A school is a difficult place to practice pest management. The design and use of school buildings and landscapes may encourage pest problems. Schools also operate on tight budgets and have to craft policies which incorporate a diversity of people and opinions.

 

Children are more sensitive to pesticide exposure than adults because they are smaller, have less-developed immune systems and are greater risk for exposure to pesticides from crawling, exploring, or other hand-to-mouth activities. Since children spend so much of their day at school, IPM provides a way to create a safer learning environment that reduces pests and children's exposure to pesticides. Only by looking beyond pest extermination and routine pesticide applications can pesticide exposure to users of schools be reduced.

 

Benefits

1. IPM provides long term results

2. IPM is environmentally friendly

3. IPM strives to eliminate unnecessary chemical use and its liability

4. Reduces risk of pesticide resistance

5. IPM is proactive, not reactive

6. Detects a potential pest problem before it's a major problem

7. Provides a written record of pest activities and control actions

8. Promotes a better school/community relationship

9. Site-specific

 

Barriers

1. IPM May be more expensive to implement - especially when first starting

2. Requires cooperation: everyone, even students need to take an active role

3. Requires more skill and knowledge than traditional pest control

4. Additional paperwork and communication

5. May require on-going training

6. Requires persistent attention

 

Four points of IPM

 

1. Identification and Monitoring

IPM is based on proper identification and consistent monitoring for pests to determine the location and degree of the infestation.

 

Successful IPM starts with proper identification of the pest. It is critical to gathering information about the pest's life cycle and habits so that the most effective combination of pest management strategies can be selected.

 

Monitoring can tell you the location of problems and the effectiveness of the management program. Monitoring includes traps, visual inspections, and interviews with staff members, and can be incorporated into other activities such as cleaning. Map out and prioritize problem areas. Take thorough notes to help you determine what to do now and in the future.

 

2. Set Action Levels

School officials must set action thresholds to determine if and when action should be taken against a certain pest. The action level is the number of pests that can be tolerated before treatment is necessary. While health concerns are always most important for determining the action threshold, economic and aesthetic factors cannot be ignored.

 

An example of an action threshold for mice might be one mouse. Why? Because mice can pose a significant health threat. In other words, one mouse is too many.

 

3. Apply IPM Strategies

IPM is designed to integrate several strategies to combat a particular pest. Criteria for selecting a treatment strategy are:

1. Least hazardous to human health

2. Most likely to be permanent

3. Easiest to carry out safely and effectively

4. Most cost-effective

5. Most site-appropriate

Four common control strategies that remove a pest's food, water, and shelter, and limit its access into and throughout buildings and on school grounds are:

 

1. Cultural control: a preventative measure using fertilization, plant selection, and sanitation to exclude problem pests and weeds.

2. Physical control, or pest exclusion is another preventative strategy. It includes creating barriers; modifying conditions such as temperature, light and humidity; trapping; and manually weeding.

3. Biological control makes use of a pest's natural enemies. This strategy introduces beneficial insects or bacteria to the environment or, if they already exist, provides them with the necessary food and shelter and avoids using broad-spectrum chemicals that will inadvertently kill them.

4. Chemical control is used after all other control strategies are deemed inappropriate or ineffective. Target-specific, low-toxicity pesticides should be applied in a manner that will maximize the effectiveness of pest management and minimize the exposure to humans and other non-target species. Spot treat if possible to reduce exposure.

 

4. Evaluate Effectiveness

Program evaluation involves reviewing monitoring data, actions taken, treatment impacts, and effectiveness, and any other relevant observations. These reports will provide information on previous and current pest populations and which strategies were applied.

 

Comparing data will clearly indicate which pest management strategies were most effective for the amount of time and money spent. IPM practices and procedures can be modified, if necessary, based on past experience, results, and gained knowledge. Ask yourself questions about the program:

1. Was the treatment(s) effective?
2. What were the effects on non-target species?
3. What worked and what did not?
4. What can I do differently next time?
5. Should I consult an outside source of expertise for further IPM recommendations?
6. Is the program compatible with current public expectations?

Remember, be flexible! A good IPM program is adaptable and allows continuous fine-tuning. Keeping other school personnel informed and involved will help make them aware of the school's IPM program and it's advantages.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• As a parent, how do I get IPM implemented in my child's school?

• As a school administrator, how do I get IPM implemented in my school?

• As a faculty/staff member, how do I get IPM implemented in my school?

• As a pest manager how do I get IPM implemented in the schools?