Rodent control is vital in cities.[19] Cities such as New York and others in upstate New York dramatically reduced their rodent populations in the early 1970s.[19] Rio de Janeiro claims to have reduced the rodent population by 80% in just 2 years shortly thereafter.[19] London began conducting scientific studies of the populations in 1972, which proved so useful that Local Governments soon followed in England and Wales.[19].
Various wildlife rehabilitation organizations encourage natural forms of rodent control through exclusion, predator support, and prevention of secondary poisonings.[20] The U.S. EPA states in its Proposed Risk Mitigation Decision for nine rodenticides that "without habitat modification to make areas less attractive to rodents, even eradication will not prevent new populations from recolonizing the area."[21] The EPA has also prescribed guidelines for natural rodent control and for safe trapping in residential areas with subsequent release into the wild.[22] Repellents are also used. For example, balsam fir oil, derived from Abies balsamea, is an EPA-approved rodent repellent.[23] The root of Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha") emits chemical compounds that repel animals, including rats.[24][25].
Insect pests, including the Mediterranean meal moth, Indian grain moth, cigarette beetle, drugstore beetle, confused weevil, red flour weevil, merchant grain beetle, serrated beetle, and wheat, corn, and rice weevils, infest stored dry foods such as flour, cereals, and pasta.[26][27] At home, infested foods are often discarded, and storing such products in airtight containers should prevent the problem from recurring. The eggs of these insects can go unnoticed, with the larvae being the destructive stage and the adult being the most visible stage.[27] Since it is not safe to use pesticides near food, alternative treatments, such as freezing for four days at 0°F or baking for thirty minutes at 130°F, are recommended to kill any insects present.[28].
The larvae of clothes moths (mainly Tineola bisselliella and Tinea pellionella) feed on fabrics and carpets, especially those that have been stored or soiled. Adult females lay clusters of eggs on natural fibers, such as wool, silk, and fur, as well as cotton and linen blends. The larvae protect themselves by forming threads and gnaw through the fabric, creating holes and small stains of excrement. Damage is usually concentrated in hidden places, under collars and in the seams of clothing, in folds of upholstery and at the edges of carpets, as well as under furniture. Control methods include storage in airtight containers, periodic washing of clothing, trapping, freezing, heating and the use of chemicals; Mothballs contain volatile repellents that deter adults, but insecticides such as permethrin or pyrethrums may be required to eliminate larvae.[29].
Carpet beetles belong to the family Dermestidae, and although adults feed on nectar and pollen, the larvae are destructive pests in homes, warehouses and museums. They feed on animal products such as wool, silk, leather, fur, brush bristles, pet hair, feathers, and museum specimens. They tend to infest hidden areas and can damage large portions of fabric, leaving droppings and detached shells that look brown and rough.[30] Management of infestations is difficult and is based on exclusion and hygiene, resorting to pesticides when necessary. The beetles can fly in from the outside and the larvae can survive on lint, dust, or inside vacuum cleaner bags. In warehouses and museums, pheromone-baited sticky traps are used to identify problems, and treatments such as heating, freezing, surface spraying, or fumigation kill insects if applied correctly. Susceptible objects are protected by storing them in airtight containers.[30].
Books are sometimes attacked by cockroaches, silverfish,[31] book mites, psocopterans,[32] and various beetles that feed on the covers, paper, bindings and glue, leaving small holes and stains from excrement.[31] Evidence of the infestation appears in the form of small accumulations of dust and flecks of excrement. Damage may be concentrated on the spine, the protruding edges of the pages, and the cover. Prevention is based on keeping books in cool, clean, dry environments with low humidity, carrying out periodic inspections. Treatment may consist of freezing the books for long periods, although some insect eggs are very resistant and can survive for extended periods at low temperatures.[31].
Various beetles of the superorder Bostrichoidea attack dried and seasoned wood used in construction and furniture manufacturing. In most cases, it is the larvae that cause the damage, as they feed on the inside of the wood without being visible from the outside. Examples are powderpost beetles, which attack the sap of hardwoods, and furniture beetles, which affect softwoods, including plywood. Damage has already been caused when the adult beetles bore into the wood, leaving small round holes. Prevention is possible by chemical treatments of the wood before use in construction or furniture manufacturing.[33].
Termites with colonies close to homes can extend their underground galleries and build mud tubes to enter buildings. These insects remain hidden and wear down structural and decorative wood, leaving the surface layers intact, in addition to damaging cardboard, plastic and insulating materials. Its presence can be evidenced when winged insects appear and swarm in the home during spring. It is essential to have regular inspections by professionals to detect termite activity before damage is significant.[34] Inspection and monitoring of termites is crucial, since the alates (reproductive ones) may not always appear inside the structure. Control and eradication are professional jobs that involve trying to exclude insects from the building and eliminate them. Liquid termiticides applied to the soil establish a chemical barrier that prevents the entry of termites, and lethal baits can be used that are ingested by foraging insects and distributed throughout the colony, causing their progressive decline.
Mosquitoes are mosquito-like flies belonging to the Culicidae family. The females of most species feed on blood and some act as vectors for diseases, such as malaria and others. Historically, they have been controlled through the use of DDT and other chemical methods, but due to the adverse environmental effects of these insecticides, other control methods have been tried. Mosquitoes depend on water to reproduce, so the first line of control is to reduce their breeding sites, eliminating swampy areas and accumulations of stagnant water. Other approaches include biological control of larvae by fish or other predators, genetic control, introduction of pathogens, growth-regulating hormones, release of pheromones, and the use of mosquito traps.[35].