Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a long-term management strategy that uses a combination of techniques to reduce dangerous pests to tolerable levels with potentially lower costs for the individual and minimal effect on the environment. The principles of integrated pest management includes:
(a) Identify pests, their hosts and beneficial organisms before taking action.
(b) Establish monitoring guidelines for each pest species.
(c) Establish an action threshold for the pest.
(d) Evaluate and implement control tactics.
(e) Monitor, evaluate and document the results.
IPM can be applied when managing all kinds of pests, including insects, weeds, diseases and vertebrate pests, such as rats/mice ,snakes, squirrels and birds. It integrates prevention, cultural practices, mechanical and/or physical pest controls, biological pest controls to prevent and suppress pests. However, Chemical pest control should be a last resort measure as IPM deemphasizes chemical application unless its a last resort as mentioned earlier. This is because the goal of IPM is to reduce the adverse impacts of dangerous pest on human health, the environment and non-target organisms, while managing the dangerous pests effectively.
The Environmental Health practitioner is saddled with the huge responsibility of protecting and conserving the environment such that the environment would be safe for man, animals and indeed all other creatures on the planet while controlling the population of dangerous vertebrate and invertebrate animals including microbes. Hence, it would be a great disservice to deliberately exterminate innocent, non dangerous and friendly animals, birds, insects, marine dwelling creatures etc with the mere excuse of controlling pests in the environment. Such professional recklessness could definitely alter the ambience of the ecosystem. After all not all animals, birds and insects are dangerous to man.
Infact some creatures (insects, birds etc) are very significant to man's healthful living in the environment. As such, Chemicals (especially liquid spray chemical formulations) kills both target and non target insects and small animals which is not in line with IPM principles.
The concept of Integrated Pest Management is not new and has been in use throughout the world. Applying IPM in urban environments, including home gardens, landscapes and golf courses, presents special challenges. Urban IPM, or pest management programs that incorporate reduced use of pesticides in private and commercial landscapes, golf courses and other urban landscape settings, is a rapidly expanding field that incorporates university and industry research.
VERTBRATE PEST MANAGENT
Vertebrate pests include animals with a backbone, such as rats/mice, snakes etc. In line with IPM principles, vertebrate pests is best managed using the following technics:
1. Exclusion:
Exclusion is the practice of keeping the pest out of or away from (farms, crops, buildings, etc. Using barriers, such as fencing and durable materials, to plug entrances into buildings or prevent animals from accessing your premises, gardens, lawns or landscape plants, are examples of exclusion practices. Fences must be sized according to the type of pest to be excluded.To be effective, exclusion fences must be at least 6 feet tall. Some experts recommend the fence be 7 to 8-feet tall.
(2.) Good hygiene and Sanitation
This is especially important for areas like kitchens, residences and areas where animals are kept. Eliminate food and water sources. Store food and animal feeds, grain and seed in rodent-proof containers. Repair leaky pipes. Sanitation is very important for managing vertebrate pests in yards. Avoid leaving food remnants, fruits and vegetables where they are accessible to pests. Cover your compost pile.
(3.) Trapping:
There are several types of kill traps and live traps available for most vertebrate pest species. It is essential to choose the proper trap and learn the correct way to use it. Live trapping and releasing the pest is neither acceptable nor legal. Individuals who release live-trapped animals are moving the pest problem and sometimes diseases like rabies, distemper or plague along with them. Live trapping followed by an approved method of euthanasia is recommended. When using live traps, do NOT relocate pest animals.
(4.) Repellent:
In agricultural application new growth on plants must be retreated, and animals may easily get used to the repellent and resist it.Repellants may be applied to valuable vegetation or can be used in areas where pests are known to frequent. They often don't work the way people expect them to work. Sunshine can break down the repellent, and sprinklers and rain can wash away the product.
(5.) Rodenticide Baits:
Baits such as seeds, grains and vegetation treated with rodenticides are used to control several types of vertebrate pests. Most baits must be applied in bait stations or underground within animal burrows to lessen the risk of killing of non-target species. Pesticide labels describe methods for applying the bait. Pesticides used include strychnine, zinc phosphide and various anticoagulants. Strychnine may only be applied underground.
(6.) Fumigants:
Smoke bombs and various types of internal combustion engines produce poison gases, including carbon monoxide, that can be used as fumigants. This is a very dangerous method that should be avoided by residential home owners.
To be effective, all burrow entrances must be blocked. When using smoke bombs, avoid areas near structures, stacks, etc. Aluminum phosphide fumigants are available either as tablets or pellets. When applied in rodent burrows, they produce phosphine gas, which is deadly. Applied improperly, aluminum phosphide has resulted in numerous human deaths. To purchase, apply or supervise the use of this pesticide, applicator must be certified and duely trained by the Rivers State Ministry Of Environment. Residential home owners CAN NOT use these products at home.
WHAT IS INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT?
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a well managed pest control system that:
(1.) Eliminates or mitigates economic and health damage caused by pests;
(2.) Minimizes the use of pesticides and the risk to human health and the environment associated with pesticide applications;
(3.) Use integrated methods to successfully carry out pest infestation assessments, inspections, pest population monitoring, an evaluation of the need for pest control program, and one or more pest control methods, including sanitation, structural repairs, mechanical / living biological controls and indeed other non-chemical methods.
A well-defined Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a program that should be based on prevention, monitoring, and control which offers the opportunity to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of pesticides, and to minimize the toxicity of and exposure to any products which are used. IPM does this by utilizing a variety of methods and techniques, including cultural, biological and structural strategies to control a multitude of pest problems.
IPM is a term that is used loosely with many different definitions and methods of implementation. IPM can mean virtually anything the practitioner wants it to mean.Beware of chemical dependent programs masquerading as IPM.
Those who argue that IPM requires the ability to spray pesticides immediately after identifying a pest problem are not describing IPM. Conventional pest control tends to ignore the causes of pest infestations and instead rely on routine, scheduled pesticide applications. Pesticides are often temporary fixes. They get ineffective over time.
The Six IPM Program Essentials
(1.) Monitoring:
This includes regular site inspections and trapping to determine the types and infestation levels of pests at each site.
(2.) Record-Keeping:
A record-keeping system is essential to establish trends and patterns in pest outbreaks. Information recorded at every inspection or treatment should include pest identification, population size, distribution, recommendations for future prevention, and complete information on the treatment action.
(3.) Action Levels:
Pests are virtually never eradicated. An action level is the population size which requires remedial action for human health, economic, or aesthetic reasons.
(4) Prevention:
Preventive measures must be incorporated into the existing structures and designs for new structures. Prevention is and should be the primary means of pest control in an IPM program.
(5.) Tactics Criteria:
Under IPM, chemicals should be used only as a last resort only, but when used, the least-toxic materials should be chosen, and applied to minimize exposure to humans and all non-target organisms.
(6.) Evaluation:
A regular evaluation program is essential to determine the success of the pest management strategies.
ADVANTAGES OF
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
There are many advantages in using the IPM pest management approach:
Maintaining a Balanced Ecosystem:
The Ecosystem comprises living and non-living components that are intricately linked as effects of one species within the system may affect other species (positively or negatively) due to the reliance on different trophic levels. Ideally, and in many cases this is true, functional redundancy is present within a system, and organisms can adapt as the ecosystem evolves and species composition changes at different trophic levels.
Using chemical controls can reduce pests, but may also reduce species of organisms that reduce pest species themselves within the ecosystem. By using an IPM approach, we aid in maintaining ecosystem stability while controlling pest problems.
Examples of some preventative IPM techniques:
1.) Cultural Controls (i.e., changes that disturb the natural environment of the pest)
2.) Structural Modifications,
3.) Biological Controls (i.e., beneficial organisms),
4.) Physical Barriers,
5.) Use of Pheromones (i.e., natural insect scents),
6.) Pest-Resistant Varieties
Monitoring is an important component of the IPM strategy. Monitoring involves:
i.) Regular checks of the area
ii.) Early detection and
iii.) Documentation of pests
iv.) Proper identification of pests
v.) Identification of the effects of biological control agents
Assessment is the process of determining the potential for pest populations to reach an economic threshold (i.e., depletes the value of the crop below an established bottom line) or an intolerable level. Keep records from previous years so you can refer back to them. Watching the weather patterns and historical data will give you a good idea when and if a pest problem may occur.
One also needs to determine the action needed in order to address the pest problem. If pests reach an economic threshold (farmers) or intolerable levels ( in homes), swift professional pest control action must be taken. When no other strategy would bring the pest population under a tolerance threshold, then the use of chemical pesticides is probably justified - if applied properly (i.e., according to label standards).
At this point, use of chemical pestcides would be needful. A professional decision-making toolbox will be an important component of the final measures taken in order to neutralize a pest problem. Use of the data portal will also be a critical component in final decisions as it will increase the accuracy of impact assessments of a pesticides based on geographical characteristics as well as the physical and chemical properties of the pesticide. You have now taken the necessary steps to assess your pest problem and the different possible solutions.
When you are making your final decision for pesticide application, consider upcoming storm events, wind speed, and where you are in relation to water and what floodplain zone you are in (data portal). Also, make sure to use appropriate PPE and application rates and methods listed on the label. These tools will ultimately lead you to the appropriate pesticide for your pest situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment