I’ve seen these before but never had one for the office.
Go ahead Push for Complaint! Go ahead I dare ya… Thanks to Janet H. for the device.
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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.
How to do IPM?
- Identify pests: not all creatures are pests. Proper identification helps you decide what to do about them.
- Keep records: records give information about past pest problems, so you know when and where to look for them and what to do.
- Keep pest away: maintain cleanness and deny food, water and shelter.
- Non-chemical methods: managed pests by setting barriers, trapping, physical removal (by hand, vacuuming) or changing physical conditions (e.g. moisture, aeration) to make an area unfavorable for pests.
- Use pesticides as the last resort: use least hazardous pesticides or application methods (self-contained baits, gels used as crack-and-crevice treatments, and exempt from U.S. EPA registration-25B). Use only if pests continue to be present and other methods are insufficient to manage the infestation. Regularly scheduled pesticide sprays are usually not necessary.
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
How often do you think a new bug makes it to our shores? Have you ever thought how did that bug make it into the USA? Sometimes we make it easy for the bug to travel, like when you move from one state on the east coast to the west and you bring boxes which were in storage. We brought Mongoose to Hawaii for the rats and that didn’t work, nobody thought about the rat being nocturnal and the Mongoose is out during the day. Asian Tiger Mosquitoes (carries viruses like Dengue & West Nile) were accidentally introduced in tires brought in from China in 1985, the Black rat probably hitched a ride on early European ships, Asian Longhorned Beetle native to Asia and the Cotton Whitefly came from India.
Photo provided by PPMA
Thanks to all our Border Agents tasked with checking and rechecking all those shipments.
ProBest Pest Management offers one tested and proven method to remove gophers from your yard with our baiting option. Our service generally consists of 2 to 3 visits based on the size of your yard and number of mound activity.
Pocket Gophers are best known for their ability to destroy our lawns and gardens. A gophers diet consists of mainly underground roots. Pocket Gopher control isn’t easy but we have spent years deciding on the best and most advantageous treatments and have decided on our use of the Elston treatment device.We have perfected the gopher eradication method. We have found that a targeted attack with baits is the most effective way of eliminating gophers on your property.
Our initial baiting gopher control service will generally consist of 2 visits approximately 1-2 weeks apart with free follow-ups for an additional 30 days if needed. We use a grain bait called Kaput-d. Our preferred bait of choice is a grain injected directly into the tunnel system of the gopher. After years of testing we have determined that this grain bait works the best, assuring we have the most effective materials available. We don’t use the cheap stuff, we use a tried and true procedure with an excellent grain bait! The key to effective gopher control is in the experience, anyone can inject bait into a hole but we know what we are doing and have years of proven control. Our technicians are experienced and know gopher patterns, tendencies, preferences and more!
Ask Dr. Bug……………
Last week someone mentioned they had flying bugs in their home, they brought in some samples and they turned out to be Whiteflies. I immediately put on my detective hat and began to ask questions. Had they brought in any plants recently and bingo that was the answer I thought I would hear? A lot of times if we just think about what conditions may have changed and we may get to the right answer.
Whiteflies usually occur in groups on the undersides of leaves. All stages suck plant juice and can damage the plant if numbers are high enough. A few years ago someone had a similar occurrence and they had a potted plant at their front door. Every time they opened the door the whiteflies got sucked right into the home.
Got a question or need some help to identify something, send it to [email protected] and I’ll help to identify and give you some options on control.
I love visiting our Nation’s Capital and all the monuments and history, so here are a few of the pictures that I took in my week attending Legislative Days by the way it was COLD, really COLD.
The Marine Corps War Memorial
Korean War Veterans Memorial
What is an Occasional invader?
Occasional invaders are critters that enter structures because outside conditions become hostile to their survival maybe because its too wet or dry.
- Earwigs
- Boxelder bugs
- Crickets
- Millipedes
- Mites
- Pillbugs/Sowbugs
- Springtails
- Caterpillars
- numerous others