Welcome to the Midwest Technical Resource Center for IPM in schools and daycares. Our goal is to help you maintain safe and pest-free learning environments for children through improved pest management practices.

For general information on Integrated Pest Management, use the menu to the left. For specific information about state regulations and resources, click on your state.

What is IPM?

IPM is a process for achieving long term, environmentally sound pest suppression through the use of a wide variety of technological and management practices. Control strategies in an IPM program extend beyond the application of pesticides to include structural and procedural modifications that reduce the food, water, living space and access used by pests.

By eliminating potential food, water and living space for pests, and sealing up their entry routes into buildings, the need for pesticides is greatly reduced. Pesticides are used only when a confirmed pest problem is present (no preventative treatments). Then, the least hazardous pesticide effective for control of a specific pest is applied using precision, targeted treatments in areas not contacted or accessible to the children, faculty or staff.

Site developed and maintained by Purdue Entomology Extension,
Purdue University, Department of Entomology, 901 West State Street, Smith Hall,
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1158.
E-mail:luck@purdue.edu
All original content © 2000 - 2001, Purdue Entomology Extension.
Some original artwork courtesy of Karen Thornton.