What is IPM?
Integrated pest management (IPM) combines science and common sense to reduce the environmental and economic impact of pests in agricultural settings, homes, schools, gardens and landscapes. Through a comprehensive approach, IPM provides strategies and solutions that minimize risk to humans, animals and the environment.
I
Integrated
IPM is integrated because it brings together, or integrates, a range of biological, organic, cultural, mechanical, and chemical options for pest problems.
P
Pest
Although IPM used to focus on insect pests, the range now includes fungi, bacteria, viruses, weeds, wildlife, and more.
M
Management
And it’s about management because you can only manage pests—you can’t eliminate them, no matter what people say.
IPM Process
Identify
Informed pest management decisions start with proper identification.
Our What’s Bugging You? section offers a detailed look at hundreds of common (and not so common) pests.
Monitor
Get to know the patterns of the pests in your space.
Effective monitoring helps to identify behaviors and populations and provides necessary insight into what tools will be most effective in managing pests.
Act
Know when to act—develop an action threshold at the first sign of pests to determine when pest control action should be taken.
Develop an action threshold at the first sign of pests to determine when pest control action should be taken.
Explore
Prevention is the first step to reducing the presence of pests, but once pests become an economic or health risk, consider and research all possible pest management strategies before taking action.
Prevention is the first step to reducing the presence of pests, but once pests become an economic or health risk, consider and research all possible pest management strategies before taking action.
Evaluate
How effective was your control method? Take the time to consider how the IPM tools you used worked or how they could be improved for next time.
How effective was your control method? Take the time to consider how the IPM tools you used worked or how they could be improved for next time.