Less Toxic Pest Management

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The City of Vacaville is taking steps to reduce the associated health and environmental risks related to pesticide use. We aim to provide accurate information and aid in the increase of integrated pest management adoption.

Pyrethroid Management Plan

Water Quality Division staff developed a Pyrethroid Management Plan (PMP) with the hope of reducing pesticides found in the City’s creeks and streams. The PMP has goals that target education of resident, and promotes pest management approaches to reduce pesticides in local creeks. The team will also be working with regional groups and partners to strengthen this plan and ultimately protect our water from the use of pesticides in our City's environment. E-mail the Water Quality Division to provide input on the PMP.

Proper Pesticide Disposal

Argentine Ants

Detection

Argentine ants are common household ants. Look for single scouts or long lines of ants in or around the house, near food, or water. Distinguish argentine ants from carpenter ants by size – argentine ants are small (1/8”) whereas carpenter ants are large and dark (5/16” or more).

Less Toxic Controls

Use soapy water in a spray bottle to clean counter tops and wipe up ant trails.
Follow trails to find entry points. Temporarily close with petroleum jelly or duct tape. Use silicone caulk for a permanent seal.
Use commercial baits containing boric acid, borax, or sulfuramid (follow all label instructions). Do not spray near baits because ants will be repelled.
Try different kinds of bait. Argentine ants change their food preferences frequently. If one bait is not working, try another.
Do not leave bait out after ant trails have disappeared.

Prevention

Good sanitation is very important.
Destroy scouts whenever you see them.
Empty garbage often and keep sweet, protein-rich, or greasy items in the refrigerator.
Don’t leave pet food out all day or night. If this is not practical, place pet dishes in a low backing pan filled with soapy water.

Carpenter Ants

Detection

Worker ants range from 5/16" to 7/16". When viewed from the side, the top of the thorax (the middle segment of the body), is smooth and rounded. Carpenter ants excavate nests in wood (usually moist wood) but do not feed on the wood itself. Small piles of sawdust are often visible near their nests. They forage inside homes for water and human or pet food and are most active at night between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Less Toxic Controls

Nests are difficult to find. It's better to hire a licensed pest control operator to find and destroy the nest.
Less-toxic controls a professional may use include: treating wall voids with diatomaceous earth, silica aerogel, boric acid, or borate (these also work for prevention), vacuuming ants from the nest, treating nests directly with a small amount of pyrethroid insecticide, and/or using heat treatment.
After a professional has completed the work, be sure the damaged wood is replaced with borate-treated wood.

Prevention

Control moisture by repairing all water leaks inside and out. Make sure the house is adequately ventilated.
Store firewood on a metal rack away from the house.
Keep vegetation and tree branches pruned away from building.
Have a professional treat vulnerable wood with borate.

Clothes Moths

Detection

These small moths (1/2-5/8" wingh3) avoid light and try to hide when disturbed. Tiny, white, worm-like larvae feed on hair, feathers, wool, fur, dead insects, and dried animal remains. Moths are attracted to and lay their eggs on fabrics with stains from food, human perspiration, and urine.

Less Toxic Controls

Shake, brush, and air infested materials. Thoroughly clean infested fabrics: dry-clean, submerge in hot (120°F) soapy water for 2 to 4 hours, microwave for 4 minutes on high (do not microwave any metal, e.g., buttons, zippers, etc.), or freeze in sealed plastic bags for 3 days at 0°F.
Thoroughly vacuum infested areas. For wide-spread infestations, consider hiring a licensed pest control operator to apply heat treatments.

Prevention

Regularly shake, brush, and air fabrics, rugs, and furniture. This is especially important for anything in storage.
Store woolens and other materials only after they have been thoroughly cleaned. Store in tightly sealed containers or plastic bags.
Animal, bird, and insect nests can harbor moths. Remove them from the house.
Regularly vacuum cracks, crevices, closets, shelves, upholstery, and rugs.
Caulk cracks where lint might accumulate. (Moths are attracted to lint.)
Keep windows screened.
Throw away badly infested materials in sealed plastic bags to prevent re-infestations.

Cockroaches

Detection

Cockroaches are flat-bodied, oval-shaped insects with long antennae and are tan through dark brown or black in color. Cockroaches are most active at night. Cockroaches may harbor diseases that can harm humans and animals.

Less Toxic Controls

For minor infestations, locate hiding places by using sticky traps.
Use commercial baits or baited traps containing abamectin, boric acid, fipronil, or sulfluramid (follow all label instructions). Do not place them in the open, but along edges (where the counter meets the wall, the wall meets the floor, etc.).
Vacuum cracks and crevices and around motors of appliances to remove roaches, eggs, and food particles. Apply a light dusting of boric acid powder (roaches will avoid clumps) under refrigerators and stoves, and in cracks and crevices. When using boric acid, be sure to read the entire label carefully and follow all directions.
For severe infestations, hire a licensed pest control operator.

Prevention

Good sanitation is extremely important.
Seal cracks, crevices, and openings - especially around pipes.
In heavy infestations, remove all garbage from the house each evening.
Remove pet food at night.

Fleas

Detection

Adult fleas are most often found on pets. Flea eggs, larvae, and pupae are found in cracks and crevices, rugs, upholstered furniture, and anywhere animals rest or sleep. Flea season commonly occurs in summer and fall.

Less Toxic Controls

For your pet, use pills containing lufenuron or products containing fipronil or imidacloprid that are applied to the skin in one small spot. Ask your vet or pet store. These products are effective and have a low acute toxicity for mammals. Use these products only during flea season to prevent fleas from becoming resistant to the chemicals.
Comb pets with a flea comb. Dispose of fleas in sopy water.
Vacuum carpets, furniture, and floors. frequently to pickup eggs and pupae (larvae coil themselves around carpet fibers and are difficult to remove).
Use commercial flea traps made of a light bulb and sticky paper.
Spot-treat problem areas with an insect growth regulator such as methoprene to arrest flea development.
If necessary, hire a licensed pest control operator to treat your carpet.

Prevention

Restrict pets to specified areas and vacuum those areas frequently.
Flea comb pets throughout the year.

Flies

Detection

Some nuisance flies are dull gray or black; others have shiny blue or green abdomens. All adult flies have only 1 pair of wings (other insects have 2 pairs). Nuisance fly maggots can be found in household garbage, (fruit, vegetable, meat, and fish scraps), animal manure (including dog and cat droppings), animal carcasses, and poisoned garden snails.

Less Toxic Controls

Find and remove material in which flies are breeding (see above).
Hang sticky fly paper from the ceiling; replace when covered with flies or when dried out.
Use a fly swatter.
Vacuum up slower moving flies.
Use commercial fly traps. Bait with decaying meat, fish, or eggs.

Prevention

Good sanitation is very important.
Promptly remove animal droppings. Seal in a plastic bag before disposal.
Install screens on windows and doors.
Keep garbage cans and dumpsters tightly covered and clean. Odors can attract flies from a great distance.

Grain Moths

Detection

Look for silken webbing, cast-off skins, or tiny, worm-like larvae in foods, such as grain and grain products, pet food, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, beans, spices, and herbs. Small cocoons can sometimes be found in corners or crevices of packaging or food storage areas. The grayish moths (3/4" wings) are active after dark.

Less Toxic Controls

Use sticky pheromone (sex lure) traps to detect and help control adult moths.
Dispose of infected food products in sealed plastic bags.
Vacuum and clean storage areas.
If you suspect contamination, but find no evidence, freeze grain products for 2 to 3 days. Dried fruit can be submerged in boiling water for 5 seconds.

Prevention

Do not buy products in broken or damaged packaging.
Inspect newly opened food packages for webbing or cocoons. Return infested packages to store.
Place newly purchased bulk items in the freezer for 2 to 3 days before storing in refrigerator or cupboards.
Store all food (including pet food and bird seed) in tightly sealed containers.
Keep bulk foods in the refrigerator. Buy only as much as you can use in 1 or 2 months and wash containers before refilling.
Keep storage areas dry and free from spilled flour, grain, and other food.

Mosquitos

Detection

Adult mosquitoes are small, delicate, long-legged insects with only 1 pair of wings. Only females bite with their long piercing mouth part. Immature stages including eggs, larvae and pupae, are found in still or very slow-moving water. Mosquitos can transmit diseases to humans and animals.

Less Toxic Controls

Find and drain standing water. Sources include: buckets, barrels, cans, tires, gutters, clogged roof gutters, tree holes, etc. Pour water on the ground.
Electric bug zappers are not effective for mosquito control and kill large numbers of beneficial insects.

Prevention

Eliminate standing water. This is the single most important tactic for preventing mosquitoes.
Clean bird baths with a wire brush and change water at least once a week.
Keep swimming pools and hot tubs chlorinated and covered when not used.
Hire a tree care professional fix tree holes that accumulate water or drain yourself and fill with sand.
Store tires inside garages or sheds or dispose of them properly. Tires are hard to empty of water and can contain millions of mosquitoes.
Keep basements dry.
Install screens on windows and doors.

Spiders

Detection

Spiders are not insects; they are classified as arachnids and have 8 legs (insects have only 6). Many, spiders, but not all, make webs. Spiders may frighten people but they are truly beneficial because they help us by consuming many pest insects in the home and garden. The vast majority of spiders cannot pierce human skin with their mouthparts and should not be routinely destroyed.

Less Toxic Controls

To remove a spider from your home without killing it, cover it with a glass and gently slide an index card under the glass, then release the spider outside.
Vacuum spiders and their webs or use a broom to remove webs.
If possible, eliminate the spiders' food supply. If they are feeding on fruit flies, store ripening fruit in paper bags folded over twice and sealed with a large clip. If spiders are building webs around a porch light, use a yellow bulb to reduce the number of insects attracted to the light.
Teach children and adults to respect spiders. Do not let them tease spiders or poke their fingers into dark crevices, especially in the basement or woodpiles.

Prevention

Vacuum or sweep regularly.
Install tight fitting screens on windows.
Reduce clutter.
Move firewood and debris away from the foundation.
Shrubs, vines and tree limbs should be clipped back from side of building.

Termites

Detection

Termites can be distinguished from ants by their broad waists and relatively straight antennae. Their wings, if present, are equal in size and have many veins. Ants have narrow waists, elbowed antennae, have wings with few veins, and hind wings that are smaller than their forewings. Unlike carpenter ants, termites actually digest the wood they feed on. Termites may leave small fecal pellets below infested wood or mud-like tubes on walls.

Less Toxic Controls

Treatments are best performed by a licensed pest control operator.

Prevention

Eliminate water sources that can cause wood decay such as soil contact, water leaks, clogged or damaged roof drains, etc. (See pages 8 and 9.)
Remove tree stumps, buried wood, and all debris (including paper and boxes) from under and around the building (See pages 8 and 9.)
Hire a licensed pest control operator to:
- Inspect building regularly.
- Treat vulnerable wood with borate or replace damaged wood with borate- treated wood.
- Use diatomaceous earth, silica aerogel, or silica aerogel combined with pyrethrin in wall voids, crawl spaces, or attics.
- Install sand barriers (sand particle size, shape, and installation are critical to this method).

Wasps & Yellowjackets

Detection

Yellowjackets search aggressively for sweet and protein-rich foods around picnics and garbage in late summer and early fall. They can inflict multiple stings. Papery nests are large globe-like structures with an entrance hole at the bottom. Nests are mainly found underground, but can be found in wall voids and hanging from eaves or branches. Paper wasps, like bees, are not aggressive unless disturbed and usually need no control. Paper wasps resemble yellowjackets but have longer legs. Papery nests are open and look like small umbrellas hanging from eaves, etc. Wasps and yellowjackets help us by feeding on insects.

Less Toxic Controls

Use commercial traps. Bait house-shaped traps with liverwurst. Bait cone- type traps with sweet liquids. Before emptying, seal traps in plastic bags and freeze overnight or set in the sun for several hours.
Hire a licensed pest control operator to treat nests that directly threaten humans.
They should use a very small amount of a pyrethrin insecticide, remove nests from walls or eaves, and seal access holes in walls.

Prevention

Keep garbage cans sealed.
Remove fallen fruit.
Install screens on windows and doors.
Never swat at a wasp. Move slowly to gently brush it away.

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Less Toxic Pest Management

Pyrethroid Management Plan

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