Utah Pest Control: Pests They Handle and Solutions Offered

Whether you’re an agriculturist who wants his farm operations to go without a hitch or a simple homeowner looking out for the integrity of his garden, the fact remains that your property is vulnerable to pests. In 2011, a stinkbug epidemic caused around $37 million worth of damage to apple crops in Maryland, Virginia, and other nearby states. To prevent such damage from happening in your part of the country, a Mother Earth News article by Barbara Pleasant enlightens readers and Utah pest control services on the kinds of insects to be wary of:

“Slugs took top honors as the most bothersome pest in home gardens, with 55 percent of respondents saying the slimy critters give them trouble year after year. Handpicking was highly rated as a control measure (87 percent success rate), followed by iron phosphate baits (86 percent) and diatomaceous earth (84 percent). Opinion was divided on eggshell barriers (crushed eggshells sprinkled around plants), with a 33 percent failure rate among gardeners who had tried that slug control method. An easy home remedy that received widespread support was beer traps (80 percent success rate).”

At Number 5 on the list were squash vine borers, or Melittia cucurbitae. As their name suggests, this breed of pests bore into (and lay their eggs in) the lower stems of squash plants and related plants like pumpkins, thus causing them to die. One way to curb their spread is to cover your squash stems with nylon cloth, as well as to catch the moths while they are resting on your leaves (typically in the early morning) In the end, DIY can only get you so far. When all else fails, you can call reputable Utah pest control centers like Beeline Pest Control to keep these bugs at bay and ensure a great harvest.

(Article and Image Excerpt from Organic Pest Control: What Works, What Doesn’t, Mother Earth News, June/July 2011)