You may have heard the term IPM thrown around in regards to pesticides or crop management. But the big question is…..

What is integrated pest management or IPM, and why is it used?

Integrated pest management is seen as an environmentally sensitive way of managing pests.

IPM operates under the views that pesticides should only ever be used when absolutely necessary, and careful control method options have been considered.  Control methods along with specific practices are the core of integrated pest management. These practices include;

  • forward planning
  • regular monitoring
  • timely decsion-making

These along with certain control methods allow IPM to successfully deliver pest control at minimum impact to the environment and the people within it. Some of the control methods used include,

  • biological control
  • control and physical control
  • chemical control
  • plant choice
  • genetic control
  • pheromone control

IPM was typically used in an agricultural setting. But its techniques have been adopted by some forward thinking pest control businesses.

Now that we have spoken a little about what is integrated pest management, we can follow with a little about how it is implemented.  The USEPA developed a four-tiered approach to practicing IPM.

  1. Set action thresholds. This basically means to assess the situation before you go ahead and spray. Just because you see one pest, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is an infestation.
  2. Monitor and identify pests. Not all insects or small creatures are pests nor are they considered a danger to your health or home. Some can even be beneficial.
  3. Prevent pests from becoming a threat. This basically means taking measures to ensure you are not openly inviting pest into your home. This can be the simplest of things, such as keeping a clean home, free from welcoming food sources.
  4. Control. If you have followed the previous 3 steps and still find yourself with a pest problem, then it is time to find the most effective control method with the least effect on the surrounding environments.

We at Progressive Pest Management are strong advocates of the IPM method and offer environmentally and socially responsible pest control, and often have curious customers ask us ‘what is integrated pest management’, to which we will happily inform them on the subject.

If you too have been asking yourself, ‘what is integrated pest management?’ be sure to give David a call to find out more about this beneficial method of pest control.