Norway rats are your consummate “where you go, we go also” species, being as well adapted to urban living as we are. Meaning that the diseases we’ve blamed on them are most likely grounded in reality. Yet widespread instances of the most spectacular of those diseases — the Black Plague that devastated much of the…Continue Reading News Flash! IPM Research — Rats, Fleas, and the Plague
Snow, Frost a Big Help for Head Start on Quality Turf — or Crops
Are you in charge of maintaining athletic fields? If you’re looking for a two or three week head start on getting your fields ready for spring — consider a proven IPM practice: dormant overseeding. (Farmers, this can work for cool-season grains and forage crops. And homeowners — here’s a trick from the pros that you…Continue Reading Snow, Frost a Big Help for Head Start on Quality Turf — or Crops
Check It Out: Our School ABC IPM Blog
Enjoying our ThinkIPM blog? Truck on over to our School ABCs blog — you’ll find plenty of good stuff there, too. Sure, it’s aimed mainly at school staff — but who doesn’t care about our schools? Seek no further: The ABCs of School and Childcare Pest Management Brought to you by the New York State…Continue Reading Check It Out: Our School ABC IPM Blog
IPM: Pests, Best Practices, and the Passage of Time
January — that’s when the long process of combing through this year’s crop of NYS IPM research reports begins. We’re looking for great stories to feature in our annual report. As usual, we’ve got lots of contenders. And would that we had room for them all. Our theme this year? Well, it is our 30th…Continue Reading IPM: Pests, Best Practices, and the Passage of Time
We Reward Excellence: IPM at Its Best
Each year we seek nominations for recipients of our “Excellence in IPM” award, which recognizes exceptional IPM practitioners who do exceptional work. And when the nominations come in, we’re reminded again of the dedication and support of so many whose work truly makes a difference for the people of New York and often well beyond….Continue Reading We Reward Excellence: IPM at Its Best
Child Safe Playing Fields Act – Frequently Asked Questions
A New York law essentially banning pesticide use on the grounds of schools and day care centers has been full effect since 2011. The letter of the law states: No school or day care shall apply pesticide to any playgrounds, turf, athletic or playing fields, except that an emergency application of a pesticide may be…Continue Reading Child Safe Playing Fields Act – Frequently Asked Questions
Deal with “Empty Nester” Wasps Now — Prevent Problems Next Year
Anxious about that wasp nest near the back door that you hadn’t noticed till now? Not to worry. By this time of year, most wasp colonies have disbanded. Fertile young queens fly off to hide under tree bark or some other place to wait out the cold weather — to chill out, as it were….Continue Reading Deal with “Empty Nester” Wasps Now — Prevent Problems Next Year
What’s the Buzz — About Citronella Ants
In late September and early October, on warm days, you may notice a buzz in the air. This is the time of year when citronella ants swarm, and they can overwhelm a backyard with winged queens and kings looking for a mate and a new home. Citronella ants are a bit larger than pavement ants…Continue Reading What’s the Buzz — About Citronella Ants
Test Your Bed-Bug IQ
Test your bed-bug knowledge — and no peeking at the answer key. A. Which diseases do bed bugs spread? A. Hepatitis B. AIDs C. Malaria D. None E. Meningitis B. How long might I need to leave my house for, so bed bugs will starve? A. A week B. Two weeks C. A month D….Continue Reading Test Your Bed-Bug IQ
What Is That Wasp in the Window?
Those of us who work in “structural pest management” (think office buildings, schools, or homes) tend to see the same cast of characters each year: cockroaches, ants, termites and bed bugs to name a few. But every now and then an interesting critter will show up that has a neat story to tell. Enter Brachymeria…Continue Reading What Is That Wasp in the Window?