Pest Management Getting those bad guys!

Control Opportunities Biological Chemical Cultural Mechanical Quarantine Integrated Pest Management

Biological Control Using other organisms to control pests Beneficial insects Praying Mantid Parasitic Wasp Predatory Mites Green Lacewing Birds Vermin

Beneficial Insects- Good guys! Brachonid Wasp Parasitic Mites Praying Mantid Larval Lady Bug

Chemical Control Pesticides – not always chemicals Insecticides Fumigants are poisonous gases Stomach poisons are sprayed on plants (effective for controlling chewing insects) Contact poisons affect the nervous system Systemic poisons are absorbed and translocated through plant

Chemical Control Fungicides Nematicides Herbicides Rodenticides Just say no to homicides

Cultural Control Sanitation Remove insect breeding and hiding areas Use insect and disease resistant cultivars

Mechanical Control Physical control Insect traps Screens Washing plants Tilling

Quarantine Isolating plants to keep from contaminating others USDA uses this upon entry into the United States Prevents problems like Dutch Elm’s Disease, Kudzu, Japanese Beetles and other exotics

Natural Control Barriers Rivers, woods, mountains Natural and native predators

Integrated Pest Management A combination of all methods Using the least aggressive or small impact method first and working up the ladder of control

IPM Also involves- Pest Identification Monitoring Prevention Determining thresholds of insects/disease Weather Soil preparation

IPM IPM also includes Pest trapping Proper planting times, depths, seeds, etc.

Six Steps to utilize IPM Identify pests Prevention of pests (crop rotation, resistant varieties) Monitoring new infestations (early detection) Traps to check pest populations Use less risky pest control first If these methods are not effective: target spraying or broadcast is last resort

Why use IPM? Better for the environment Use fewer chemicals Try organic methods Sustainable Won’t make insects or diseases resistant