In The Home, Garden and Lawn

IPM Emphasizes the Combination of Many Pest Control Strategies

The dedicated team of pest management professionals at McDaniels IPM use several key strategies to reduce or eliminate pest infestation such as:

Consultation

Biological Control - Our team can provide expert consultation and planning assistance for the use of beneficial organisms that manage pests, such as predators, parasites and fungi.

Cultural Control - We understand the cultural influences that affect pest populations and can advise you on crop / garden / landscape rotation, sanitation, how to reduce sources of moisture, and how to choose healthy plants.

Control

Mechanical and physical controls - When a situation warrants an active response varios traps, cultivation, barriers, adjusting plant location, caulking around windows, and temperature modification techniques can be used.

EcoSMART Control - Our first step is often the use of environmentally friendly products to eliminate an infestation or control a pest population.

Chemical control - When a customer so request we may employ the use of pesticides and other chemicals.

What Are the Benefits of Integrated Pest Management?

• IPM methods will ensure long term control of pests when a maintenance program is used consistently.
• IPM will reduce the dependence upon chemical control of pest infestations, and reduce the likelihood of pests becoming resistant to chemical controls when needed.
• The hazards of human and environmental pesticide exposure, and excess/waste pesticide disposal will decrease.
• IPM methods can reduce the cost of long term pest control.

The Five Basic Steps of Integrated Pest Management

1. Inspection - Inspecting your home and garden for pest problems will help to:

a. Determine the location of the infestation.

b. Determine how bad an infestation may be.

c. Identify the conditions that caused the pest population to increase.

d. Look for places where pests may enter.

2. Identify the Pest -

Our service team members are highly trained and skilled in identifying all pests indigenous to the mid-atlantic region of the United States.

3. Determine the highest level of pest infestation that can be tolerated, or the "Threshold Level."

The threshold depends upon the type of pest; a small population of pests can be tolerated without much damage to crops, landscaping or structures. However, the threshold for some pests such as cockroaches in a home or restaurant will be zero, or no tolerance. Usually one or two bugs on a plant, a weed or two in the garden, or an ant or two on the kitchen counter top will not warrant spraying chemicals. These pests can be controlled by cleaning counters, pulling out weeds, or hand picking bugs off plants. We advise each of our customers individually on strategies to reduce pests on their own, as well as solutions we offer to manage pest population.



4. Use pest control methods that will effectively manage a pest population (see above list)

a. Biological
b. Cultural
c. Mechanical and Physical
d. Chemical Control
e. Genetic Control

5. Monitor or re-inspect, on a regular basis, areas where pest problems have occurred.

a. Use sticky traps, pheromone traps, rodent baits, etc. to check for pest activity.

b. Look under and on top of plant leaves and stems, look for mouse droppings in cupboards, check home foundations for carpenter ant activity, etc.

c. Keep records of pest activity and control methods, and dates when actions were taken.

By following these basic steps for Integrated Pest Management, McDaniels IPM can help you better understand pest control through prevention, and reduce the need for chemical controls.

To help you get started McDaniels IPM offers a FREE INITIAL INSPECTION -- Click Here to request one or Contact Us to schedule and appointment today.