The Benefits of Integrated Pest Management:

What is Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a way to control house, building and lawn pests using an effective and environmentally sensitive approach. Instead of relying on insecticides to kill off all insects, IPM takes into account the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. By using this information along with a well-designed pest management approach, we are able to minimize the occurrence of pests and the damage they cause using economical practices with the least possible risk to people, property, and the environment.

IPM makes use of all appropriate pest management options including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides.

How does an IPM program work?

Any piece of land will have insects: some beneficial, some harmful. IPM manages a property’s insect population using an pre-designed sequence of pest management evaluations, decisions and controls. Our pest management experts follow a four-level plan for controlling insects:

Set Action Thresholds

Some pests, especially poisonous ones around children, deserve a zero-tolerance approach. Other pests, when sighted singly, may not require immediate use of insecticides. By understanding customer needs and identifying the level at which pests become a nuisance, our pest control experts are armed with the information needed to know when to take action and when to continue monitoring

Identify, Understand and Monitor Pests

Not all insects require control (did you know that dragonflies eat mosquitoes and some beetles eat harmful caterpillars?). IPM programs work to manage harmful insect populations through proper identification and population assessment along with researched knowledge of the insects. This method ensures that, if required, any pesticide application is applied effectively and judiciously.

Prevention

A secure space is the first line of defense from pest infestations. IPM practices work to ensure that a property is not an inviting place for pests to make a home and raise young pests. Prevention methods include exclusion: sealing places pests may enter and take up residence, and deterrence: making available places unfit for pests. Our experts know the best practices to make sure your property is not inviting to pests.

Control

Once a pest threshold has been met (more pests than are wanted on a property), our experts take proper action to eliminate the problem. Even above threshold, there are options that can be taken to remove the threat without wide use of chemicals. Options include highly targeted chemical applications, trapping and disruption with mechanical removal. If pests are still present, additional applications of chemicals or further invasive action can be taken. The goal: pest removal using the most economical means with least risk to people and property.

Blizzard Pest Management is happy to answer any additional questions regarding Integrated Pest Management. Feel free to contact us for additional information.