New November 2000
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Integrated pest management (IPM) has a variety of meanings in the urban environment. It can be thought of as a systematic approach to solving pest problems by applying our knowledge about pests to prevent them from reaching unacceptable levels. IPM includes cultural, biological, genetic, regulatory, physical and chemical tactics to reduce pest problems.
Missouri's environment is conducive for the development of both indoor and outdoor pests. In the past, reliance on pesticides for pest management resulted in pesticide resistance, greater potential for human and pet exposure, environmental contamination, potential harm to nontarget organisms, and pesticide waste. IPM stresses routine inspection and monitoring, reserving treatment with pesticides for when pests are present. IPM does not include routine applications based on calendar date whether pests are present or not. When pesticides are necessary, IPM seeks to use natural or biological substances or those that are the least toxic and most environmentally friendly.
In the urban environment, social and environmental considerations are at the forefront. The use of pesticides in sensitive areas, such as hospitals and food service establishments and around children and infants, can create real or perceived risks. As in other states, Missouri's citizens are concerned about pesticide and nutrient pollution of surface water and groundwater sources and effects on human health, nontarget organisms and food safety.
Beginning in 1972, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made funding available to the states to develop an IMP network through the extension system. The University of Missouri's IPM program has been in place since the mid-1970s. Although IPM programs originally focused mainly on insects and their control, today's programs consider all categories of pests.
At the national level, four objectives characterize the IPM program:
The University of Missouri's IPM program has specific objectives related to urban interests:
Ultimately, meeting these objectives will be instrumental in minimizing negative effects on the environment.
Putting a successful IPM program into action in the urban setting involves the following steps:
As a pest management provider, you should establish a clearly written policy regarding your pest management practices. You need to inform your clientele of what IPM is and how it differs from non-IPM, calendar-based pesticide applications. This is an opportunity to educate your clientele about the benefits that IPM can deliver. At this time, discuss how your pesticides will be selected, applied and stored. Inform the client of prior notification in scheduling pesticide applications in the event that special precautions may be necessary. Communicate clearly who will be involved and what the expectations are. For an IPM program in a building of offices or apartments, the occupants of the building play a major role in the program because sanitation measures are a priority.
Proper identification of the pest is important for several reasons. It may not be an economically detrimental pest after all, and no control measures will be necessary. Not all insects are pests; some are natural predators or parasites that actually help to control pest species. The proper selection of a pesticide is dependent upon the correct identification of the pest and in some cases its life stage.
Rather than calendar-based treatments, IPM stresses scouting practices to detect pests and determine if action is necessary. Time constraints and the lack of trained, competent personnel challenge structural pest control managers for implementing a sound scouting program. If damage can be detected before a serious pest population becomes established, then several problems can be prevented. Environmentally friendly management measures, such as vacuuming with equipment specifically designed for pest removal or trapping, may be employed. Before pesticides are applied, consider applying lower than maximum registered rates and spot treatments where possible.
Several practical considerations can save time in a scouting program. Keep in mind that the initial inspection will take much more time to complete than subsequent surveys. Knowing a pest's habitat can save time in the monitoring program. For example, moist areas, such as underneath sinks, tend to attract some insect pests. Such areas can be watched more frequently and closely. The anticipated time of pest development can alert a pest manager to the most opportune times for scouting. Some insect pests are present only during specific times of the year. With a little experience, pest managers can predict when the pest will appear and damage will occur. Keeping records that contain monitoring counts, sanitation practices, pesticide use and other relevant information can be helpful in the long-range IPM program.
In the original IPM models that were developed in agricultural environments, management measures were based on economic thresholds. To justify treatment, pest populations or pest damage had to exceed this threshold. In the urban landscape arena, there may be two different types of thresholds to take into consideration when making pest management decisions. The injury threshold refers to the level of damage a plant can tolerate; the amount of damage that a manager can tolerate is referred to as the aesthetic threshold. Injury thresholds tend to be more precise because the level of damage associated with a specific pest density is known. For example, summer infestations of aphids do not always cause damage to roses. If spring aphid infestations are controlled, then summer infestations are usually not severe. Because aesthetic value is often of primary concern in landscape settings, individual tolerance levels are variable. Landscape managers may be willing to tolerate different levels of pests in different situations and make site-specific management decisions. A pest acceptance level can be extremely low in high-visibility or high-use sites. For example, managers of interior landscapes within a shopping mall will desire blemish-free plants.
If there are health and safety threats or legal concerns associated with a certain pest, then thresholds are more clearly defined. One mouse in a school cafeteria kitchen may be sufficient to initiate control measures. In some instances, pest acceptance levels may be greater because of social or cultural factors or because of concerns about the costs or hazards of pest management methods used.
A variety of integrated pest management tactics are available for use in urban arenas:
The success of an integrated pest management program depends on evaluation of its results. What worked well, which aspects need improvement, and which should be eliminated? What are the benefits of the program in financial return and in environmental or social value?
The gypsy moth is an exotic and destructive pest that threatens the health of Missouri's forests and urban landscapes. Each gypsy moth caterpillar can consume up to 11 square feet of hardwood foliage from May until June. When abundant, caterpillars can completely defoliate trees. They are also a public nuisance in recreational and residential areas because of the rain of their excrement from treetops. The gypsy moth is spreading slowly toward Missouri by wind and when people unknowingly carry moths on vehicles, nursery stock or other outdoor items. Although there are no infestations currently in Missouri, an annual multiagency effort to detect introductions from other infested regions is conducted by using pheromone lure in sticky traps. If actively reproducing gypsy moth populations are detected, programs using IPM techniques will be employed to stop their spread. The cooperating agencies for the Missouri Gypsy Moth Survey are the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Conservation, the Plant Protection and Quarantine wing of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the University of Missouri IPM Program.
IPM1004, new November 2000