Implementing IPM Control Options

The terms pest control and pest management often are interpreted as synonyms. There is a crucial, though subtle, difference between them, however. Pest control traditionally has relied only on chemical remedies for pest problems. In contrast, pest management involves a deliberate evaluation process resulting in one or more carefully chosen control option - pesticides being one - to fit each situation. Pest management requires an understanding of pest-population levels and the possible applications of different control tactics in a pest management framework. In pest management, pest-tolerance levels are established and used as decision-making guides to clarify whether action against a certain pest is desirable.

In IPM, the word integrated implies a multidisciplinary or combined approach, whereby several management options can be brought to bear on a single problem. This combined approach is considered the most environmentally healthy and the most viable long-term strategy available. And choosing from a variety of possible management strategies ensures that the best management fit is achieved for a particular site. The better the fit, the less the chance of undesirable consequences.

Once the decision is made to implement a management procedure, the next step is determining which tactics are appropriate. Arriving at such a decision is seldom a simple process. It is made simpler, however, when the pest manager has a thorough understanding of the environment; the biology, life cycle, and ecology of the infesting pest; and the available management options. Often the best method for choosing a specific tactic is to compare all evident advantages to all possible limitations. Factors such as effectiveness, ease of application, environmental impact, and a host of other on-the-job experiences will be of value to decision makers.

IPM involves many potential actions, including human education, pest habitat modification, horticultural/agricultural design or redesign, and physical, biological, regulatory, chemical, and cultural control methods. When using chemical controls, least toxic chemical control methods should be considered.

The major control tactics used in pest management are worth further consideration because each may play a part in the control of certain insect pests, depending upon where, when, and how they occur. Pest managers must recognize and understand the merits of each. Below is a basic description and an example of how each can be used in integrated pest management.