INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

The goal of integrated pest management (IPM) is to "work smart" by using an appropriate combination of the available tools to achieve control with the least amount of resources. There is no specific "recipe" for IPM. A successful program doesn't simply start with "step one" and proceed in a prescribed order to the final step. Identifying the rodents and the extent of an infestation is the logical first step. The remaining steps depend on the particular situation. In order to implement an effective IPM program, PCOs must properly identify rodent infestations and appropriate control measures.

Vital steps of an IPM program include:
Inspection, identification, exclusion, sanitation, elimination and monitoring. Rodent Facts covers inspecting infested buildings and surrounding areas; identifying the specific rodents and their populations; excluding rodents from buildings; identifying sanitation concerns that may provide rodents with food, water and shelter; and recommending and implementing control measurers specific to the rodents and their infestation site. Control options should cater to the site (e.g., sensitive locations such as food plants, schools or hospitals) and need to be coordinated with appropriate personnel. Rodent Facts is designed to help PCOs Adios developed IPM programs to control rodent infestations and make human environments safer.

The trouble with rodents.
Most people would agree that rodents have limited value. Commensal rodents (Norway rats, roof rats and common house mice) live off humans without returning anything of worth. Commensal means "sharing one's table." Learning about rodent biology and behavior is essential to eliminating unwanted rats and mice. Through an effective IPM program, rodent infestations - and the serious problems they cause - can be controlled.

Rodents cause numerous problems

• Spread serious diseases, including salmonellosis (food poisoning), plague, leptospirosis, rickettsial pox and lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM).
• Consume or contaminate about 20 percent of the world's food supply.
• Carry fleas, ticks and other ectoparasites, which potentially spread diseases, into buildings.
• Gnaw, causing expensive structural damage. They also can start fires if they gnaw on electrical wires.
• Cause a great deal of anxiety for occupants of infested buildings.