IPM: A Practical Approach to Pest Control

It has been estimated that more than 40% of the world’s food production is lost
because crops are destroyed by pests and diseases. Once harvested, an additional
20% may be lost during storage and transport. Aside from the economic loss they
can cause, pests are a known vector for disease, may contaminate products and
cause structural damage to facilities. Clearly, everything possible should be done to
reduce further loss due to pests within the confines of the manufacturing
environment.

Traditional pest control programs rely on monitoring and reactive control

mechanisms such as responding to the visual evidence of pests with tactics
including the application of insecticides, rodenticides or the use of traps and
discursion devices. These tactics may be ineffective without a fundamental
understanding of the biological and physical requirements of pests and of their
vulnerability, which is the cornerstone of an integrated pest management (IPM)
approach.

IPM can be described as “a coordinated decision-making and action process that

uses the most appropriate pest control methods and strategy in an environmentally
and economically sound manner to meet programmatic pest management
objectives.”

IPM is based on the 1950s concept of “integrated control,” which identified the
most efficient mix of chemical and biological controls for a given insect pest in a
manner that was least disruptive and most environmentally compatible. IPM took
this concept one step further and leveraged “integrated control” for all types of
pests, including those beyond chemical and biological control. By 1972, IPM
found its way into the U.S. national policy, where concepts and applications were
further advanced.

IPM concepts focus on four key elements and eight underlying strategies.

IPM Elements
Inspection - Inspect external and internal vulnerable areas for pest infestation and
document findings.

Define Action Threshold - The point at which pest populations or environmental

conditions indicate that pest control action must be taken.

Control and Evaluate - When monitoring, identification and action thresholds

indicate that control is required, select the appropriate control tactics, take action
and evaluate the effectiveness of the action plan.

Education - Ensure continued success of the IPM program by educating those

involved with administering the program and establishing documentation to
support the program.

IPM Strategies
Inspect - Inspect external and internal areas for pest infestation, focusing on areas
of vulnerability.

Identify - Correct identification of the target pest is a critical step in the control
process, enabling pests to be eliminated more efficiently.

Monitor - As pest control is an ongoing process, constantly monitoring your

facility for pest activity and instituting operational changes that affect pest
management will protect against infestation and help eliminate existing pests.

Determine If and When Control Is Needed - Control is necessary when the

threshold for pest infestation has been exceeded.
Understand Options and Develop an Action Plan - Understand all options that are
available for control. Evaluate both the benefits and risks for each option prior to
developing the action plan.

Take Action - Appropriate actions should be taken to eliminate an existing pest

infestation. Those actions should also prevent future infestations from occurring by
focusing on non-chemical options first.

Evaluate Results - The pest control program must include a thorough evaluation
of how effective the treatment methods were in eliminating the pest infestation.
Depending on the success of the methods used, treatment strategies may need to be
adjusted.

Education - To ensure continued success of the pest control program, all personnel
involved in administering the program as well as general personnel should be
educated on the strategies used.

The practical application of IPM can be managed by the following prerequisites

and a logic sequence.

IPM Prerequisites
Select the IPM Team
The food processor should assure that the appropriate knowledge and expertise is
available for the development and continuing success of IPM. Select and assemble
a team of individuals who have specific technical and practical knowledge of pests,
their vulnerabilities and application of effective control measures.

It is critical that the IPM team is established and led by a pest management
specialist. Team members should be chosen to represent critical sectors of the
facility’s operations that would be impacted by the IPM program. Consideration
should be taken to include representatives from third-party pest management
contractors. Pest control operators (PCO), both internal and external to the facility,
should be trained and certified in chemical applications.

The IPM team is responsible for creating an IPM plan on an annual basis and
managing supporting documents. An effective annual plan would require the team
to conduct a risk analysis of the interior and exterior locations, develop action
plans and establish action thresholds to address the risks and perform periodic
reviews of the plan to ensure it is up-to-date and effective.
In addition, the team also conducts ongoing pest inspections of the facility,
oversees third-party contractor approval and performance and ensures effective
training for general personnel.

Prevention
Prior to implementing IPM, the team should have fundamental knowledge of IPM
prerequisites. Preventive action addresses vulnerabilities identified before pest
problems occur and focuses on controlling and eliminating potential sources of
food, water and shelter within interior and exterior areas of the facility (Figure 1).
Cleaning and sanitation programs for the facility’s equipment, building and
grounds are critical to the success of IPM.

Controlling Food and Water Sources

Pests require an available food or water source to thrive. It is critical that food and
water sources are controlled or eliminated where possible. Unnecessary water
sources, such as standing water and puddles, should be prevented by maintaining
proper drainage and sloping of facility grounds. Within the facility, plumbing leaks
and other sources of free moisture should be eliminated.

Dumpsters and trash containers should be controlled with limited access, kept
away from doorways and have tight-fitting lids and liners to prevent spillage.
Waste must not be allowed to accumulate and should be removed regularly. Within
the facility, all areas should be kept clean by conducting sufficient cleaning and
sanitizing protocols and ensuring compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMPs).

Controlling Shelter
Controlling and eliminating pest shelter sites is an effective way of reducing pest
pressure on the facility by removing nearby harbourage sites and eliminating
breeding grounds.

Keeping the exterior landscape properly maintained will prevent pests from
migrating toward the facility. Overgrown brush near the facility should be removed
to eliminate shelter and nesting areas. Ensure that landscaping is trimmed away
from buildings and structures to at least 1 m. Appropriate spacing should also be
maintained between items that are stored on the external grounds. Pallets,
equipment and supplies should be at least 1 m from exterior walls and fences.
Minimize the accumulation of trash, stacks of boards or other materials that can
provide shelter for pests and when possible, inspect equipment and supplies for
pests before bringing them onto the property.

Exclusion
Eliminating potential entry points for pests—including doors, windows, fan vents,
air grilles and hoist apertures—is a simple but highly effective way of keeping
pests out of the facility. All doors and windows should fit well and be kept closed
when not in use. Metal sheeting should be used to eliminate gaps at junctions of
walls, doors, floors and ceilings. Small openings can be filled with stainless steel
wire pads or chicken wire embedded in cement. Gaps under doors may be filled
with specially fitted nylon bristle strips. No gaps should be greater than 6 mm to
exclude rodents and birds.

Any open access to the interior of the facility should be limited. Windows that
open should be fitted with insect screens of appropriate mesh size to exclude flies
but permit adequate ventilation. Large openings can be fitted with plastic strip-
curtain doors that allow forklifts to pass through but deter rodents, birds and
insects. The use of automatic doors can limit the amount of time these areas are
open to the outside.

Inadequate building maintenance or poor building design can also lead to

infestations. Cracks in walls, floors and other areas where pests can enter need to
be filled. Items should be stored off the floor on pallets, slip-sheets or racks,
maintaining a 0.5-m unobstructed, open-floor area around items. Quick fixes such
as capping equipment, inlet piping and keeping drain covers and screens/traps for
vents in place also help to eliminate simple shelters for pests. Most importantly,
proper housekeeping and sanitation protocols should be followed.

Zoning
To facilitate appropriate and efficient pest inspections, a facility should be
segregated into four separate inspection zones (Figure 2).

Defining specific inspection zones enables the IPM team to focus on key areas of
the facility that require ongoing inspections. Each inspection zone will have unique
vulnerabilities to pest infestation that need to be addressed. A detailed pest
inspection checklist for each inspection zone should be developed to ensure
effective inspections. The checklist should clearly identify every section of the
premises within the inspection zones, points that need to be inspected, immediate
and longer-term corrective actions and pest elimination strategies. All areas of
infestation at the time of the inspection should be noted on the checklist.

IPM Application Sequence

Inspections of the IPM inspection zones should be carried out using a detailed pest
inspection checklist. If an outside pest service is used, the inspection can be
conducted jointly with the pest control contractor. Regular frequencies should be
defined for both routine and periodic facility inspections. The inspections should
identify structural defects, sanitation issues or any other conditions promoting pest
infestation. The inspections must cover the entire site including grounds, buildings
and other structures.

The purpose of the facility inspection is to:

• Identify, report and record any evidence of pests

• Examine and service all pest bait stations and monitoring devices on a periodic
basis (remove droppings contained therein; remove any partially eaten bait and
replace with clean bait)

• Draw attention to any aspect of exclusion or hygiene that could lead to potential
pest problems

Inspections of external and internal areas must focus on locations that provide
excess moisture, food sources, shelter and entry points that pests need to thrive.
External inspections should focus on historic infestation problem areas at the
facility and areas that are conducive to infestation. Internal inspections should
focus on key areas within the facility that promote pest infestations as well as
maintenance issues.

The scope of the IPM program will be based on the findings during the facility
inspections that will help to determine the control tactics necessary for the pest
causing the infestation.

Correctly identifying the target pest is essential to control; it enables pests to be

eliminated more effectively and efficiently. Specific pest control tactics should be
based on a thorough understanding of the pest’s biology and behavior, thus
limiting its ability to survive. For example, distinguishing between a mouse and a
rat will help to determine the best method of control. The following lists common
pests that represent a high percentage of pest situations in the food and beverage
industry:

• Rodent identification: house mouse, Norway rat and roof rat.

• Bird identification: European starling, English sparrow and pigeon/rock dove.
• Insect identification: house fly, fruit fly, stored-product insects (e.g., beetles and
moths), ants and cockroaches.

A pest action threshold is the point at which pest populations or environmental

conditions indicate that pest control action must be taken. The action threshold
includes constant monitoring for pests and determining if and when control is
needed. Thresholds for the four inspection zones will be increasingly stringent as
more pest-sensitive areas are addressed.

Continuous monitoring of the facility for pest activity and operational changes that
affect pest management will help to protect against infestation and eliminate
existing pests. Identifying the signs and symptoms of infestation is critical to
successful monitoring and can enable detection of activity before a visual
confirmation is made.

For rodents, gnawing and teeth marks are common indicators of activity. Rodent
droppings are often found with gnawed materials and can be confused with other
droppings, including those of cockroaches and lizards. Proper identification of
droppings will assist in accurate identification and monitoring activities. For
example, all rodent droppings contain hair, but Norway rat droppings have blunt
edges and roof rat droppings have pointed ends. Other signs of rodent infestation
include burrows, digging and rub marks. As part of ongoing monitoring for
exterior rodent activity, bait stations (with non-toxic baits), glue traps and other
devices should be opened and inspected on a set schedule.

Due to the nature of bird infestations, monitoring for birds is a manual task. Some
signs and symptoms that may indicate bird infestation include nests outside the
facility, evidence of bird damage to the facility, and bird droppings at potential
entrance and exit areas and at potential feeding and watering areas. Further
evidence of bird infestation includes nesting materials in rafters and in corners of
the warehouse, evidence of bird damage to products, or droppings on products.

Monitoring for insect activity requires multiple approaches. Look for insect trails,
colonies and nesting sites such as potted plants, under slabs or in wall voids.
Outdoor nesting sites may be under stones, boards, and similar objects near the
facility. Regularly monitor insect control devices such as glue boards or fly lights
for evidence of an increase or decrease in types and numbers of insects.
Monitoring with insect phero-mones is a cost-effective tool that can provide early
detection. Pheromone traps should be placed on a map or grid to identify areas of
infestation.

Control is necessary
when signs of infestation have exceeded a pre-determined limit known as the
“action threshold.” Action thresholds are pest-specific and must take into account
both internal and external pest infestation. Some examples of observations
indicating that an action threshold has been achieved for common food and
beverage industry pests are listed in Table 1.

It is important to control and evaluate a pest situation when monitoring,

identification and action thresholds indicate that pest control is required, is no
longer effective or not available and preventative methods should be implemented.
A sequence of events needs to take place to ensure effective control. These include
understanding the control options available, developing an action plan, executing
the plan and evaluating the results for effectiveness.

In most cases, there is more than one option available to control a pest
infestation. It is important to understand all of the options that are available, with a
focus on targeting the vulnerability of pests to keep them from returning. One must
consider both the benefits of cost and the effects on the environment to ensure the
appropriate use of control measures for the appropriate targets. Controlling pest
infestations can be achieved by using the following three principles:

1. Reduce pest pressure of harboring and feeding outside the facility

2. Prevent pests from entering the plant
3. Eliminate interior conditions that enable pests to thrive

Controlling Rodents
Identifying and eliminating features around the exterior of the facility’s structures
that are conducive to rodent harboring and feeding will help to reduce rodent
pressure on the facility. This may include removing loose food materials from
facility grounds, organic mulch products that border the building and unnecessary
water sources from the facility grounds.

Rodent exclusion is the process of prohibiting rodents from entering a facility or

structure. Since rodents can fit through relatively small cracks and crevices (6-mm
diameter for mice and 12-mm diameter for rats), this can be a challenging task.
Exclusion can be achieved by maintaining closed doors at all times, rebuilding
walls or fixing structural issues in walls, filling gaps between door thresholds and
doors and using construction materials that are not conducive to rodent chewing or
gnawing such as metal, copper mesh or cement.

Baiting and trapping are common and practical ways to reduce rodent pressure.
Rodenticides that are approved and regulated can be effective in reducing pest
populations when used in a controlled manner. However, they should not be used
directly outside the facility walls. Trapping devices can be used along the
building’s exterior areas and on the exterior perimeter of the facility grounds to
monitor for rodent activity and for reducing rodent pressure. These devices may
include non-toxic baits, multiple catch traps or other mechanical trapping devices
and should meet tamper-resistant standards, be weatherproof and anchored in
place.

Maintaining proper interior conditions helps to minimize the rodents’ ability to

thrive within the facility. This can be achieved by utilizing GMPs such as cleaning
food material spills immediately, removing potential water sources, removing
packaging or other material stored on the warehouse floor and updating facilities
made out of rodent-friendly materials (sheetrock and insulation).

Controlling Birds
Removing or modifying a bird’s habitat and food supply is an important step in
minimizing bird activity. Activities for reducing bird pressure on the facility
include removing or properly pruning trees, replacing fruit trees with non-fruit
trees, removing or eliminating nesting materials and nests, as well as trapping and
relocating local bird populations as appropriate and legal.
Bird exclusion options to be considered may include the installation of automatic
closing doors for exterior openings, bird spikes on potential perching sites,
exclusion netting for preventing birds from entering an area, bird scare devices and
electric shock tracks for keeping birds from resting on perches, ledges or signs.
Other tactics may include modifying bird resting sites by installing covers or
ramps, coiled wire, “porcupine wire” and repellent gels.

Interior conditions are the most difficult to modify to discourage bird activity as
birds can adapt quickly to most situations. Excluding birds from potential
harborage, nesting sites and ledges decreases a bird’s ability to thrive. In addition,
removing any potential bird food material, water sources and nesting materials, as
well as use of bird netting to prevent access to open areas will help keep birds from
thriving inside the facility. The removal of birds from inside the facility should
follow local regulatory standards. Mist nets and pre-baited trapping systems can be
used to capture and relocate birds.

Controlling Insects
Reducing insect pressure can be accomplished by identifying and eliminating
features on the facility grounds that are conducive to insects harboring and feeding,
and through sanitation and GMP practices. Specific actions include cleaning
garbage receptacles, keeping receptacles closed when not in use, scheduling
garbage removal at least twice per week to break insect breeding cycles,
eliminating excess food and water sources and removing vegetation near building
foundations.

Insect exclusion prevents entry into a facility or structure. Exclusion tactics for
insects include making all doors and windows tight-fitting with no potential entry
gaps, installing self-closing warehouse or entrance doors, installing screens where
appropriate (including windows, doors, and vents), installing air curtains, air doors
or plastic strips on facility or dock doors, and caulking cracks and crevices around
foundations.

Facility conditions are a key factor in preventing insect infestations. It is important

to eliminate unsanitary conditions by removing food and water sources. Keep
garbage and trash in containers with tight-fitting lids; remove trash and other items
that provide hiding places; dry stagnant water or wet areas; check under slabs for
broken water or sewer pipes; and eliminate plumbing leaks. In addition, vacuum all
cracks and crevices to remove debris and food.
When there is evidence that a pest infestation has exceeded the established action
threshold, immediate action must be taken to control the situation. By
understanding options for reducing pest pressure outside the facility, preventing
pests from entering the facility and eliminating conducive interior conditions, the
facility will be able to develop an effective control plan. The actions taken should
control the pest infestation to the point that there is clear evidence that the
infestation is below the action threshold.

Chemical control methods should be considered the last control option in IPM and
may not be needed if non-chemical control tactics are executed effectively.
Pesticides are toxic chemicals designed to kill or prevent growth or breeding of
pests. They are regulated federally and locally and should be used only by licensed
and trained individuals, or under the supervision of a licensed individual (where
allowed by law).

The IPM team as well as general personnel who have undergone pest control
training should regularly monitor the facility and its surrounding areas for
evidence of pest infestation. Continuously evaluating the effectiveness of treatment
activities is critical for determining whether the IPM program is working or needs
modification. The program is working effectively to eliminate infestation when the
facility is below the infestation threshold or is working to get below the threshold
as demonstrated by decreasing evidence of infestation. The pest control program is
not working effectively when activity continues to remain above the threshold and
there is no indication that the threshold parameters are decreasing over time. This
would require a detailed review of the IPM treatment methods and strategies to
identify why the program is not working and how it can be modified to ensure
success. A capable third-party contractor may need to be consulted for additional
support.

Educating facility personnel involved in pest control activities ensures that control
methods and strategies are implemented and monitored correctly, resulting in a
successful program. Educational pest management programs should be established
and administered at least once per year for IPM team members. At a minimum,
facility personnel should undergo some training to enable awareness of the IPM
team, its function, and how to fill out pest sighting logs. It is also important to
require that all third-party pest management contractors provide documentation
indicating the type of education and training they complete on an annual basis.

Documenting the IPM Program

The facility must have a well-maintained and documented IPM program in place
regardless of whether it is implemented by the facility or a third-party contractor.
The program must effectively control and eliminate pest infestation in both the
internal and external areas of the facility. In addition, the program must ensure that
pest control materials are handled safely, strictly controlled, and do not cause
cross-contamination.

The following items should be documented within the IPM program:

1. Annual IPM Plan

a. Conduct a facility risk analysis (layout concerns, known or likely pests, facility
inspection results)
b. Establish action thresholds and develop action plans
c. Perform periodic reviews
d. Document educational activities

2. Detailed Perimeter Plan

a. Include the location of each bait station, trap or other control device numbered
with the corresponding number affixed to or painted on the wall for location
purposes
b. Include the type of chemical used at each location

3. Facility Pest Inspection Checklists

4. Pest Activity and Service Reports

a. Pest sighting log
b. Pheromone monitoring
c. Internal rodent catch form
d. Pest chemical list
e. Pest treatment log
f. Trend reports

5. Educational Programs

6. Proof of Current Liability Insurance for Third-party PCOs

7. Pest Operator Certification or Licensing Records

8. Third-party Contractor Forms

a. Evaluation and approval
b. Signed contract
c. Pest contractor’s company license
d. Insurance certificate
e. Proof of education/training

Summary
Implementing a successful IPM program relies on basic knowledge of pest life
cycles, an understanding of facility design with focus on prevention, and due
diligence in establishing a defined frequency for monitoring, corrective action and
education. Without each one of the key elements in place, a pest infestation could
happen any time.