What is a Pest?

any animal/insect in wrong place at wrong time whose presence is detrimental to man or his activities

human behaviours that increasingly expose us to pests

Urban sprawl, waste disposal, international travel, climate change

opportunities for pests to colonise built-up areas

Wall-to-wall carpets, cavity wall insulation, affordable warmth, urban green spaces, walks in the country, composting & feeding birds

Pests species

Rodents, Insects Crawling/Flying, Birds, Stored Product Pests, Casual Intruders, Structural pests, Agricultural/Nuisance Pests,

Why Control Pests?

Pests carry disease-causing organisms (pathogens) – responsible for spread of human/animal/plant disease impact local residents quality of life - increase demand for medical/veterinary resources - damage & destroy crops

What is a vector?

organism (animal/insect) that carries/transmits pathogens – allows mechanical transmission of pathogens to host

Weil’s disease

caused by bacteria – Leptospira species - transmitted by urine of an infected animal. can result in meningitis, liver damage, renal failure - 15-30% of rats are contaminated with Leptospira icterohaemorrhagia

Disease can spread by -

- Biting - Infection of human food - excrement, urine etc - Being eaten - Indirectly via pets - Indirectly via blood sucking insects - Contamination of water - Scratching

Why Control Pests (human issues)?

Pests cause stress/fear/allergies when present in the human environment

Allergies

Domestic exposure to cockroaches, mice, house dust mites (HDM) triggers allergies/asthma

Why Control Pests (housing issues)?

Pests cause damage to property - directly - rats gnaw through electrical cables which can result in fires - woodworm larvae destroy structural timbers - contamination of work surfaces & food stuffs - pavements unsafe underfoot due to bird fouling from bridges

Why Control Pests (economic)?

Damage to businesses – rodents/insects deters customers from buying food in shops/ restaurants – can result in legal action to close premises with redundancies Pest infestations make urban areas undesirable - areas with a reputation for poor pest management will not attract inward investment needed to maintain a prosperous communit

Early 20th century – early pest control

local authorities removed rubbish to reduce fly populations to combat infant mortality caused by epidemic diarrhoea - flies were disease vectors - Rats – vector for plague - 1901 plague in Europe - ships carrying infected rats arrived at Hull, Liverpool, Cardiff - prompt & strict measures taken by port health authorities prevented spread of infection to all but a few people ashore Products available to control pests were highly toxic - based on poisons – phosphor, arsenic

Modern Pest control

Manufacturers develop less toxic more target-specific & active pesticides Biologists develop better pest monitoring systems & pest exclusion techniques - Industry no longer only focus on pest control but look at managing environments to deny pests conditions in which they survive & thrive – cleaning, clearing, building proofing

Control strategies

finding long term solutions where killing wildlife is last resort after alternative methods of management have been exhausted

Pest Management vs Pest Control

pest free status may be better achieved by managing the environment rather than simply killing pests that have already become established

Pest Management considerations

What pests are present? What level of control is required? Method to achieve desired results? Where pesticide use is necessary - full COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessment must be carried out before pesticide application What are the dangers to human health? What are the dangers to non-target organisms in the environment? Is the control sustainable?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

combines all available information – physical, chemical, cultural & biological methods to give stable long term pest control IPM is a planned program, incorporating continuous monitoring, education, record keeping & communication to prevent pests & disease vectors from causing unacceptable damage to operations, people, property, material or the environment

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) considerations

Effectiveness - how well does the method work? - Economics - how much does the control cost? - Environment - including non-target organisms

What is successful control?

rapid reduction in pest numbers then environmental improvements to discourage re-infestation

Typically IPM strategy follows a 6-point plan:

1) Assess extent of problem using a full survey of premises/area 2) Assess if problem can be solved by good housekeeping alone 3) Assess if the problem can be solved by other non-chemical methods 4) If the problem cannot be solved by non chemical methods, the most suitable chemical pesticide must be assessed 5) Assess post-treatment action to reduce risks to occupiers & the environment 6) Assess whether further monitoring or treatments are necessary

1) Assess extent of problem using a full survey of premises/area

preliminary inspection for pests/signs of pest activity is usually followed by use of monitoring traps to estimate pest population type & density. infestation environment must be thoroughly surveyed to establish best approach. Consider if it is chronic or isolated.

2) Assess if problem can be solved by good housekeeping alone

Cleaning schedules & action to deny pest harbourages or food/water sources are often most effective methods & usually least environmentally intrusive or hazardous. Identifying hygiene shortfalls, Waste Management - Location & design of waste collection areas, Environmental Management.

3) Assess if the problem can be solved by other non-chemical methods

Climate control, proofing or trapping of invaders should be considered before resorting to chemical control.

4) If the problem cannot be solved by non chemical methods, the most suitable chemical pesticide must be assessed

Need to combine a high control level with minimal acceptable risk to people/non- target species/property. legal requirement to take reasonable precautions to prevent access by protected animals.

Characteristics of a good pesticide

Achieve a good kill of target species - Be selective in action - Be easy to apply - Degrade in the environment to harmless compounds - Have an acceptable toxicity profile to non-target organisms Characteristics of a good pesticide In practice, few pesticides achieve all of these qualities & most present some hazard to humans

5) Assess post-treatment action to reduce risks to occupiers & the environment

who needs to be warned of your actions - point of application or adjacent areas - decide if and when you need to return to remove/destroy baits etc. 5) Assess post-treatment action to reduce risks to occupiers & the environment Duty under COSHH to warn people who may be exposed to pesticides

6) Assess whether further monitoring or treatments are necessary

Sustainable solutions to pest problems always involve continuous monitoring, as no control method lasts forever - repeat visits should be scheduled

E-R-D principle

Exclusion, Restriction, Destruction

What do buildings provide for pests - attractants

Food, Warmth, Shelter

Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (as amended) (COPR)

restrictions on selling, supplying or storing pesticides & precautions to protect health of humans, the environment, particularly water, when using pesticides

Biocidal Products Regulations 2001 (as amended)

bans placing biocidal products (or a new substance for use in a product) on the market without authorisation

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002

(COSHH)

UK Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) Stewardship Regime

aims to develop and promote best practice so most toxic anticoagulant rodenticides can continue to be used while achieving a reduction in the harm caused to wildlife

Insecticides mode of action

Most modern insecticides work on contact with target organism – exposure via air or as a deposit on a substrate, some need to be ingested Classified by mode – most affect one of five biological systems - nervous system - production of energy - production of cuticle - endocrine system - water balance

Insecticides that affect the nervous system

Axonal poisons - adversely affect nerve fibre, e.g. pyrethroids - Synaptic poisons - disrupt synapses - junctions between nerve connection points, e.g. Carbamate

Insecticides that inhibit energy production

Once ingested insect literally run out of energy needed to maintain life e.g. hydramethylnon

Insecticides that affect endocrine system

Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) - mimics juvenile hormone - insect remains immature cannot reproduce - very low mammalian toxicity - non- persistent in environment - cause death slowly, e.g. S-methoprene

Insecticides that inhibit cuticle production

Chitin Synthesis Inhibitors (CSIs) - chitin is major component of cuticle (exoskeleton) - insects unable to synthesize new cuticle preventing them from moulting successfully to next life stage e.g. benzoylureas

Insecticides affecting water balance

insects have thin wax covering to prevent water loss from cuticular surface – contact with these insecticides destroys waxy covering resulting in rapid water loss & death from dessication, e.g. diatomaceous earth, aromatic oils

Inorganic insecticides

earliest insecticides developed – most superseded by organic equivalents - aluminium phosphide most common still used

Insecticide formulation

Wettable powders/water dispersible powders, Dusts,Smokes, Baits

Insecticide - application techniques

Spraying, Dusting, Space treatment

Chronic rodenticides - anticoagulant

when eaten by rodents at low concentrations in baits, symptoms of illness develop slowly so the animal does not associate symptoms with the bait First generation – Warfarin, Second generation – brodifacoum, difenacoum

Acute rodenticides -

quick acting & effective but often painful in their action, Alphachloralose - acts by lowering body temperature causing death by hypothermia - most effective at temperatures <16°C, Aluminium phosphide

Rodenticide formulations

Edible baits, Liquid baits, Contact dusts, Rodenticide wicks, Gassing

Environmental considerations

increased focus in the last decade on impact on wildlife of anticoagulant rodenticide use Major issues of continuous use of anticoagulant rodenticides outdoors Direct poisoning of non-target species through spilled or exposed bait - Secondary poisoning via consumption of dead/dying rats & mice by birds of prey (owls, red kites) & mammals