The time, money and effort you spend creating a beautiful landscape is all for nothing if pests make their way onto the property. Burrow holes created by moles, swarms of mosquitos plaguing your pond or animals chewing up your new plants make outdoor spaces unwelcoming. The possibility of getting mosquito bites, a tick or twisting your ankle in a burrow hole is not worth the risk. What’s worse, many pest control solutions contain harsh chemicals that can eat away at landscape plantings and become harmful to welcomed wildlife. Luckily, you have options.
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SiteOne’s “Green Treatments” webinar hosted by Pat Ryan of Pesticide Distribution & Marketing outlined the potential hazards of traditional outdoor pest treatments and introduced green alternatives.
For example, chemical run-off into lakes and streams or winds carrying sprayable treatments past their intended target areas can damage plants and animals, present health hazards for humans or become ineffective as their target area was not met.
In addition, using the wrong pesticide or treatment can be detrimental to people, wildlife and the landscape while being a waste of time and money. That's why the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) stresses the importance of properly identifying the pest you are dealing with before applying pest management solutions.
The best way to get rid of pests, though, is by preventing them in the first place. Being aware of what attracts pests can be crucial in avoiding infestations. Standing water, access to food and overgrown yards bring critters and insects of all kinds, including mosquitos and mice. Mice are a pest on their own, but they are not the main problem. Mice are often riddled with tick larvae and can spread ticks as they run through your yard and even your home. Ticks and mosquitos can be deadly to humans as they are carriers of diseases and difficult to control. Preventing these pests from breeding and thriving on your property is the most successful form of pest control.
Today’s pest control laws have made it possible to effectively treat for pests without damaging the surrounding environment. The new legislation dictates the proximity of sprayable pesticides to bodies of water or homes, prohibits the use of harsh chemicals in sensitive areas where humans or wildlife would endure the effects and, perhaps most effective, introduced green alternative pest control solutions. Now, pest management is more effective than ever while being safer for humans and surrounding wildlife.
Green pest management solutions include:
25b Plant Oil Products:
- Effective against mosquitos
- Low-odor formula, gentle on equipment
- Fast-acting; immediate paralysis followed by death
- Biodegradable, can be used over water
EcoVia EC and MT
- Available in dissolving blocks, sprays, dusts and granules
- Effective against mosquitoes, ticks, roaches and more
- Approved for all treatment zones
BurrowRX
- Dry ice formula fills rat burrows with CO2
- Kills rats within three minutes
- Rats also carry ticks, so both pests are taken care of with one solution
Rodents Stop
- Pet friendly
- Natural solutions, no poisons
Pro-Pell
- Uses essential oils to deter pests
- Cannot be smelled by humans, but effective against mice for up to 60 days
- All-natural repellent
Thermacell Tick Tubes
- No spray, pet-safe, biodegradable and environmentally friendly
- Tubes filled with permethrin-cured cotton for mice to add to nests
- Tick larvae is eradicated as mice sleep on the cotton
