Definition of IPM

Integrated pest management (IPM) deals with pests—insects, mammals, and more—by using methods that help keep risks to your health and the environment as low as possible.

“IPM is common-sense practice,” says Nick Revak of First Illinois Systems. “If we can control any aspect of the pest’s habitat, food, or water, we can control the pest. IPM means finding a responsible solution to develop that kind of control with the least amount of impact.”

IPM professionals recognize that, ideally, pests should be denied access to buildings from the start. But most of the time, people don’t realize which conditions lead to pest problems.

Here’s how IPM professionals help:

• inspect facilities to find situations that have led to pest issues
• identify pests
• monitor and keep records
• predict injury level
• integrate treatment methods that are effective against the pest, least disruptive to natural controls and least hazardous to human health and the environment.
• evaluate effectiveness.

Rather than relying only on pesticides to eliminate pests, IPM integrates all types of tactics to keep pest numbers low enough to prevent unacceptable economic, medical, or aesthetic damage. We help you address problems inside and outside your building, with sanitation and storage of food and other materials. For example, we’ll recommend ways to clear drains of fly-breeding habitat, caulk and block pest entryways, clean up sources of food and grease, and remove pest shelter—such as mulch and weeds near the building.

Sometimes an immediate chemical fix is necessary, followed by IPM methods to reduce or stop future use of pesticides. Therefore, we’ll apply pesticides when no other method is practical, possible, or cost-effective—and we know pesticides will solve the problem. Regardless of the tactic, we always follow up to determine success.

Read our success stories to decide for yourself. IPM works!