Integrated Pest Management at its Best

Luis Agurto Sr. Founder and CEO of _______ Integrated Pest Management Providers

What is Structural Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an approach to pest control that utilizes regular monitoring to determine if and when treatments are needed and employs physical, mechanical, cultural, biological and educational tactics to keep pest number low enough to prevent intolerable damage or annoyance. Least-toxic chemical controls are used as a last resort. (Olkowski, W. and S. Daar. 1991. Common Sense Pest Control, Taunton Press. 715 pp.)

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. — National Pest Management Association (NPMA)

Introduction

The Approach 1. Information gathering 2. Thresholds and injure levels defined 3. Inspection and Monitoring 4. Treatment choices 5.Evaluation

Information gathering

Who are the stakeholders in pest management onsite?

How is the culture and education on-site affecting pest activity and management

How does communication work onsite?

What type of pest are present. What is the pest control

history.

Culture and Education

Do the Stakeholders know about IPM? Are they motivated to accept or

demand it? Are there practices in the building

that help pest to prosper? What information can we provide to

help the process?

How the communication works on site Is there one IPM Coordinator Do information is collected in one

site and distributed in the building. We need to communicate with each

of the stakeholders.

Pest Present

What pest are present in the building or surround areas.

Possible pest that occurs in the area that can in the future affect the building.

Occasional invaders.

Stakeholders in a building

Owners. Tenants Managers Maintenance Janitorial Pest control professional

Pest Thresholds

Pest thresholds should be determined in consultation with key stakeholders.

Threshold is the point where treatment is initiated.

Pest thresholds are pest and location specific.

Some pests and locations require a zero tolerance threshold.

Aesthetic, Economic and Environmental damage

Determine unacceptable injury levels with key stakeholders

Depending on the location, acceptable injury levels may vary (e.g. construction sites, hospitals, community fields). Or by education

The Goal is to keep aesthetic, economic and environmental damage under the acceptable injury level with an effective pest management.

Threshold is lower of injure level.

Inspection

Once you have determined the priorities of a location’s stakeholders you can conduct an initial inspection.

The on-site inspection will provide you with an information about the site.

The knowledge gained from an initial inspection combined with the priorities of on-site stakeholders will determine the course a pest management service will take.

What to look for

Access

Water

Food

Shelter

Structural deficiencies

Each of these elements work in conjunction with the others to facilitate conditions conducive to pest life:

Temperature

Exterior inspection

Comprehensive Identify access points: structural damage, cracks,

crevices, overhanging foliage, unmanaged landscaping, etc. Access provides shelter and harborage within a structure.

Identify signs of pest activity Identify pest attractants: food, water, temperature. Identify structural deficiencies requiring correction.

Interior

Comprehensive Identify access points Identify structural damage, cracks, crevices, Identify poor sanitation conditions Identify signs of pest activity Identify pest attractants: food, water, temperature. Identify structural deficiencies requiring correction.

Inspection report Once an inspection is completed, a pest

management professional (PMP) can develop a detailed inspection report that outlines the observed conditions conducive to pest activity and each structural deficiency discovered.

Each data point should have a corresponding corrective action that the PMP supplies in the report as a recommendation.

Each inspection report should diagram these deficiencies and list the proposed corrective action.

Sample inspection diagram

#’s represent data points requiring corrective action

Inspection points

Standing water Cracks and

Crevices Overhanging

foliage Unmanaged

landscape Dirty drains

Food residue Gaps in plumbing Inaccessible areas Poor waste

management practices

and more…

Pest Management strategies

Sanitation Correcting Structural Deficiencies Inspecting And Monitoring Proper Storage Practices Education

Sanitation

Removal of Food residues Removal of Water Cleaning Filty Drains Cleaning Filty Garbage Cans

Defining Responsibilities for correcting structural deficiencies A policy must be put in place to define who is

responsible for implementing the corrective measures .

Clearly defined responsibilities streamline pest management on-site.

Integrating multiple disciplines for effective pest control is of the utmost importance to Integrated Pest Management.

Inspecting and Monitoring

To insure that corrective actions are being taken on-site the PMP must continually inspect and monitor noted deficiencies, date them, assign a priority rank and identified the responsible person or department to correct it.

This provides feedback for pest management stakeholders and a means of tracking necessary corrective actions to reduce conditions conducive to pest activity.

Monitoring consists of: Monitoring for pests Monitoring for conditions conducive to pest life Monitoring for structural deficiencies

Proper Storage Practices

Storage in proper containers Place boxes away from the walls Do not store on the floor Proper product labels Keep cardboard boxes away from

the kitchen

Education

Education is the most effective tool in the Pest Management Professional’s tool box. By keeping pest management stakeholders educated about IPM strategies and the condition of their buildings PMP’s can reduce pest activity.

IPM is about bringing disparate disciplines together to communicate how everyone can do their part to solve a problem that effects everyone.

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