Insect Life Cycle, Management, and Home Defense
Insects are all around us every day, and without them our world would look dramatically different. If insects were to all disappear tomorrow, soil health would immediately begin to decline. While we generally refer to many insects as pest we actually rely on them more than we think. Insects are a necessary part of our environment, but they often require proper management.
In general insects have an Egg, Larve, Pupae, Adult lifecycle. This can vary between species, but for the sake of simplicity adult females lay eggs in the winter. The following spring as day length and temperatures increase the larvae will hatch out and begin a feeding cycle that prepares them for pupation. Here is where things get interesting. I agree that most, if not all of us, dislike mosquitoes, but in the food web, mosquito larvae eat algae in freshwater ponds and provide a source of food for fish and other aquatic animals. It is easy to find mosquito larva in places that we do not want them. For example, a bird bath can be a beautiful edition to a landscape, but it is also a place for mosquitos to lay eggs. Old tires that have not been properly disposed of are nitrous breeding grounds for mosquitos also.
This is where management and home defense come into play. Pest are drawn to sources of warmth, food, and carbon dioxide gas. This is why some pests are attracted to the heads and faces of mammals. If the goal is to reduce the number of “pests” in our yards and homes the answer is not necessarily, break out the bug spray. Regular emptying, and if needed cleaning trash bens will reduce the number of house flies swarming trash cans. Using trash can lids is another way to reduce pest pressure. Removing debris from the yard will also have a positive impact. Once the yard has been cleaned up, let’s take a look at the windows, doors, and various vents on the home. Cracks and/or gaps are the access points that pests are utilizing to enter homes and other places. These access points maybe less than ¼ inch. Keeping doors and windows properly sealed will decrease the overall accessibility of pests to homes.
Chemical pesticides are available and can be used when warranted. There are several formulations that can be purchased. The key to selecting the correct formulation is to make sure the product you’re buying is labeled for the pests you are trying to control and also is not more concentrated than you need. It is preferable to apply pesticides to the exterior, even when some chemicals are labeled as safe for in-house use. You can contact your Extension Office or a professional exterminator for more information.
