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Smart Choices About Pesticides
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Pesticides are designed to kill or repel undesired pests, but many will also
harm beneficial insects, birds, reptiles, pets and even humans. Pesticides also
wash off lawn and gardens, ending up in our oceans, and possibly our water supply.
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Pest Fact Sheets:
Ants
Fleas
Roaches
Yellowjackets
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Garden Pest Fact Sheets:
Healthy Gardens
Aphids
Lawn Care
Snails & Slugs
Roses
Weeds
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There may be times when you need to use a chemical to control a pest in your
home, garden or on your pet. If you do, please follow label instructions exactly
for proper dilution and application. The label will also list important
precautions such as eye and skin protection, and proper ventilation. Pesticide
labels are required to post warning language that alert consumers to the degree
of hazard posed by the active ingredients.
To make a smart choice about toxics, choose products reading
"Caution" over "Warning," "Danger" or "Poison" on their labels.
Buy the smallest quantity needed to get the job done.
Avoid
buying in bulk. |
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Indoor Pests
Preventing Access: Patch holes in screens, screen stove vents, install weather
stripping, and seal all other cracks with paint or caulking. Don't Feed the
Pests: Store food items in tight fitting jars or plastic containers. Put pet
food dishes in a larger dish of soapy water. Empty trash each night. While
baits containing pesticides are extremely effective means of chemical control,
the pests still prefer human food.
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Ants:
Exclusion: follow ant trails inside or outside your home and seal off entry
points using tape, putty, or caulk. Wipe up the ants in your house using soapy
water. Baits: The ants in your home represent just the tip of the iceberg. To
kill the ant colony, choose baits containing boric acid or and insect growth
regulator (plastic disks) and outdoors (stakes).
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Cockroaches:
Boric acid is the least toxic poison available, and next to a thorough cleaning,
is the most effective tool for long-term cockroach control. Boric acid powder
should be placed in cracks, crevices, and in the secluded areas where
cockroaches hide. The powder will be picked up by the roach and ingested during
grooming. Remember-boric acid is a poison, use it carefully and do not breathe
the dust.
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Aphids: Methods of Control:
Physical: A strong jet of water can knock aphids off of plants onto the ground
where they are eaten by spiders and other insects. Prune heavily infested
branches and submerse in soapy water to kill the aphids before composting or
disposal. Biological: Many insects in your garden, including lacewings and
ladybugs, feed on aphids. Flowering plants that bloom in the Spring when aphid
levels are highest will encourage these "beneficial" visitors. Aphids are
happiest on plants rich in nitrogen--so choose appropriate fertilizer.
Chemical: Commercial brands of insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils are
effective.
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Snails: Methods of Control:
Physical: Hand pick snails at night and kill them by submerging in soapy water.
Design traps using over-turned flower pots, a raised board, or a pie tin filled
with beer buried to be even with the soil surface. Be sure to check traps daily.
Barriers using diatomaceous earth or copper sheeting make and effective deterrent.
Ask your nursery professional for help selecting the best product for your needs.
Biological: Many animals including chickens, box turtles, and some toads enjoy a
meal of snails. In Southern California, predatory decollate snails are often sold
in nurseries. Choose plants that snails tend to avoid.
Chemical: Snails are becoming resistant to chemical baits, so these products
should be used only as a last resort.
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Fleas:
Long-term control means attacking the flea at all stages in its life cycle.
Vacuuming is the most effective means of controlling adults, eggs, and the dried
blood which serves as the food source for the larvae. Vacuuming everyday,
especially where the pet sleeps, is critical to successful flea control during
the height of the fleas season.
Insect growth regulators (IGRs), new chemicals that act to prevent larvae from
becoming adults, are now available in spray form (look for methoprene). IGRs can
also be given directly to animals in a pill form. Consult your veterinarian for
more information.
Flea Traps that use green blinking lights as an attractant are available to
control adult fleas in a contained area. Ask your pet supply store or pest
control company for details.
Pyrethrins (naturally derived chemicals) and synthetic pyrethrum are less toxic
than traditional pesticides, but still must be used with caution. Because these
chemicals are toxic to fish, avoid washing off products containing pyrethrins
(i.e. flea shampoo, outdoor sprays) into gutters and storm drains.
Exterior Control: Frequent mowing of grass exposes eggs and larvae to more
sunlight, killing them. Regular irrigation of areas where your pet tends to
rest will also kill eggs and larvae.
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Yellowjackets:
Additional Information:
Alternative Products: City of Santa Monica. (310) 458-2213
Technical Pesticide Applications: County Agricultural Commissioner. (626) 443-6652
Free Disposal of Hazardous Products: Santa Monica Residents. (310) 458-2213
Free Disposal of Hazardous Products: LA County Residents. (888) CLEAN-LA
Protect the health of our community and the Santa Monica Bay. Visit the...
Household Hazardous Waste Center
2500 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica
Hours: Wed-Fri 7a.m. - 1p.m.
Saturday 7a.m. - 3p.m.
(310) 458-8255
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Call the Environmental Programs Division at (310) 458-2213 or
E-mail us for more ideas on safer alternatives.
City of Santa Monica
Environmental Programs Division
200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3126
(310) 458-2213
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Safer Solution |
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Traps, baits, physical barriers, soaps and oils, biological controls (bugs that eat bugs),
and good housekeeping and gardening practices are the safest ways to control pests. It is
impossible to keep all pests away from our homes and yards—but there are convenient ways
to keep the pests from annoying us or interfering with our lives. |
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Soapy water cleans up many insects.
Try using it in a spray bottle, or on a sponge |
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Controlling Ants:
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Prevent access - Caulk cracks where ants are entering the house. Weather strip
doors and windows (this will save energy too). When ants appear, follow their trails
inside or outside your home and seal off entry points using tape, putty, or caulk.
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Don’t feed the pests - Store food in containers with tight-fitting lids or in the
refrigerator. Put pet food dishes in a larger dish of soapy water. Empty trash each
night.
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Clean up the ants inside - Wipe up ant trails with soapy water. Vacuuming ants
works well too.
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Use baits to wipe out the nest - The ants in your home represent just the
tip of the iceberg. Use baits containing boric acid, borax, fipronil, or
hydramethylnon to kill the nest and prevent recurring problems.
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Controlling Cockroaches: |
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Follow the tips above for ants, selecting cockroach baits with boric acid, fipronil,
or hydramethylnon. Try sticky traps for small infestations. For larger invasions,
following precautions on the product labels, use insecticidal dusts like diatomaceous
earth (don’t use the pool filter product) or boric acid in wall voids, under large
appliances, and in cracks and crevices before you seal them.
Controlling
Dandelions and Other Broadleaf
Weeds:
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On your lawn, skip the “weed and feed” products and
try pulling the weeds, root and all. A weed puller
(which costs only a few dollars) makes this job
easier. [Layout note: a figure of a weed puller
would be helpful.] Maintaining a healthy lawn by
watering deeply and infrequently and using a
slow-release fertilizer will make your yard an
unfriendly place for weeds. Keeping the grass taller
will shade out weeds—check with your nursery to find
out the right mowing height for your grass. In your
other landscaping, putting a thick layer of mulch
around your plants will keep weeds from growing and
conserve water. |
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This page was last modified on
08/06/2008
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