School Integrated Pest Management: Basic Principles

Integrated Pest Management in Practice

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a common-sense, well-established method to control pests by reducing sources of food, water, and shelter. It uses the least toxic pest controls when necessary. Read more about why IPM is important in schools at School Integrated Pest Management.

IPM methods often include structural improvements or changes in behavior of the building occupants, making pesticides less necessary. Using IPM can reduce costs over time and protect the health and safety of students and staff.  

Illustration below shows a pyramid with tiered colors. Title: IPM in practice. From largest to smallest contributions to the pyramid (and IPM practice): education and communication; cultural and sanitation practices; physical and mechanical controls; and pesticides.

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IPM in practice. From largest to smallest contributions to the pyramid (and IPM practice): education and communication; cultural and sanitation practices; physical and mechanical controls; and pesticides.

In practice, pesticide use is a very small part of IPM. Instead, schools can focus on using physical controls and changing behavior and sanitation practices. Providing education and communication for all staff, faculty, and administrators is the most important piece. It is also fundamental to exclude pests from food, water, and shelter using cultural practices and physical controls. If non-chemical pest management measures are ineffective, use pesticides with the lowest possible toxicity.

Basic Principles of School IPM

School IPM is a collaborative method. The IPM Coordinator, staff and faculty, administrators, and others will work together to complete the following steps.

Illustration below shows a flow for the basic principles: inspect, identify, monitor, act, evaluate.

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Diagram showing Basic Principals of School IPM, Inspect, Identify, Monitor, Act, Evaluate

Inspect your school and look for signs of pests before they become a problem.

Correctly identify any pests before picking a course of action. Choose actions that target the specific pests that need to be managed. Monitor the pest populations with help from school staff and decide on threshold pest populations above which action must be taken.

Act using the least hazardous control options, starting with prevention.

Evaluate your efforts regularly.

Inspect for and Prevent Pests Before They Become a Problem

Inspect your school and look for signs of pests. Also look for sources of food, water, and shelter. Example IPM inspection forms are available from Resources & Forms, OSU School IPM Program.

Three drawings, bag of chips, a puddle of water, and a cardboard box full of random items.

Prevent Pests Inside

  • Clean floors and surfaces frequently.
  • Remove clutter and cardboard boxes.
  • Limit food in classrooms. Store in durable air-tight containers.
  • All pests need water. Fix leaks. Make sure water drains away from the school.
  • Seal openings in roofs, walls, and foundations. Repair broken windows. Install door sweeps. Screen windows and crawl space vents.

Prevent Pests Outside

  • Choose plants that will grow well in the climate.
  • Properly water and fertilize lawns and plants to avoid weed growth.
  • Remove debris, weeds, plants, and branches next to buildings.
  • Make sure dumpsters and trash bins are away from doors and are covered.

Identify and Monitor the Pests You Have

If you find a pest, make sure you correctly identify it. This will help you learn how fast it reproduces, where it likes to live, and what it likes to eat.

  • There are many identification tools available to help, such as the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC).
  • Pest sighting logs can help monitor pest populations. Example sighting logs are available from the Oregon State University School IPM Program. Encourage school staff to report pests or conditions they observe.
  • Insect and rodent traps can tell you exactly what kind of pests you have. Choose and place traps for the specific pest.

Set Action Thresholds

Before pests become a health hazard or do damage, set action thresholds. Action thresholds are points at which pest populations or environmental conditions indicate that pest control action must be taken. For example:

  • In some situations, a single pest requires action. Rats, mice, cockroaches, raccoons, feral cats and dogs, opossums, skunks, and nutria can cause disease and trigger asthma.
  • Control is needed for some pests when a small population is present. Carpenter ants and termites can cause structural damage to a building. Wasps can sting.
  • Other nuisance pests do not cause damage or disease. They do not require action until a large population is present. These include most ants, spiders, and other insects that shelter in buildings, like sowbugs and Asian lady beetles. Weeds are a nuisance, but action thresholds may be low unless tripping injuries are likely.

Find more information at Pest-Specific Plans and Action Thresholds, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Act: Choose the Best Control Options and Eliminate Existing Problems

Control pests without harming people, animals, plants, or the environment. Choose the least hazardous method of pest control.

  • Start with prevention. Remove access to food, water, and shelter.
  • If pests need to be removed, traps can get rid of some or all pests. Find the right trap for the pest and read about how to use it effectively. Use sticky traps for insects and spiders. Use snap traps rather than sticky traps or glue boards for rodents. Read more about How to Trap Up to Remove Rodents, CDC.
  • Only use pesticides if other methods cannot control the problem. Pesticides can harm people and the environment if not used carefully and following all instructions on the pesticide label. They should be applied by trained and licensed personnel when no children are present.
  • When insect problems require pesticides, start with insect baits in areas where they will not be accessible to students and staff. If needed, select pesticides that are low toxicity (see Pesticide Toxicity: What’s the Signal Word, NPIC). The signal word "Caution" signifies lower toxicity. Avoid products with "Warning” or “Danger" on the label because they are moderately to highly toxic, based on routes of exposure. Always read, understand, and follow the pesticide label (see Reading Pesticide Labels, NPIC). The label is the law.
  • Consider whether to hire a pest management professional.

Evaluate Your Efforts

Check back often to see whether you still have a pest problem. Determine which control methods work best. Remember it is easier to get rid of a pest problem when the population is small.

Information and Resources