Integrated Pest Management for Schools: A How-to Manual

EPA promotes integrated pest management through documents such as the IPM for Schools: A How-to Manual, because IPM represents a prudent approach to understanding and dealing with environmental concerns. Because IPM is a decision-making process and not a rote method, an IPM program will always be able to take into account the wide spectrum of pest problems and the diversity of people involved. IPM methods equip pest control operators and other members of the IPM team to design flexible, site-specific pest management plans scaled to the severity of the problems and the level of resources available.

IPM for Schools: A How-to Manual is available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). If you are not familiar with PDF, please read about PDF files.

Chapters 1 through 4 provide a full discussion of IPM concepts pertaining to schools. These chapters will be of particular interest to school board members, administrators, principals, facility managers, and parents as they work to establish IPM policies, pest control contract guidelines, and other administrative systems designed to institutionalize IPM. Appendix B, "How To Develop An IPM Program," provides a step-by-step guide for implementing a school IPM program, and includes a discussion of the psychological and institutional barriers to IPM.

Chapters 5 through 19 cover IPM strategies for 14 of the most common pests or problem sites in U.S. schools. These chapters are written primarily for pest control personnel and others who may be involved in the day-to-day pest management in a school.

For further information, please contact Mary Grisier, Pesticides Section, U.S. EPA Region 9, at (415) 947-4213, or grisier.mary@epa.gov.

Disclaimer:
Mention of trade names, products, or services does not convey, and should not be interpreted as conveying, official EPA approval, endorsement, or recommendation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface (6K PDF)

Introduction (9K PDF)

Chapter 1: What Is Integrated Pest Management? (26K PDF)
The Role of Pesticides in School IPM * IPM Program Goal * Components of an IPM Program * The Decision-Making Process * Bibliography

Chapter 2: Monitoring (30K PDF)
Not Enough Time or Money? * Levels of Effort Used in Monitoring * What is Monitoring? * Why Monitor? * What to Monitor * Identifying the Target Pest * Timing Monitoring Activities * Record Keeping * Bibliography

Chapter 3: Setting Injury and Action Levels (20K PDF)
Determine Injury Levels First * Determine Action Levels Based on Injury Levels * IPM Program Evaluation * Assessing Cost Effectiveness * Bibliography

Chapter 4: Selecting Treatment Strategies (32K PDF)
Criteria For Selecting Treatment Strategies * Timing Treatments * Summary of Available Treatment Options * Education * Habitat Modification * Modification of Horticultural Activities * Physical Controls * Biological Controls * Least-Toxic Chemical Controls * Bibliography

Chapter 5: IPM for Ants in Schools (54K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 6: IPM for Cockroaches in Schools (824K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 7: IPM for Clothes Moths and Carpet Beetles in Schools (75K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 8: IPM for Fleas in Schools (48K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 9: IPM for Flies in Schools (55K PDF)
Garbage- and Manure-Breeding Flies: Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options ** Fruit Flies, Cluster Flies, and Phorid Flies: Identification and Biology * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 10: IPM for Lawns in Schools (52K PDF)
Detection and Monitoring * Management Options ** Chinch Bugs: Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options ** Fusarium Blight: Identification and Biology * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 11: IPM for Head Lice in Schools (31K PDF)
Identification and Biology * How Lice are Transmitted * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 12: IPM for Rats and Mice in Schools (125K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 13: IPM For Scorpions in Schools (21K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Stings * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 14: IPM for Silverfish, Firebrats, and Booklice in Schools (25K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Damage * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 15: IPM for Spiders in Schools (27K PDF)
Removal of a Non-Dangerous Spider * General Spider Management ** Black Widow Spiders: Identification and Biology * Bites * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options ** Brown Recluse or Violin Spiders: Identification and Biology * Bites * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options ** Aggressive House Spider: Identification and Biology * Bites * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 16: IPM for Trees and Shrubs on School Grounds (15K PDF)
Plant Health Care (PHC) Management * Components of a PHC Program * Conclusion * Bibliography

Chapter 17: IPM for Wood Damaging Pests in Schools (137K PDF)
Identification and Biology-Wood-Attacking Fungi * Identification and Biology-Termites * Identification and Biology-Wood-Boring Beetles * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 18: IPM for Weeds on School Grounds (34K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Chapter 19: IPM for Yellowjackets and Hornets in Schools (59K PDF)
Identification and Biology * Stings * Nest Disturbance * Detection and Monitoring * Management Options * Bibliography

Appendix A: IPM-Related Curricula and Resources for the Classroom (7K PDF)

Appendix B: How to Develop an IPM Program (36K PDF)

Appendix C: Developing an IPM Policy Statement (10K PDF)

Appendix D: IPM Contract Performance Specifications (24K PDF)

Appendix E: Sample Monitoring Forms (70K PDF)

Appendix F: How To Collect and Preserve Specimens for Identification (8K PDF)

Appendix G: Pesticide Information Resources (8K PDF)

Appendix H: Head Lice Information Packet for Schools (35K PDF)

Appendix I: Inspection Checklist for Detecting Structural Decay and Structural Pest Damage (23K PDF)

Recommended Reading List (14K PDF)

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