Integrated Pest Management and Chemical Use Reduction for Home, Garden and Schools

Transcription

1 Integrated Pest Management and Chemical Use Reduction for Home, Garden and Schools

2 A. What is IPM IPM is a combination of common sense and scientific principles. It's a way of thinking about pest management that values: Using knowledge about the pest's habits, life cycle, needs, and dislikes Using the least toxic methods first, up to and including pesticides Monitoring the pest's activity and adjusting methods over time Tolerating harmless pests Setting a threshold to decide when it's time to act

3 What is a pest? Pests are living organisms that occur where they are not wanted or that cause damage to crops or humans or other animals. Examples include: insects, mice and other animals, unwanted plants (weeds), Fungi, microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, and prions (e.g. mad cow disease).

4 Rodents and Pests Mole-crickets Ticks Cockroaches Carpenter Ants Termites Spiders Mice and Rats Fleas and more What you can see

5 Pest and Health Problems In certain areas of the U.S., mosquitos can transmit diseases like equine and St. Louis encephalitis. Biting flies can inflict a painful bite that can persist for days, swell, and become infected. Ticks can transmit serious diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Biting Anthropods, irritating skin area

6 Causes and Triggers for Asthma Development of asthma House dust mites Second (third)-hand tobacco smoke Cockroaches Respiratory Syncytial Virus Asthma attacks House dust mites Second(third)-hand tobacco smoke Cockroaches Pets (cats and dogs) Air pollution Fungi and molds Rhinovirus Formaldehyde Fragrances Domestic birds RSV and pneumonia bacteria Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures, Institute of Medicine of National Academy of Sciences, 2000, ISBN: X; Available online:

7 Pesticides and Health Problems Depending on the following Long period of time Dosage Pesticide Toxicity Health Effects Birth defects Cancer Nerve damage Other effects Acute effects-poisoning-irritation Unique health risks to children Still developing Intake higher Certain behaviors healtheffects

8 Why IPM then? A natural (IPM) Integrated Pest Management approach to determine the most effective, safest, and most natural combination of products, methods and application techniques to manage your individual pest problem

9 IPM Steps

10 Identifying the Pest Do you see/feel the problem Ants, roaches, spiders Bites Building damage Correctly identify the pest (save a sample to show an extension agent or other reliable expert in entomology) Keep records including dates when and locations where pests are found Monitor and Identify

11 Preventing Pests Pests seek places to live that satisfy basic needs for air, moisture, food, and shelter Indoor Prevention Outdoor Prevention Sanitation and Exclusion

12 Indoor (basic) Remove water AND food Remove or block off indoor pest hiding places Block pest entryways Keeping a healthy/clean home Humidity control Cleaning regularly Sanitation and Exclusion

13 Hiding and breeding places Stacks of newspapers, magazines, or cardboard Uncovered trash cans Check bathroom and kids rooms Soda and beer cans Packages you take home Water accumulation Leaky faucets or plumbing Refrigerator House plants Sanitation and Exclusion

14 Blocking pest entryway Caulk cracks and crevices around cabinets or baseboards. Use steel wool to fill spaces around pipes. Cover any holes with wire mesh. Kitchen food cabinets-seal. Sanitation and Exclusion

15 Having pets-pest control Keep pets clean Proper application of tick control Avoid pets in the bed Regular pick up of poop outside/inside Store way pet foods Sanitation and Exclusion

16 Outdoor Remove or destroy outdoor pest hiding places Remove breeding sites Take proper care of all outdoor plants Move garbage 10 feet from home Remove shrubbery close to house/doors Remove standing water Remove untreated wood Talk to your neighbor/landlord Sanitation and Exclusion

17 Gardening Select healthy seeds and seedlings that are known to resist diseases and suited for the climate where you live. Alternate rows of different crops. Don t plant the same crop at the same spot every year. Make sure your garden plot has good drainage. Sanitation and Exclusion

18 Lawn Care Develop healthy soil that has the right ph balance, key nutrients, and good texture Chose a type of grass that grows well in your climate Mow high, mow often, and make sure the lawn mower blades are sharp Water deeply but not too often Do not over-apply fertilizers Correct thatch buildup Replacing part of lawn with native perennials Sanitation and Exclusion

19 Other tips for the lawn Weeding Fishtail weeder or weed hound Service provider that uses less toxic materials Can use a soil kit to test if lawn needs certain nutrient

20 Ways to Control Pests 1. Biological Control 2. Chemical Control 3. Pest Control Devices (e.g., mouse traps) Biological Versus Chemical Control

21 Chemical Control Choosing the right pesticide product Reading the product label Determining the right amount to purchase and use Using the product safely and correctly Storing and disposing of pesticides properly Treatment Strategy

22 Safe Baits and Gels Gels on the outside entry points Bates where small children and pets cannot reach them Treatment Strategy

23 Choosing a Pest Control Company Is the company licensed? Is willing and able to discuss treatment proposed for your home? Have a good track record? Have appropriate insurance and show proof? Guarantee its work? Is affiliated with a professional pest control association? Treatment Strategy

24 3. Pest Control Devices works by physical means (such as electricity, light or mechanics) does not contain a substance or mixture of substances to perform its intended pesticidal purpose Ultraviolet light Regulated products Sound blasters Insect Traps Ground Vibrators and Air Treatments Units

25 Non-Regulated Pest Control Device Mouse trap Mouse trap Traps, automatic shut off, battery run Fly swatter

26 Specific on certain pests Cockroach-Identifying-preventing House Bed Bugs-identifying House Dust Mites-identifying and preventing Ant Control Mice Control

27 Cockroaches Identifying them sighting of live roaches, fecal droppings, full or empty egg cases (oothecae), cast skins from nymphs, stains and strong musty odors. Active Monitoring Sticky pads, along baseboards and in cupboards Kitchen, bathrooms Monitor and Identify

28 Preventing Cockroaches Clean up crumbs, spills, and pet food to prevent pests. Store food in tightly sealed glass or plastic containers. Place tight-fitting lids on trash cans. Do not leave dishes in the sink overnight. Do not allow cardboard boxes to accumulate. Sanitation and Exclusion

29 Identifying House Bed-Bugs Bed bug bites can be misidentified (-can be rash) Better to look for physical signs of bed bugs Spots on bedding (dark spots) Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1mm) and white Skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger Live bed bugs When not feeding, bed bugs hide in a variety of places near the piping, seams and tags of the mattress and box spring in cracks on the bed frame and head board Treating Clean and wash again and again Disinfect Talk to professional Pesticides to seams of mattress Monitor and Identify

30 House Dust Mites Microscopic-8 legged creatures 1964 was the discovery that dust mite in house dust was responsible for allergy triggers Humid homes have more dust mites and more allergens Fecal pellets accumulate in home fabrics, carpets Mites like temperatures of 75 degrees F to 80 degrees K Mites like 70% to 80% humidity Feed on human skin scales, pollen, fungi, bacteria, and animal dander. Dust mites do not drink free water, but absorb water from the air and the environment. Sanitation and Exclusion

31 Preventing Dust Mites Careful about humidity levels in home Careful about eating in beds and fabric furniture Encase pillows and beds and wash regularly in hot water Careful about other pets in beds Remove wall to wall carpeting if allergic Clean when the sensitive person is not around Test for dust mites if you suspect a problem or get allergy tested Indicator Reagents can be used to detect presence People can be tested through allergist Sanitation and Exclusion

32 Ant Control -Homeowners What about Them: Ants-Social Creatures Many species odorous house ants to carpenter ants Large amount of ants in home-means a nest Looking for food and water What to Do: Typical treatment-spray the ones you see Better-Use Baits-Feed the Queen and Swarmers Look for Trail into Home Caulk Liquid treat or spray specific areas outside Treatment Strategy

33 Rats and Mice Typically 3 kinds norway rat, roof rat, house mouse Monitor droppings Prevention seal gaps-cuts shrubs woodpiles off ground-eliminate water source Getting rid of them live rodent trap (drown or freeze) spring loaded-expanded trigger chemical control-poisoned baits

34 Reference and Resources Citizen s Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety, PDF (4.2 mb) (EPA 735-K , 3/05) Consumer Products Treated With Pesticides (EPA 735-F , 8/03) National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) (Arkansas Ag Extension: Outdoors) 20care%20policy.htm Kenneth R. McPherson, MPH, BCE Environmental Protection Specialist US EPA Region Ross Avenue (6PD-P) Dallas, TX Tel McPherson.Kenneth@epa.gov