Step one in any Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is proper identification of the target pest. Gone are the days of regular spraying of baseboards throughout homes using pressurized sprayers. There may be people out there who still do that, but they are not practicing IPM. Today’s Pest Management Professional relies on his or her knowledge of the biology and habits of specific pests to come up with an effective, long-term control strategy.
Different ant species are attracted to different types of food sources. Some cockroach species breed outdoors, while others are perfectly at home indoors. Some pests like to live in warm, wet areas, while others are able to thrive in hotter, drier areas. Proper pest identification is essential to crafting a management program that targets the proper areas with the proper materials.
As good stewards of the environment, we at Black Pest Prevention are committed to judicious use of insecticide within the framework set by an effective IPM program. That means that the old “shotgun” approach of regular insecticidal sprays indoors is out, and species-specific treatment, based on pest biology and the conditions of your home, is in. Our Service Technicians are trained to recognize common pests; if they are unsure of what it is, they will bring it back to the office for identification. Our customers often help by collecting a sample to give to the Technician when he or she arrives. It is this spirit of cooperation that makes our customers full partners in environmental stewardship.
Next up in our IPM series – we will discuss some common conducive conditions for pests.