One of the biggest reasons that I home seal is to pass along education information – Knowledge is Power. This site is full of great information and can be used for all types of circumstances.
The Spring 2014 PESPWire is here!
PESPWire is a quarterly electronic newsletter featuring news and information of interest to PestWise members, partners and pesticide community stakeholders. This PESPWire issue covers a variety of topics, from IPM for Pigeons to EPA Supports IPM in Arizona.
I would personally like to thank two of our clients – Precious Treasures Childcare and Liberty Wildlife for their contribution to this informative article concerning Integrated Pest Management or IPM. I would also like to thank the EPA for this article and their work with IPM.
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I want to thank the EPA, Arizona Pest Management Center, Maricopa Agricultural Center and Metro Tech High School for all the information and work they have done in Integrated Pest Management or IPM.
It just makes sense!
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I have been doing IPM since purchasing ProBest Pest Management in 2005 and this event sparked a thought concerning the old ways of pest control. How many remember when the Bug Guy aka Pest Management Professional sprayed inside baseboards, remember the buildup of wettable powder pesticide. I always thought this wasn’t good, pets and babies play on carpets and floors. The brochure of events brought this home with the following:
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a sensible, environmentally-friendly, and effective way to solve pest problems. Pests are managed by the most economical means and always with the least possible risk to people, property, and the environment.
Why IPM?
- Common sense – uses simple methods to keep the school clean and maintained to prevent pests. Understand the pests and make them unwelcome.
- More effective – uses multiple methods focusing on remedying the reasons why pests are there in the first place. Provides long-term solutions to many pest problems.
- Lowers risk – reduces potential exposure to pests and pesticides.
- Cost effective – pesticides are used only when needed. Many IPM tactics have long-term benefits.
I recently attended the EPA Big Check event at the Metro Tech High School in Phoenix to witness the grant of $250,000 to the University of Arizona. I recently home sealing “IPM – the way of the future, why don’t schools get this?“and again want to emphasize the benefits of IPM: This facility works this program to its fullest potential – Integrated pest management works inside & outside school buildings.
- IPM reduces pest problems – this was very evident at Metro Tech as they support this to the highest degree.
- IPM encourages the use of safer pesticides when needed.
- IPM enhances the campus landscape and reduces plant and tree losses.
- IPM creates a healthier campus for improved academic achievement & reduced absenteeism.
- IPM can reduce athletic field injuries & pest-related asthma symptoms.
- IPM is cost-effective.
This information was published as a program handout to the attendee’s and I thought would be valuable in spreading the news of IPM
Soapbox time again, I just don’t understand why schools are so reluctant to jump on this. I stopped spraying inside homes years ago, it just isn’t good on the occupants of the home unless there is a real good reason. I have preached about this over the years, but the EPA recently awarded more than $500,000 “to schools to help reduce children’s exposure to pesticides“. It is my opinion that every school should adopt this, period. It is in the best interest of every child and teacher, the use of IPM is simplistic in the game – just use other methods to control pest unless it is impossible and then use pesticides. Go here to read about ideas on IPM from the National Pest Management Association.
The three grants will be awarded to:
The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension to develop a central, internet-based hub for materials and phone apps that will give school districts the information and tools they need to adopt an IPM program.
The University of Arizona to develop and carry out a pilot training and certification program for school staff (custodians, kitchen staff, and school administrators) in eight states and four tribes, working with five other universities and stakeholders.
The Michigan State University to help 5 percent of Michigan and Indiana schools adopt IPM through hands-on education, training and coalition building, including web-based trainings and a website. About 135,000 children may be protected.
IPM or “Integrated Pest Management is a process involving common sense and sound solutions for treating and controlling pests. These solutions incorporate three basic steps: 1) inspection, 2) identification and 3) treatment. Treatment options vary from sealing cracks and removing food and water sources to pesticide treatments when necessary.”
Bed Bugs and you – TIPS
- Encasements keep the bed bugs trapped inside the mattress or box springs until they die if missed during the initial treatment.
- Prevent bed bugs from hiding inside beds, making an infestation harder to find and treat.
- Offers a first line of defense to stop bed bugs, even before they have been detected by you.
Encasements are a valuable tool to homeowners and people who either travel or have guest stopping by often. Encasements will also help to make that mattress or box spring last a little longer.
Photo by PPMA
Marijuana, what a story?
This story comes to you from India, where the police had a little issue with some stealing. The rats or so they say, absconded with the seized drugs. “Rodents ’empty’ cannibis stored in Bargi Police Station“, I guess not even the Judge was amused as he let the alleged suspects go free. You go to all that trouble to track down the smugglers and the rats eat the evidence.
marijuana
The picture above is from rats bringing cactus into a bait station, I didn’t have any pictures of marijuana – sorry. Rats and mice are able to enter buildings by any hole between a dime and quarter size, they will also eat almost anything. So as I always say, home seal and prevention = IPM Integrated Pest Management. Prevent them from getting in and no worries.
What can you do to prevent rodents?
Check your yard and home monthly for bugs and rodents. Keep food out of their reach, pick up fruit that has fallen to the ground. Keep your yard clean, trim bushes from next to your home. Don’t keep stuff in your yard, rats will next in anything that might be stored. If you store firewood keep it high, dry and away from the house. Keep water from collecting in the yard or any containers, they need water just like we do. If you have a shed, keep things rat-proof stored and on shelves and of course check things often.
If you see rat bait stations in your neighborhood, check things out. If there is one rat there are probably more. If your going to clean sheds wear a mask and follow the recommendations from the CDC. Don’t just sweep up dust without checking for droppings. If you notice something strange, investigate it or call in a Pest Management Professional such as ProBest Pest Management 602-249-7378.
Arizona Vegetable IPM Update “Aphid Identification, lettuce dieback, wheat herbicide sensitivity“. By John Palumbo, UA Research Scientist and Extension Specialist. (Western Farm Press) He’s got a point and in the business of bugs a very important point –
This is where the accuracy part comes in. Just because you can find a few winged aphids on produce crops does not mean these species are important to leafy vegetable and cole crops.
Most people call and say I got bugs, and when we ask questions they are hesitant to answer. There is a big difference between American Roaches and German Roaches and really, really important in the treating scheme of things. Yes you can kills bugs with any pesticide generally but you may not solve the problem or you may make it worse. I’ve seen floors covered with Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and still have bed bugs and I’ve seen people use can sprays to kill ants and still have ants. So here are my keys for pest control and they are fairly simple:
- Identify the bug
- Understand their biology
- Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Use the right pesticide if necessary
Global – Here is my idea of Green Pest Service
Global – Everything we do starts with Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- We do an inspection, we walk around the home with a webster broom and clean off window and doors of any spider webs. At this time we are doing a cursory exam of the home and property.
- We perform an outside service which may include a liquid treatment, granular bait – either a repellent or a bait depending on activity.
- We then use a bellows duster to dust block wall bump-outs and crack and crevices which haven’t been sealed. Usually this is a mixture of DE and some type of active formulation dust.
We will treat inside only if there are bug issues within the home and very limited in the scope. (Stored Pantry Pests)
***** Now some would argue that this isn’t a true GREEN service, but we have scorpions and it is almost impossible to kill them all. So the question is, what if I have never seen a scorpion. Can I get a Green service?
Yes there are many items on the list of Green, just remember that they won’t generally last as long as the other products. Now this isn’t to put blame anywhere but some products we use are micro-encapsulated and hold up better with the sunlight and HEAT in Arizona. So here is the BIGGEST question, does it cost more? Yes and no, yes if you want me to handle any callbacks and no if you don’t. The chemical won’t go the 30, 60 or 90 days that most people want it to last.
Oh by the way, some of these so called Green products – contain pesticides like permethrin. So, really check out what you want and if you have questions send me an email at [email protected] and maybe I can help you decide on what is right for you and your family. What is the number #! thing you can do = home sealing.