Using Integrated Pest Management in the Landscape

Using Integrated Pest Management in the Landscape

Urban Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally sensitive approach to controlling pests that does not rely totally on pesticides. IPM depends on frequent monitoring of plants or structures and the accurate diagnosis of the pests so that control strategies are used only when and where needed. A variety of control methods--cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical--may be employed. IPM takes a look at the entire system and thus monitors the entire system, not singling out only one pest problem.
In some instances IPM may not go far enough, because a fundamental reason for pest problems is unhealthy plants or if in structures, poor sanitation methods. Plant health care and structural sanitation are very important in preventing pest problems. Thus to implement urban IPM you must have an understanding of the vulnerabilities of your structures (food areas, pet sleeping areas) or plants (varieties, common pests).
Practicing IPM may require thinking a little differently. You need to question yourself: do I need a weed-free lawn, are their less pest-prone varieties, can I accept some blemished produce, what are the structural pests feeding on, or where are they nesting? In other words, you need clear understanding of two basic principles, pest or host plant biology and your tolerance of the pest infestations.
Monitoring and correct pest identification is crucial to IPM. You need to know what common pests to look for so you can learn about their biology. Once you know a little about the potential pests, you will know WHEN to look for which pests stages. IPM requires a lot of home work to understand pests. Monitoring may include visual observations or traps, such as pitfall traps, pheromone traps, colored traps, or sticky traps.
Once a pest appears in numbers causing damage above a level you can tolerate, you need to have a management plan in mind. Again this means homework to evaluate the costs (economic and environmental) and effectiveness of different control strategies.
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		Urban Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally sensitive approach to controlling pests that does not rely totally on pesticides. IPM depends on frequent monitoring of plants or structures and the accurate diagnosis of the pests so that control strategies are used only when and where needed. A variety of control methods--cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical--may be employed. IPM takes a look at the entire system and thus monitors the entire system, not singling out only one pest problem. In some instances IPM may not go far enough, because a fundamental reason for pest problems is unhealthy plants or if in structures, poor sanitation methods. Plant health care and structural sanitation are very important in preventing pest problems. Thus to implement urban IPM you must have an understanding of the vulnerabilities of your structures (food areas, pet sleeping areas) or plants (varieties, common pests). Practicing IPM may require thinking a little differently. You need to question yourself: do I need a weed-free lawn, are their less pest-prone varieties, can I accept some blemished produce, what are the structural pests feeding on, or where are they nesting? In other words, you need clear understanding of two basic principles, pest or host plant biology and your tolerance of the pest infestations. Monitoring and correct pest identification is crucial to IPM. You need to know what common pests to look for so you can learn about their biology. Once you know a little about the potential pests, you will know WHEN to look for which pests stages. IPM requires a lot of home work to understand pests. Monitoring may include visual observations or traps, such as pitfall traps, pheromone traps, colored traps, or sticky traps. Once a pest appears in numbers causing damage above a level you can tolerate, you need to have a management plan in mind. Again this means homework to evaluate the costs (economic and environmental) and effectiveness of different control strategies. Next Page \| Page 1 2 3