Radcliffe’s IPM World Textbook
lists the definition of Integrated Pest Management as follows;
“Integrated pest management can be defined as the practice of preventing or suppressing damaging populations of
insect pests by application of the comprehensive and coordinated integration of multiple control tactics.”
Our previous articles have discussed the first two steps in IPM. Feel free to visit these links (article 1, 2,3) to get up to speed.
Now is where the fun part comes in. As a DIY pest controller interested in enacting integrated pest management techniques, we are now at the step where we have assessed our environment and reached our limit and control technique selection is in order. Step three of IPM dictates that we chose our pest control techniques while adhering to the guidelines listed below.
a. least hazardous to the applicator (that’s YOU)
b. least hazardous to the public and the environment
c. cost-effectiveness in the short and long-term
d. least hazardous to non-target organisms
Your specific pest control issue will dictate the specific measure that will need to be taken. There will be a need for further research into the least hazardous method that will result in the best long term solution for your pest control issue. We will review websites and sample IPM protocols for example pests.
If you are reading this blog, then you most certainly have internet access and an instant key into the world of DIY pest control
management. Let’s review how IPM would be utilized in the case of a home flea infestation.
First, we need to be certain that we are familiar with flea biology and life cycles so that we know the “what” and “how” to stop fleas. If we conduct a Google search for “flea biology”, we should be able to locate scholarly or university articles that clearly
outline what we need to know about fleas biology and eradication.
For instance, http://www.oakgov.com/msu/assets/docs/publications/oc0143_flea_bio_control.pdf is a university pdf publication that is identified in a search for flea biology. It is informative, easy to read, and arms you with what you need to know in your battle against fleas.
After gaining our general knowledge, we could do a search for “green flea control products for your home”.
More than likely, a number of pest control sites will come to the forefront of your search. Choose a site that offers more than pest control products, but also outlines the information and the science behind the products. A good informational pest control site will fully explain the interactions between the chemicals and products on the flea biology, long term and short
term. You can highlight the list of products that seem appropriate for your situation, and contrast and compare for the requisite qualities listed above. Do not trust a site that is trying to hard sell products without fully explaining their effect or toxicity. You can use EPA.gov to cross reference the information given on pest control sites. You can simply type in the pest and product into the search bar for an EPA report on effectiveness and toxicity.
Utilizing this easy to obtain information will help you to get rid of your pest problems while keeping the key factors of IPM in tact.