Pest Control Books

Bought this book last year and use it not only for my own questions and reminders, but use the great quality photos to show my customers an example of the problem they are facing on thier property. Being the gardener for a landscaping company, I need to identify and resolve problems with anything from a soil issue to finding a way to save a customer's favorite tree. This book stays in my truck ALWAYS!

Fair as a gardening resource, but is basically a very large instruction manual for the line of Ortho gardening chemicals. Its whole purpose is to tell you which of their products to use for which pest or fungus or nutrient difficientcy.

It is a wonderful reference book! The pictures are great and it is easy to identify the culprit in the garden. The recomended treatments are easy to understand. It is a must have book for every gardner.
I also feel that the price for this book is fair for the information that it contains.

Being a certified nurseryman,I have found this book to be an invaluable tool for customer service and to boost sales. I just wish Ortho would take the professional edition and split it into maybe four books to make it more manageable.

I bought this book and the pictures are outstanding. They are all life like, not sketches. It is very easy to read. This book talks about insects, climate and soil and other topics to numerous to remember.

This product if very valuable. Plenty of information, much of it not pushing Ortho's products. Balanced and practical. A good investment for the home or greenhouse gardener.

This is the definitive resource book for gardeners and those dealing with plant problems. Excellent pictorial treatment avoids mistakes in diagnosis. Nothing else on the market is comparable. Get the latest version when you buy because chemicals are being updated continually and you will want to keep it all your life.

Once again Ortho has produced an invaluable reference book for the serious or amateuer gardener. This book has so much crucial information in it that can help anyone turn a black thumb into a green one. I would not be without it!

The Ortho Problem Solver, Sixth Edition (Ortho Problem Solver)
The most-used gardening manual I own. Sure, they are going to promote their products, but the general information and the pictures are first rate.

This is one of the most comprehensive books out there for problems. We purchased our first book twenty years ago (without Amazon's discount). Our neighbors come to us to find solutions to their problems and have added the book to their Christmas list. As for the person that gave it three stars, it's the Ortho book, you think they should recommend someone else's product?

Wild Neighbors (2nd edition), is a book that you should see on the shelf in Cooperative Extension offices, municipal animal control offices, state and district wildlife offices, USDA Wildlife Services offices, local pet shelters, rehabilitation centers, and in wildlife control operator offices.

But how many of these offices have this book? I would guess, not many.

Wild Neighbors was written by staff for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). That's probably enough to have some readers thinking, "The HSUS? Don't expect much useful information. Their bias against trapping, shooting, and poisons will taint everything they recommend."

They'd be wrong.

Don't get me wrong... the authors focus on non-lethal management alternatives, and fail to discuss lethal alternatives (with a few important exceptions). "It is not right to kill problem-causing wildlife simply because it is within our power to do so" (p. 3). But there is a great deal of useful, practical, and helpful information regarding the management of conflicts with a number of wildlife species found in urban and suburban areas.

The approach the book takes in discussing wildlife-human conflicts includes 1) respect for the environment, 2) tolerance and understanding of living things, and 3) intent to resolve conflicts using non-lethal means (p. 3). The first two issues should not be controversial. The third is a bone of contention. But when you think about it, the alternatives are, what? The intent to resolve conflicts using lethal means? The intent to resolve conflicts with either lethal or non-lethal means? Although I prefer the latter (since my philosophy is to resolve the conflict), you must understand all the alternatives. And what is wrong with desiring a non-lethal solution? Even USDA Wildlife Services has a policy which states, "Preference is given to nonlethal methods when practical and effective." This is a book about these methods.

This volume discusses the process of resolving a wildlife-related conflict (identifying damage, identifying culprits, selecting actions, assessing actions). It discusses, in general, laws and regulations relating to urban wildlife management. There is a detailed chapter on health concerns ("Avoiding direct contact with wild animals is always advisable. When they must be handled, it should be by experienced and properly equipped individuals," p. 13). And there are chapters on living with wildlife, questionable practices, and recommended tools and strategies. I learned some things here. There is a window decal to prevent bird collisions that is nearly invisible to humans but seen by birds. The "reunion boxes" championed by Brad Gates are very interesting. I agree that organic gardeners don't really think about where that predator urine comes from. And I appreciate HSUS not recommending ultrasonic devices (p. 52, 140) and recognizing that naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene usually are used in pesticide formulations for insects; as "repellents" for wildlife, homeowners are using it illegally (and ineffectively, p. 55).

But the major part of the book, Part 2, is the species-specific accounts. There's a lot of information here. I agree with most of it, and there are some issues I disagree with. Here's a sampling:

- There is note of the most up-to-date recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for dealing with bats discovered in a room in which a person is sleeping (p. 74).

- "The solution [for human-bear encounters] lies in educating people on how to behave in bear country, and, when necessary, educating bears to avoid people" (p. 89).

- "Cougars who have attacked or injured people are tracked and killed whenever possible. THis targeted action is deemed necessary, because it is highly likely that the same cougar will attack again" (p. 113).

- "Some ranchers now attempt to capture or kill [coyotes] only when predation has occurred; the offending individual or pair is targeted for removal and other coyotes are left unmolested. This strategy recognizes that it is better to leave coyotes who do not kill livestock as territorial residents. so they will keep coyotes who might kill livestock away. We think the same strategy would hold true for suburbia" (p. 117).

- "A variety of products (including some home-made remedies) can repel deer" (p. 128). Given the earlier assertion ("With the exception of hot sauce, few home remedies actually work" [p. 57]), there is a tendency to promote ineffective repellents throughout (e.g., p. 128, 176).

- "In our view, lethal control can never be justified without diligent efforts to apply other controls to prevent problems from recurring" (p. 140, chapter on mice).

- "The golden rule of pigeon feeding is moderation. Feed only as much as birds will eat in five to ten minutes and do not feed with clockwork regularity, which conditions the birds to appear at the same place, same time, every day" (p. 155). There is no discussion here on local policies to ban feeding.

- "Where [pocket gophers] are not so numerous as to be causing heavy damage, the homeowners should consider them as neutral or beneficial" (p. 161). Since a single gopher can girdle, and kill, a mature fruit tree, in orchards the threshold for initiating gopher control is... one gopher. Similar damage from a single gopher can occur to a homeowner's trees. Also, for gophers, "Artificial perches for raptors and tolerance of fox, coyote, or snake presence can go a long way toward creating a predator-prey balance" (p. 162). I am unaware of any studies, anywhere, that demonstrate that raptor perches, barn owl boxes, or predators in general control gopher populations, although there are continuous claims that they do so. It should make sense for animals that spend 99% of their life underground.

- "There are claims that empty soda bottles buried up to their necks and placed along a garden perimeter produce a noise when the wind blows across them that scares rabbits away" (p. 176). Luckily, these unproven and wild claims are rare in this volume.

- "The key to rat control is maintaining conditions that discourage their presence in the first place" (p. 189). "Lethal rat management [with snap traps] must be undertaken with the clear awareness that the animals will suffer and, most important, that the rats' presence and, therefore, our need to 'manage' them, is largely a consequence of our own lack of proper sanitation in our immediate environment" (p. 191).

As I mentioned above, there is a lot of great information here. One of my biggest disappointments came from the volume's lack of candor about where information came from. I have no doubt a number of "traditional" references were used to pull the information together. However, the "Resources" listed at ends of the species account chapters, and the "Reading for Pleasure" appendix, failed to list references used by the writers and useful to the readers. I'll give two examples. First, I have no doubt that the "Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage" publication produced by the University of Nebraska was used as a reference throughout. However, it is not cited once. This would get every undergraduate in the land in trouble. Second, there is the formula on page 197 for the hydrogen peroxide-based skunk odor neutralizer. As read, this seems to be a HSUS concoction. The lack of attribution to the developer, again, is troubling.

I would have preferred chapters on feral cats, vultures, and a few other species. However, I appreciated the focus on the "big three": raccoons, squirrels, and skunks.

I began this review with the observation that you should see this book "...on the shelf in Cooperative Extension offices, municipal animal control offices, state and district wildlife offices, USDA Wildlife Services offices, local pet shelters, rehabilitation centers, and in wildlife control operator offices." The fact that it isn't on most of these shelves is telling. Some of the species accounts in this volume are also posted on the HSUS webpage (although they don't seem exactly the same), increasing availability. Still, this slick volume needs, and deserves, a much wider readership.

Wild Neighbors is broken into two major parts. The first section of the book deals with general wildlife information, understanding, and history. It's a great introduction to thinking about the animals that surround us as part of our environment rather than pests we have to deal with. There are a number of resources on how to manage life with animals and what to do when seeking outside help.

The second part of the book is broken up into specific animals. I was pleased to find a section on raccoons since they have caused me the most trouble recently. The suggestions given on managing the animals are realistic and guilt-free. I definitely plan to try the hot sauce as a deterrent for raccoons and making sure to clear the are of tempting raccoon meals.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who lives in an area with wildlife (that's just about all of you!). Even if you're not dealing with a problem, it's still a great book for learning to look at the animals in our lives differently.

I have the older edition of this book and look forward to seeing the new expanded edition.

Based on advice from the book, I successfully 1) stopped raccoons from coming into my house (via the dog door) by leaving a radio and light on at night, and 2) coaxed out the bats who had settled into my attic (and made visits into the house) with a bat house and one-way exit screen. Both solutions were ridiculously simple and immediately successful. Nobody was hurt, traumatized, or even taken away from their home territory. The information about bat behavior ensured that we timed the adjustments so that no baby bats would be trapped inside.

This book has invaluable information that you can also share with neighbors or friends who would turn to exterminators or relocation solutions when faced with wild animals getting a little too close.

As a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, I was interested in seeing what type of information could be provided in a book that I could recommend to people wanting to solve wildlife problems in a humane manner. This book is an important contribution to a field that is becoming more important as people move expand into wildlife habitat as well as creating more attractive wildlife habitat in their own yards.

This book is great for wildlife rehabilitators' use in helping homeowners to solve wildlife conflicts. It is also an excellent tool to help homeowners to understand and live in harmony with the wild animals that are forced to move into their neighborhoods as more of their natural habitat disappears.

This is a great book for those who are new at gardening. Lot's of info that can be used to avoid those really bad gardens.

This is not a book you read from cover to cover. It is interesting to browse the topics though. Some of those are: beneficial insects, cut worms, companion planting, soil, composting, planting and transplanting, row covers, slugs and snails and many more. I would buy it again. When you want information, you look up tomatoes or whatever and find good information on growing and solving problems related to that plant. It has gardening ideas like making a cold frame from straw bales and old windows.

I have 6-8 gardening books by various authors- all good - but this gives the most specific information for each vegetable crop. This will be my ready reference for all my garden problems. This is a good book for both the novice and the experienced gardener. A great resource for those wanting to try growing new varieties.

This is a very good book. Very easy to read. This book covers just about every problem in the garden. It is easy to understand. It covers preventing problems to troubleshooting problems. Just about everything you need to know about problems in your garden is in this book.

In "Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver", lifelong organic gardener Fern Marshall Bradley has knowledgeably compiled and skillfully organized a wealth of practical, applicable, 'user friendly' advice and instruction on dealing with pests, diseases, weeds, and other problems that beset the vegetable garden. The solutions to these diverse issues that vegetable gardens must commonly deal with are based on the cutting edge of horticultural research and offer gardeners hundreds of organic and natural solutions for plant disease, pests, and weed problems. From polytape and mesh fences, to deer repellents, to flea beetle infestations, "Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver" offers safe, effective remedies that will enhance a vegetable garden's performance producing healthy, bountiful, 'bumper crop' yields. If you have a vegetable garden of your own, you need to avail yourself of the "Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver", Fern Marshall Bradley's essential 'how to' manual.

I read Mel Visser's intriguing book, COLD, CLEAR, AND DEADLY, twice before writing this review. The main reason for the extra diligence was that I really wasn't quite sure what to make of the book. If I was puzzled by the first reading, I'd have to say I was fascinated on the second. This book really is the closest thing you can get to an environmental page-turner.

In fact, in his introduction Mel describes the book as a "mystery novel, with chemicals as the characters." That's a pretty good description but I'd also add that Mel casts himself as the sleuth, a loveable rogue who fits well in the tradition of dime store detective novels.

COLD, CLEAR AND DEADLY, is a personal account, a memoir really, of Mel's dawning awareness of the effects of POPs on the environment and his dogged determination to find their source. His awareness develops in the first half of the book as he attends a series of environmental meetings, symposia, colloquia--you get the picture. Potentially dry stuff this, but here's where Mel's personality really shines giving a unique insider, behind the scenes, view that I found quite engaging.

The second half of the book documents Mel's post-retirement investigations and growing commitment to a ban on POPs. He becomes convinced that the primary source of POPs in the environment is their continued use in the developing world and their global transport in the atmosphere. His research takes him on two trips to the arctic. At times his accounts have a travelogue quality, but his description of the horrific exposure of the Inuit to POPs in their traditional diet is riveting, and sure to make you share his outrage.

Fittingly, Mel finishes the book with a call to action. I, for one, wish him every success.

As a long time resident of northern Alaska and more recently a resident and guide in the Lake Superior Basin, I read with alarm "Cold, Clear and Deadly." As author and scientist Mel Visser narrates his life's quest to find out why northern waters aquatic life are still filled with deadly Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Visser found that in spite of the banning of POPs throughout North America these hazardous banned pesticides are still used in developing nations. The toxins, in molecular form become transported by winds in the troposphere world-wide.

Mel Visser writes in a non-technical way that is understandable to most people. His "Global Transport" section of the book, in which the reader views a POP molecule's journey globally from India to the Arctic illustrates clearly to the layperson how toxins are transported around the world. North American air is contaminated with more than 100 million POPs molecules in every human breath! The northern waters absorb the airborne pollutants and they get concentrated as they move up the food chain from simple organisms to more complex ones. The health and reproductive problems to wildlife at the top of the food chain as well as humans who consume the wildlife is alarming.

Visser was a chemical industry insider who worked for a Michigan pharmaceutical company as a chemical engineer for 20 years, then 16 years as head of the company's environmental compliance division.
An affinity for wild Lake Superior seemed to make Visser an industry scientist with a conscience.

"Cold, Clear and Deadly" does an excellent job of showing the growing danger to the planet of man-produced toxins. Visser writes to not just inform but to rouse the reader to action in telling others, including politicians about the growing danger to all life on earth.

Cold, Clear, and Deadly is a thrilling mystery adventure exploring for truth amongst strong human challenges to objectivity within science, culture, activism, and industry. This book is a must read for any change agent who seeks to navigate the for-mentioned communities toward sustainability or any person interested in protecting their own family.

Also highly recommended as an opening required reading for courses in Environmental Engineering, Aquatic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Sociology or Political Science.

A technical man with a clear view from within the industry from an ethical perspective. Worth reading - a must!

Upon early retirement from the UpJohn Company, Visser undertook an investigation which was like solving a mystery to find out how persistent organic pollutants--POPs--were getting into the colder waters of the earth from the Great Lakes to the Arctic Ocean. The POPs, at first though to be harmless, were becoming so prevalent and toxic that blubber from some Arctic Ocean whales would classify as hazardous waste. Visser had the necessary scientific background for this investigation. The long stretch of his career at Upjohn where he had responsibility for environmental compliance and remediation gave him knowledge of "process research" and "training in the behavior of chemicals" he would need. "The refusal of banned chemicals to leave Lake Superior" became a perplexing question to him during his last years with Upjohn. Noting that the answer to the question of POPs in Lake Superior and other bodies of water "unfolded like a mystery novel, with chemicals as characters," Visser writes a first-person tale with the novelistic techniques of dialogue, action, scenes, and short paragraphs. The compelling environmental story in a popular style makes the book a model for others on environmental issues which are matters of growing public concern.

Despite the opinions of another of the book's reviewers, many responsible, ... homeowners and gardeners have the need to sanely deal with pest infestations. This is the best book for learning about the least toxic and often the most humane way of dealing with pest problems. I have used it for my own home and garden and also as a Master Gardener recommending solutions for other gardeners. I highly recommend it.

I answer garden questions (and ones about pest problems) for a living, and I'd be lost without my wonderful dog-eared copy of this book. It is probably responsible for TONS of toxic chemicals NOT being used by paniced homeowners, and belongs in EVERY home.

This book is a wonderful resource for anyone who cares about balancing their own needs as residents of the planet with the needs of all the bugs out there. Insects are introduced, their contributions to their ecosystem detailed, possible ways of controlling them discussed where that is needed, and final, more dire solutions are available where needed. A great resource for those who want their pest control to be as little destructive as possible, and in many cases this is also what is most effective. A good resource to have on hand.

Ignore the two inane reviews below and read the others. You'll see what I mean....

A detailed, well-indexed reference dealing with pests from lice to rats. This is a how-to book as well as a general reference, and although Common-Sense Pest Control is not always the most pleasant reading, it is a godsend to anyone in the trenches. The authors approach is scientific and non-alarmist, with an emphasis on least-toxic solutions. Excellent illustrations. An example of their style: "Few pest problems cause more panic and premature decisions among home owners than those involving wood-destroying insects such as carpenter ants or termites... Whatever the reason, you should not feel pressured. You have plenty of time to find the least-toxic treatment and decide whether you want to do some of the work yourself and contract out the rest to a professional or turn over the entire job to a professional."

I'm planning a water garden for my back yard and thought this book might help. It has a lot of information, but is not that easy to read. It seamed to me that all the info was written on post-its, organized in to catagories, and printed. It will make a great reference book when I'm having a problem and need to find a quick answer. But it's not the kind of book that has you start on page one and read straight through.

This books offers both basic information for beginning water gardeners and nuggets of knowledge for those more experienced or professional installers. The presentation is very straightforward and concise. I find the book very enjoyable to browse and it has a good index for use as a reference. If you are starting a water garden library - start here.

A thorough and well-presented book thattakes you from pond siting and constructionthrough fish and plant selection to control of pests and maintenance. Nash is refreshingly honest about the pros and cons of various choices, and lets you know when a suggested plant or fish is appropriate for your climate. The many full-color pictures are very helpful, especially in identiying insect pests. Includes photos of some very interesting designs, including one with a piano theme! Deserving of all the raves from reviews by AHS and others.

I bought the book for my sister, but after previewing it had to keep it for myself. It is a wonderful reference book, tells me more than I thought it would in a "basic" book, but is also simple to understand as well as comprehensive in its delivery. Starting a pond or having one, this is a definite staple!

Even though the title has "planning" in it, the focus of the book deals with maintenance issues. Ms. Nash not only discusses water quality, algae issues, plant propogation, and plant and fish disease, but also how to prevent problems, and how to repair the problem once detected. There are also great photos that illustrate some of the more common pond problems.

I have read better books on pond planning (her other book,"The Complete Pond Planner" and the Ortho series books are great), but I have found none that address the above issues as well as this one. A must read for all pond owners!

One of the best for SE garden problem solving. Great shame it's out of print. Definitely get one if you can.

I have bought many gardening books that promise to help me solve my gardening problems. Most address some issues and a few were no help at all. This is not one of those books. This book covers a huge range of gardening problems and I have yet to refer to it and not have it give me some answers. It's a must for anyone looking for a solid all around garden book. Everything from lawns to vegitables to plants and shrubs. If you have a disease problem this book can help. If you need answers on why certain plants are dying this book can help. Do you have pest problems? Yep, this book can help. It's not a garden dictionary so it is not hard to read. I have finally found a book that I can use on a regular basis. I love it!

I refer to this book at least once or twice a week. My neighbors even ask me to look stuff up for them when they have a gardening question. It is very easy to use, and the author is very direct and to the point. The pictures are beautiful and inspirational, but this is not a book of lofty gardening ideals, it is an informative, how to achieve it, how to fix it and how to get started type of book. It can save both time and money by dealing exclusively with what works and what doesn't in various Southern climates. It is worth every penny.

Another book has never been written so comprehensibly for the gardner from novice to pro. Direct information that is easily understandable that any gardner can immediately use to solve the problem. The pictures and descriptions of the problems that any gardner may experience are well written and accurate. A must have for any gardner because it saves time and money by getting you directly to the problem without having to go through several different "it may be this" or "it may be that" type descriptions found in other garden books.

This is a book I have recomended to first time gardeners and people who have been gardening for quite some time. I have never been dissapointed with any of the Southen Living Gardening books, for clear advice. It is a good all around reference book.

The book says Squirrel Wars but it's a book about keeping other creatures out of your yard/garden as well. I was hoping it would be more comprehensive but since it gives tips on other creatures, I thought it had more value. Haven't gotten thru the whole book yet...too busy trying to salvage the bulbs that survived the squirrel attacks.

An invaluable book for any homeowner who's ever had problems with squirrels (enemy number one), rabbits, racoons, skunks, possums, deer, cats, rats, dogs, even birds, etc. Each section is dedicated to solving a problem with your animal of choice. And that's just it. It could have easily been called "skunk wars" or any other "animal wars" mentioned in this book. I guess he chose squirrels because they seem to be the most persistant animals to invade our backyard. They are truly clever. However, there's another "Squirrel Wars" book that deals with squirrels only, written in 1996, and the author's attempt to outwit them from raiding his birdfeeders. It's funny and serious. I highly recommend both Squirrel Wars. Enjoy while learning.

Finally, someone has published a guide to dealing with my backyard foes. For years, master gardners, nursery workers, etc. have told me there was absolutely nothing I could do to protect my flowerbeds and bird feeders from squirrels, pesky birds and roaming cats. After reading this book, I know what works and what doesn't. This book not only tells me what to do, I now have some good insight into what's going on in the minds of those little critters (I wish more authors would do this). Yeah!!

My only complaint: the title is a little misleading. I got this book so I could deal with squirrels. This book covers many more backyard critters than squirrels such as cats, crows, deer, raccoons, and so on.

this was a great book, hilarious funny, its very true

Many favorite wildlife species wreck havoc on backyard gardens: Squirrel Wars tells how to solve a range of problems, from birds which raid bird feeders and squirrels which are geniuses at food to creatures which nest in chimneys and dig holes in lawns. Deer, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, skunks and opossums are covered, with some remedies more effective than others.

Tiny Game Hunting: Environmentally Healthy Ways to Trap and Kill the Pests in Your House and Garden New Edition

No nonsense ways to control pests without killing yourself or your family and pets. I got it for the sugary recipe that kills carpenter ants. Written by a naturalis, the book gives you facts so you learn a bit about your prey...and sometimes you are counseled to live and let live as the "pest" really does not harm anything.

A great read and full of useful information on alternatives to pesticides and lethal traps for pests of all sizes. Very enjoyable reading and full of experiments to try with kids.

I have the old edition, too. Years ago, I checked that edition book out from the library so much that I decided I needed it. It was out of press, and I couldn't locate a copy. I wrote Adrian Wenner to explain my dilemma, and he mailed me his copy. Very cool.

This could be the most useful book I own. It gets more use than my dictionary. Tiny Game Hunting offers practical and effective methods of capturing or killing common household and garden pests; everying from insects and spiders, to lizards and smakes, and mice and gophers. It focuses on environmentally safe extermination methods. Many of the traps, repellents, and pesticides can be made cheaply with common items found in the kitchen or garage. More than just pest control, the book offers some basic information on the habits and history of the critters. Have a problem with a pest? I bet it's in here. It's honestly one of the best books I'll ever own!

Tiny game hunting was the only book that covered getting rid of gophers extensively. All other books had one sentence. I tried the tips they suggested and it worked. I felt better reading this book and knowing I am not alone.

I learned a lot about taking care of my front yard and when various pests come onto the scene. This book was suggested to me by the clerk at the library who also had good results in getting rid of a pest.

The book also has some cute drawings of the various pests. This is the book for anyone who wants to follow the healthy and environmentally safe way to keep unwanted pests from their lawns and gardens.

This book was just what I was looking for to keep my medium-sized yard and tiny garden in shape without adding to the chemical burden of my home town. I got accurate, easy advice that turned out in most cases to be more effective and less work than spraying with a chemical cocktail. Now I'm purchasing a copy for my neighbor, in the hopes that he'll see the light.