Organic materials are used in the production of some pretty unpopular products. Organochlorine pesticides are man-made organic chemicals that have been used to control everything from fungus to grasshoppers. DDT was the first organochlorine pesticide that was used on a large scale in the United States and was heavily applied in agricultural regions. Most organochlorine pesticides are no longer sold for use in the United States. PCBs are not pesticides but do have many of the same properties.
On the other hand, organic gardeners have their own definition of "organic" and they enjoy using natural materials in their garden soil to enhance the soil for their plants. Composting and mulching are some good examples of this use of organic.

We must also be careful with biological pest control. By definition, biological pest management tools are organisms that are either natural or laboratory bred to target certain pests and that are non toxic to man and non-target animals. We must be careful with choosing and using such methods. There is definitely a need for biologicals but they must be chosen with care and used responsibly.
Examples of biological pest control products are fungi, bacteria or viruses that can cause massive disease outbreaks and death in insect populations. Laboratory grown nematodes attack certain insects in their larval stage. Imported Phorid flies are being used to attack fireant colonies.
The perfect biological pest product is one that attacks only certain targeted pests, has no adverse effect on people, plants, soil, wildlife or the environment and the biological tool dies once its food source is exterminated. Nematodes that are host specific are being used in gardens and lawns. These lab grown "good guys" feed specifically on certain insects in their larval stage. Once their food source is gone, the nematodes die. In some cases, the nematodes cannot survive unless the soil is kept damp while they are being used to kill insect pests.
A good example of using a "good guy" bug to attack "bad guys" is the importation and use of Asian Lady Beetles. It is well known among gardeners, farmers and even do it yourself pest control persons that lady bugs are predators that feed on aphids that destroy our crops, gardens and ornamental plants. Once the Asian Lady Beetle was introduced to our climate, they made themselves at home - and became a major pest for thousands of people.
In their natural habitat, these imported beetles were held in check by nature. The majority of their populations would die back in severe temperatures while a few would survive to perpetuate the species the following season. In the United States, the winter die back just did not happen as envisioned by importers and users alike. The beetles thrive in our environment, invading homes by the hundreds of thousands.
Before we get flame e-mail from those who do not understand, let us explain the intensity of the indoor lady bug problem now facing certain areas of the United States.
It is easy for one to tell people to merely sweep up lady bugs and remove them to the outdoors where they can be useful, but in thousands of cases this method does not work. When your walls, floors and ceilings are covered with invading hundreds and thousands of lady bugs on a daily basis, you will soon find out that a broom and dust pan are a joke. Asian Lady Bugs can become as serious a pest as invading boxelder bugs.
Vacuuming these beetles is the first step in eliminating them from a home but further pest control methods are usually needed. Asthmatics can be at risk from large indoor populations of lady bugs, just as with large infestations of German cockroaches. When professional insecticides are suggested for different pests, we generally prefer the use of synthetic pyrethroids (man made pyrethrins) over the use of harsh, heavy, organophosphate materials. These synthetics are much safer for animals and the environment than older pesticide products.

As mentioned on the Enviro Pest home page, the intention of this site is to help individuals to locate pest control products that are easier on the environment than using harsh chemical sprays. This endeavor has been a tricky one. One man's safe pesticide is another man's poison. Everyone has a different idea on which products they feel comfortable using in their homes, gardens, lawns or business.

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Pheromone Pest Control Products Safe for the Environment