Pest control

Pest control refers to the management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to health, the ecology or the economy.

A practitioner of pest control is called an exterminator.

History
Pest control is at least as old as agriculture, as there has always been a need to keep crops free from pests. In order to maximize food production, it is advantageous to protect crops from competing species of plants, as well as from herbivores competing with people.

The conventional approach was probably the first to be employed, since it is comparatively easy to destroy weeds by burning them or plowing them under, and to kill larger competing herbivores, such as crows and other birds eating seeds. Techniques such as crop rotation, companion planting, and the selective breeding of pest-resistant cultivars have a long history.

The use of firearms for pest control is quite common. Airguns are particularly popular for control of small pests. Because of their lower power they can be used in more restrictive spaceswhere using a firearm would be unsafe.

Chemical pesticides date back many millennia. Chemical pest control is still the predominant type of pest control today, although its long-term effects often lead to a renewed interest in traditional and biological pest control.

Common types of pest control
Biological

Mechanical

Physical

Elimination of breeding grounds

Poisoned bait

Field burning

Hunting

Traps

Pesticides

Space fumigation and/or treatment

Sterilization

Destruction of infected plants

Repellents



