The research in my community IPM work involves exploring alternatives to traditional pesticides, including the investigation of novel traps, repellents, and natural and low-risk pesticide products. I have tested biological control agents and botanical products against ticks and yellowjackets. Additionally, I spearheaded a national survey of the pest management industry about experiences with the resurgence of bed bugs in the United States. Most recently, I led a project conducting tick surveillance in Nassau County, NY. Ticks were collected and tested for disease organisms.
Outreach and Extension
Urban pests, including structure-infesting and public health pests, and the methods used to manage pests in communities can both present health risks to people, especially children. An integrated pest management approach can minimize both types of risks and can lead to satisfactory management of pests when used consistently.
The challenge in community IPM is to encourage practitioners and others to use an integrated approach to management to reduce the impact of pests and pesticides on human health and the environment. Many of my extension activities involve demonstrating that the IPM approach to pest problems works. A new focus in urban IPM is pest exclusion, a common sense approach that has been used long before pesticides. The focus on exclusion supports pesticide reduction and especially where food or children need to be protected. Excluding pests can reduce reliance on insecticides and rodenticides by preventing pest problems in the first place.
My most recent and significant extension project is leading the "Don't Get Ticked, NY" (DGTNY) campaign, which is a group effort among several IPM Specialists in our program. With two years of special legislative funding from New York State our team created a campaign that includes 13 infographic posters with short messages about tick checks and removal, treating pets, wearing repellents, monitoring for ticks, understanding habitat, and modifying landscapes. We also created a tick ID card in both English and Spanish. Additionally, we sourced and built thousands of tick removal kits for about $5 a piece, which have been distributed throughout New York State. I hired a graduate student to work with the team to create a "claymation" video of a tick life cycle, which is featured on our web page and on YouTube. In partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension organizations, I have expanded our outreach footprint throughout the state by funding local CCE offices to hold public forums and workshops using DGTNY materials. I created and implemented a tick survey for NY farmers to better understand their needs and concerns. The DGTNY web page also includes a Tick FAQ, tick blog posts, a fact sheet on ticks for schools and child care, and links to our YouTube channel and other tick resources.
I led a Northeastern IPM Center Working Group called the Scientific Coalition on Pest Exclusion that was, and still is, evaluating the use of exclusion and promoting its use within the pest management and building management industries. Although no longer funded, this stakeholder-driven group is focused on pest exclusion in residential settings. I also participated in a related Working Group focused on pest exclusion in commercial settings, such as food plants and restaurants. We developed protocols for evaluating structures (residential, commercial and institutional) for pest vulnerability, based on the numbers and types of openings and the visible pest pressure around and inside a building.
I continue to conduct outreach on bed bugs, both to pest management professionals and also to social and health care workers, who have clients with bed bugs. Matthew Frye, fellow IPM Specialist, and I developed a resource titled "How to Get Bed Bugs Out of Your Belongings" a guide that catalogs household items into an alphabetical list and explains detailed methods to eliminate bed bugs from these belongings and household items. This 70-page guide is available on our Cornell IPM bed bug web page.
These and other projects are highlighted in many presentations made to the pest management industry, advocates, school and county workers, and other audiences. Writing and social media are other outreach tools that I commonly use to reach a variety of audiences.
Our IPM website has greatly expanded with new visual and written information. We created an IPM Image Gallery on Flickr.com to use images of insects and other organisms and situations to draw in new audiences. Coupled with images are bits of IPM information and links to the Cornell IPM website and other scientific information. My program has had a strong and visible history of raising awareness about bed bugs, rodents, school IPM, yellowjackets, ticks and many other pests.
In addition to pest control in urban settings, I focus on pollinator protection through the adoption of IPM techniques. The Cornell IPM Program organized and hosted our first "Protecting Pollinators" conference in 2015 and conducted a pollinator census in native plant gardens in Bethpage State Park, a NY State park with five intensely managed golf courses nestled in the urban landscape of Long Island. The Bethpage data are still being evaluated but we are beginning to make recommendations to other state parks about which flowering plants to install in order to boost native bees. Our program has created a new Pollinator Information webpage and encouraging collaborators to seek funding through our Community IPM grants program to support pollinator-based projects.
Public health and structural pests and the methods used to manage pests in communities can both present health risks to people, especially children. An integrated pest management approach can minimize both types of risks and usually leads to satisfactory management of pests when used consistently. The challenge in community IPM is to encourage practitioners and others to use an integrated approach to management to reduce the impact of pests and pesticides on human health. Many of my extension activities involve demonstrating that the IPM approach to pest problems works. A new focus in urban IPM is pest exclusion, an idea that has been around for a long time. However the new focus on exclusion works well with pesticide reduction and especially in the arena where food or children need to be protected. Excluding pests reduced reliance on insecticides and rodenticides but preventing pest problems in the first place. I lead a working group titled the Scientific Coalition of Pest Exclusion that is evaluating the use of exclusion and promoting its use within the pest management and building management industries. My program also developed a statewide Child Care IPM program to engage the over 20,000 child care providers in pest management concerns in their businesses. My involvement with a bed bug task force helps raise awareness to a variety of audiences (not only pest managers) about preventing and treating bed bugs. These and other projects are highlighted in many presentations made to the pest management industry, advocates, school and county workers, and other audiences. Writing and social media are other outreach tools that I commonly use to reach a variety of audiences. Our IPM website has greatly expanded with new visual and written information. We created an IPM Image Gallery on Flickr.com to use images of insects and other organisms and situations to draw in a different audience. Coupled with images are bits of IPM information and links to the Cornell IPM website. I developed three online MOOC courses to train professionals in bed bug biology, inspection and management. My program has had a strong and visible history of raising awareness about bed bugs, rodents, school IPM and many other pests.
In addition to pest control in urban settings, I focus on pollinator protection through the adoption of IPM techniques. The Cornell IPM Program organized and hosted our first "Protecting Pollinators" conference in 2015 and conducted a pollinator census in native plant gardens in Bethpage State Park, a NY State park with five intensely managed golf courses nestled in the urban landscape of Long Island. Our program is developing a new Pollinator Information webpage and encouraging collaborators to seek funding through our Community IPM grants program to support pollinator-based projects.
Pests and the means used to manage pests can both present health risks to people, especially urban and public health pests. An integrated pest management approach can minimize both types of risks and usually leads to satisfactory management of pests when used consistently. The challenge in community IPM is to encourage practitioners and others to use an integrated approach to management to reduce the impact of pests and pesticides on human health. Many of my extension activities involve demonstrating that the IPM approach to pest problems works. For example, I demonstrated that a school can control cockroaches by eliminating storage of cardboard, changing some kitchen and organizational practices, and by using cockroach bait. In 2014 I responded to a child care center, where staff members were concerned about ticks on the property. I conducted an inspection of the property to ensure that the grounds were not infested with ticks. My program began developing a statewide Child Care IPM program to engage the over 20,000 child care providers in pest management concerns in their businesses. My involvement with a bed bug task force helps raise awareness to a variety of audiences (not only pest managers) about preventing and treating bed bugs. These and other projects are highlighted in many presentations made to the pest management industry, advocates, school and county workers, and other audiences. Writing and social media are other outreach tools that I commonly use to reach a variety of audiences. Our IPM website has greatly expanded with new visual and written information. We created an IPM Image Gallery on Flickr.com to use images of insects and other organisms and situations to draw in a different audience. Coupled with images are bits of IPM information and links to the Cornell IPM website. I developed three online MOOC courses to train professionals in bed bug biology, inspection and management. My program has had a strong and visible history of raising awareness about bed bugs, rodents, school IPM and many other pests.
Information about biology, ecology, and management exists for most urban pests. The challenge in community IPM is to encourage practitioners and others to use an integrated approach to management to reduce the impact of pests and pesticides on human health. Many of my extension activities involve demonstrating that the IPM approach to pest problems works. For example, I demonstrated that a school can control cockroaches by eliminating storage of cardboard, changing some kitchen and organizational practices, and by using cockroach bait. I was involved in a proactive inspection of a pre-school facility to make recommendations about how to avoid a bed bug infestation, and how to manage bed bugs if they are introduced. I received a grant to begin the work of developing a statewide Child Care IPM program to engage the over 20,000 child care providers in pest management concerns in their businesses. My involvement with a bed bug task force helps raise awareness to a variety of audiences (not only pest managers) about preventing and treating bed bugs. These and other projects are highlighted in many presentations made to the pest management industry, advocates, school and county workers, and other audiences. Writing is another outreach tool that I commonly use to reach a variety of audiences. Our IPM website has greatly expanded with new visual and written information. I have also developed three new online MOOC courses to train professionals in bed bug biology, inspection and management. My program has had a strong and visible history of raising awareness about bed bugs, rodents, school IPM and many other pests.
The challenge in the field of community IPM is encouraging pest management professionals, homeowners, and facilities managers to use an integrated approach to pest management and reduce their heavy reliance on pesticides. Many of my extension activities involve demonstrating that the IPM approach to pest problems works best. For example, I demonstrated that a school can control cockroaches by eliminating storage of cardboard, changing some kitchen and organizational practices, and by using cockroach bait. I was involved in a site inspection at a state park horse stable for rat problems. I outlined an IPM plan for managing the rats while minimizing the possibility that birds of prey would be injured. A book of guidelines for bed bug prevention and management were developed for managers of living facilities to outline the roles of others besides exterminators in adoption of IPM. I also collaborated to develop bed bug "traveler's cards", which are wallet-sized cards with enough information and photos to allow a layperson to identify bed bug problems wherever they may travel or stay. These and other projects are highlighted in many presentations made to the pest management industry, advocates, school and county workers, and medical and social services providers. Writing is another outreach tool that I commonly use to reach a variety of audiences.
