Integrated Pest Management (IPM) goes way beyond simply spraying for pests. It’s a 360-degree strategy that focuses on combining lowest-risk treatment strategies, including long-term prevention of pests, to minimize both the damage they can do and environmental concerns. The goal is to do more than spray by employing as many other methods as possible and therefore minimize the risks to health and the environment while still taking care of the pests.
The techniques that are part of IPM are what provide you with the benefits of utilizing this strategy. The techniques we use include:
Inspecting the interior and the exterior of the facility
Accounting for any pests that are inside is a no-brainer. But what about the outside of your facility? If you have a trained professional inspecting outside, he/she will be able to catch potential pest entry points before they are able to use them to migrate inside. We all know that once the pests get inside, they can multiply quickly – creating a large infestation in record time. Inspecting the interior and exterior allows the technician to provide
recommendations that will help prevent problems before pests cause downtime or damage – both of which can be costly. Technicians are also trained to understand what, if any, conditions are contributing to pest activity. They will also make recommendations to eliminate conditions, like poor sanitation areas, that may attract pests.
Pest identification and activity analysis
If you don’t know what kind of pest you have, you can’t possibly treat for it correctly or successfully. There are many different kinds of ants, and the treatments for them vary by species. Also, you can treat for flies, but if nobody is following the flies back to the location of the infestation, then you’re putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. Having a Board Certified entomologist following the tiny clues that only they would look for helps to identify the crux of the problem. Getting to the root cause is integral in clearing up the issue for good.
Treatment of affected areas to eliminate and control pests
Treatment will almost always be a part of the Integrated Pest Management solution when pests are present. Trained and certified technicians are the only people that should be treating. They follow the strictest safety guidelines at all times, but they are also up to date and current on whatever the scientific community and the EPA is suggesting at the moment. Not only can they treat correctly and effectively, but they will respect your facility’s schedule and work around it. Our technicians also maintain FDA, USDA, and local health code credentials and compliance. And they don’t just treat the same way every time. They are constantly reevaluating what they’re doing and staying flexible to modify if necessary. In addition to treating, they will do exclusion work to help keep the pests out – just one more IPM strategy they employ.
Educating you and your staff on preventative measures
Part of Integrated Pest Management is prevention. So, not only will a professional technician inspect the area with a trained eye, find the infestation’s source, and treat the area, but he/she will provide education and recommendations to you and your staff on ways to prevent the introduction of more pests. Steps can be taken to 
reduce harborage, fix and seal cracks and holes, and eliminate excess moisture – all of which can help stop problems before they even start. That’s the goal, after all.
At the end of the day, IPM is all about teamwork. That team includes the person at the facility in charge of safety and pest management, the sales team, customer service, Board Certified entomologists, and the technician performing the Integrated Pest Management strategies. The benefits come when everyone works together with a common goal in mind. Western Pest Services has been doing that for so many years it’s hard to count. So, if your facility could use an IPM pro – contact Western today.