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Integrated Pest Management Proves More Environmentally Friendly
Remember the days when the local pest control company would come in and immediately
spray a pesticide to solve your pest problems?
Those days are just about gone, according to David Harris-John, corporate operations
director for Smithereen Exterminating, headquartered in Evanston, with branches
in Mundelein, Midlothian, Northlake, Chicago and Kansas City. "Changing times
and changing attitudes have come about because consumers have become more environmentally
conscious. As a company that has long practiced integrated pest management (IPM),
our company Smithereen Exterminating goes about ridding customers of their pest
problems, but not necessarily with pesticides," he said.
IPM, as practiced by Smithereen and other modern pest control companies consists
of six steps.
The first step involves inspection. If a company concentrates on the pests
themselves rather than the cause of the infestation, that complicates the problem,
he said. "We spend much time in this phase because it involves talking carefully
to our customers to explain just what IPM is ? and to learn what and where they
think the problem is. We ask them where they've spotted pests, whether or not
new plants have been added to the premises, whether they've received any deliveries
that may have accidentally introduced pests to the area, or similar questions."
Inspection also involves a thorough review of both the inside and outside of
the premises. Common building maintenance, such as missing caulking or flashing,
broken windows and poorly installed siding can lead to pest problems. "And while
most people view buildings from eye level, our service technicians take mirrors
attached to poles and put them underneath various structural components. You'd
be surprised at what we can find," he said.
The second phase of IPM is identifying the pests. Determining where they appear
and when they were first noticed is important to the process. "It's helpful
if the customer has a sample of the pest so the technician knows what he or
she is dealing with," Harris-John suggests.
Phase three is determining the method to be used. "Our company primarily uses
baits today. Environmentally sensitive pesticide sprays with a high odor are
just not used any longer. That approach has changed, in part because of the
improvements in bait technology," he explained. Scientists can synthetically
reproduce pheromones that attract various insects or can disrupt the normal
mating cycle with chemicals. Pesticides are still used today, however, mostly
in exterior treatments and target areas where treatments are precise.
"Phase four involves communication and forming a partnership of sorts. In
order for IPM to be successful, it's vital for the pest control company and
the customer to look at their relationship as a symbiotic partnership. The pest
control company must explain exactly what IPM involves to the customer and inform
them that it can't do the job without their cooperation, especially when the
customer's sanitation efforts can make a difference," he said.
The last two steps in IPM are the implementation of the plan and a follow-up
inspection, which starts the cycle all over again if problems persist or new
ones occur.
"Our own employees are sold on the IPM process," said Harris-John. "They know
we are committed to elimination of pests in the least toxic manner and that
customer service and satisfaction are paramount in our business philosophy."
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