it's time to end chemical warfare

Insects are an important wildlife often overlooked in urban habitats. What we notice are badroaches, ants and mosquitoes in and around our homes. We take the insect spray too often.

But not all insects are pests – a wide variety of them contribute to the health of our cities. They pollinate plants, feed other wildlife, recycle our waste and eat other pests. Insects are essential to our well-being.

Unfortunately, like many other wildlife, insects are threatened. A recent study warned that 40% of the world's insect species are at risk of extinction, threatened by climate change, habitat loss and the over-enthusiastic use of synthetic chemicals by humanity.

Australians use large amounts of pesticides to control crawling insects in their homes and gardens. But our preference for insecticides against flies has potentially serious effects on urban ecosystems and public health.

We need a more sustainable way to combat urban pests. Our article recently published in the Journal of Pest Science describes some of the ways to do this.

What is the problem with pesticides anyway?

Since becoming available to the public in the 1950s, insect sprays are a popular way to control badroaches, flies, moths and ants at home and in their gardens. They are also widely used by local councils to control pests. But what may have been effective in the past will not necessarily work in the future or have unintended consequences.

Many harmful organisms, such as mosquitoes, are now becoming resistant to commonly used products. In some parts of the world affected by diseases such as dengue, it compromises our ability to control epidemics.

Read more:
Chemical or natural: what is the best way to repel mozzies?

Another, perhaps larger, problem is that the indiscriminate use of insecticides can kill more than just pests. Many species on which we rely to preserve the health of our gardens, shrubs, wetlands and parks can become collateral damage. This includes predatory species that can themselves help keep pests under control. As harmful species often reproduce faster than their predators (a trend likely to be reinforced by climate change), we can lock ourselves into a cycle in which the number of pests bounces back more than ever.

Read more:
Five reasons not to spray insects in your garden this summer

How do we do things differently?

Fortunately, there are alternatives to chemical pest control that does not harm your household or the environment. For centuries, sustainable farming systems have adopted environmentally friendly approaches and city dwellers can take leaves from their books.

Integrated pest management is one of these sustainable approaches. It focuses on prevention rather than treatment, and uses environmentally friendly options such as biological control (use of predators to eat pests) to protect crops. Chemical insecticides are only used as a last resort.

There are many other agricultural practices that support sustainable pest management. These are focused on behavioral changes, such as the cleanliness of areas, or simple physical controls, such as meshing flies or nets around fruit trees.

The adoption of these methods of urban pest control is not necessarily simple. There may be local regulations on some pest control activities or simply lack of knowledge about the ecology of urban pests.

In emergency situations regarding pests, it may be more expensive and time consuming to set up a biological control program than to organize the spraying of an insecticide. Insecticides act immediately, while biological control takes longer to have an effect. Prevention, the cornerstone of integrated pest management, requires careful planning before pests become a nuisance.

The goal of integrated pest management is not to eliminate insects completely, but to reduce their numbers to the point where they are no longer a problem. According to this logic, chemical insecticides should only be used if the economic damage caused by the pests outweighs the cost of the chemicals. If you do not like the idea that only one badroach lives nearby, you may need to change your state of mind.

What can I do at home?

Do not give opportunities to parasites. Be aware of how we produce and dispose of waste. Flies and badroaches grow in our garbage, but they can be managed effectively by ensuring that food waste is stored in insect proof containers, recycled or properly disposed of. Do not leave buckets of water around the yard as this invites mosquitoes to reproduce.

Do not open your door to pests. Seal cracks and crevices on the outside of your house and make sure there are mosquito nets on your doors and windows.

Support animals that control pests – they will do the hard work for you! In particular, avoid killing spiders and wasps as they attack pests in your home and garden.

Read more:
Secret agents protecting our crops and gardens

What can we do as a community?

Urban communities can learn a lot from sustainable agriculture. First, better education and support must be provided to the public and decision-makers. Workshops organized by local councils and information sessions with local garden groups are a great way to start.

We can also work together to help demystify the popular myth that most insects are harmful or harmful. Reaching the fly spray can be easy, but remember that you will end up killing friends as well as enemies.