Integrated Pest Management For Your Home

Definition of IPM:

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a decision-making process that anticipates and prevents pest activity and infestation by combining several strategies to achieve long-term solutions. Components of an IPM program may include education, proper waste management, structural repair, maintenance, biological and mechanical control techniques, and pesticide application.

QUESTIONS:

ANSWERS:

How does IPM differ from traditional pest control?

IPM employs and approach that requires more participation by the homeowner to achieve long-term pest control.

What does "integrated" mean?

The use of two or more pest management techniques (Inspection, Identification, Sanitation, Cultural, Mechanical, Biological and/or Pesticides) to achieve established pest management objectives.

What does an IPM service involve?

An IPM service requires time and effort to: inspect and monitor pest activity; employ procedures; make suggestions for eliminating points of entry and resting areas; and deter potential pest infestations and/or reduce existing ones.

What is your responsibility as a homeowner in an IPM program?

Your continuous involvement and participation are needed to implement your pest control technician's recommendations for an effective program

What is habitat modification?

Home have different microhabitats which provide food, water, and harborage for pests. Decreasing the availability of suitable habitats for pest and denying access into the home may control infestations.

Does IPM eliminate the use of pesticides?

An effective IPM program may include the use of pesticides. However, the amount needed will likely be reduced.

When pesticides are used, how are they applied?

The appropriate use and application of pesticides are spelled out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others, and will vary according to circumstances. Your pest control technician will tell you where and how pesticides will be applied in or near your home.

IPM Steps

Inspection
Identify Pests and Conducive Conditions
Prevention
Customer Consultation
Sanitation, Exclusion and, if necessary, Pesticide Application
Evaluation
Monitoring

IPM Benefits

Pest Prevention
Customer Awareness
Less Reliance on Pesticides
Improved Home Maintenance
Long-Term Solutions
Precise Pesticide Application
Effective and Environmentally Sensitive Protection

Pest/Sites of Pest Activity	Habitat Modification/ Sanitation
Carpenter Ants:Water damaged wood; fenceposts; decking; firewood; door and window voids; attics; utility piping; dead parts of trees and stumps; tree branches contacting roof.	Eliminate conditions that favor moisture accumulation; move and aerate firewood; remove stumps and overhanging branches contacting house as well as rotten railroad ties in landscape; remove dead trees.

Termites: Wood in direct contact with the soil; stored newspapers and cardboard boxes; wood (e.g., tree stumps) and construction debris buried in backfill; fenceposts; porches.	Break wood-to-soil contact; remove scrap wood and paper debris; improve drainage away from structure; inspect vapor barriers; improve ventilation in crawl spaces.

Cockroaches: Kitchens; grocery bags; unrefrigerated vegetables; toasters; radios and TVs; bathrooms; electrical and plumbing conduits; floor drains.	Clean up spilled foods and water; eliminate harborage and pathway areas by sealing or screening; repair water leaks; increase ventilation; inspect incoming foods and packaging.

Other Ants: Wall voids; gaps under doors and around utility piping; house plants; cracks in pavement; under landscape timbers, rocks and mulch.	Remove food sources; seal all cracks and crevices; locate and eliminate nests; correct drainage in house plants; seal cracks in pavement and concrete slab.

Fleas: Pets; wildlife; neighbor's pets; carpets; furniture; pet bedding; yard.	Vacuum carpeting and furniture; keep pets in your own yard; proper pet treatment; remove wild animals from structure.

Flying Insects: Garbage; faulty plumbing; eaves; attics; light fixtures; wall voids; puddles of water and other moist areas.	Install or repair screens; change lighting; improve drainage; remove garbage daily; keep trash cans clean and tightly covered; repair cracks around siding, windows and doors.

Pantry/Fabric Pests: Flour; potpourri; spices, cereals; rice; beans; dry pet food; stored clothing; woolen rugs.	Inspect foods and packaging prior to storage; store foods in glass/plastic containers; clean-up spilled foods; rotate dry goods; store only clean cloths.

Mice and Rats: Kitchen cabinets; stored food; storage areas; wall voids; inside appliances; closets; firewood; attics, garages; basements.	Install physical barriers; eliminate food and water; remove nesting sites; inspect incoming boxes.

Squirrels/Bats /Birds: Attics; garages; porches; eaves; exhaust vents; nearby trees; utility lines; chimneys.	Install chimney caps and screens on roof openings; remove tree branches in contact with home; repair holes in soffit and along roof.

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QUESTIONS:	ANSWERS:
How does IPM differ from traditional pest control?	IPM employs and approach that requires more participation by the homeowner to achieve long-term pest control.

What does "integrated" mean?	The use of two or more pest management techniques (Inspection, Identification, Sanitation, Cultural, Mechanical, Biological and/or Pesticides) to achieve established pest management objectives.

What does an IPM service involve?	An IPM service requires time and effort to: inspect and monitor pest activity; employ procedures; make suggestions for eliminating points of entry and resting areas; and deter potential pest infestations and/or reduce existing ones.

What is your responsibility as a homeowner in an IPM program?	Your continuous involvement and participation are needed to implement your pest control technician's recommendations for an effective program

What is habitat modification?	Home have different microhabitats which provide food, water, and harborage for pests. Decreasing the availability of suitable habitats for pest and denying access into the home may control infestations.

Does IPM eliminate the use of pesticides?	An effective IPM program may include the use of pesticides. However, the amount needed will likely be reduced.

When pesticides are used, how are they applied?	The appropriate use and application of pesticides are spelled out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others, and will vary according to circumstances. Your pest control technician will tell you where and how pesticides will be applied in or near your home.