Treating active pest infestations, either indoors or outdoors, is a very difficult task for those who have no training in the field of pest control. For one thing, a layperson cannot even take the first step toward formulating a pest control plan without first identifying the particular arthropod species responsible for the pest activity. This is because a particular pesticide formula must be used to exterminate a particular pest species, as there does not exist any universally effective arthropod pesticide. For example, numerous beetle species infest homes in the northeast. Many of these beetle species damage carpeting and textiles, some infest pantries where they feed on stored foods, and others bore into a home’s structural wood. To make matters more difficult, all three of these beetle groups are comprised of several similar looking and very small-sized species, making accurate identifications highly unlikely without training and proper reference materials.
When it comes to indoor ant, wasp, and termite infestations, the nest must first be located and properly treated, and in most carpenter ant and termite infestation cases, multiple nests exist within hard-to-access areas of an infested structure. Pest control professionals are trained to locate and inspect these obscure locations with specialized equipment. Most important, in the state of Massachusetts only a licensed pest control professional can apply specially formulated pesticides, limiting average homeowners to pesticides no more effective than a can of Raid. It should also be mentioned that in many arthropod infestation cases, pesticides are not necessary, as modern pest controllers are intimately aware of Integrated Pest Management procedures that see indoor locations modified to be less hospitable to pests. For instance, indoor pest issues can be successfully managed simply by eliminating high-moisture conditions, water leaks, plumbing problems, proper lawn grooming or even by removing leaf-litter or mulch from around a home’s foundation. Naturally, nobody wants to spend a lot of money on pest control procedures, which is why reasonably priced inspections should be carried out within northeastern homes at least once per year.
Have you ever attempted a DIY pest eradication program?