Ticked off about ticks? You are not alone. And knowing the what, where, why, etc. is critical to knowing how to deal with them. So here it is, the first in a series: the low-down on that pest we love to hate. May you, dear reader, stay tick-free and healthy. 1. What, exactly, is a…Continue Reading The low-down on ticks. Part 1A, Biology Q&A
Poison ivy (like the Rolling Stones said …)
… and now, more than ever, poison ivy’s gonna make you itch. (The Rolling Stones) I remember the first time I had poison ivy. The particulars are long lost along memory lane. Even so, it was unforgettable. Most likely I was about five years old and, as a born and bred tomboy, I’d been scrambling…Continue Reading Poison ivy (like the Rolling Stones said …)
Pests and pupils don’t mix
Year in and out, outreach to schools has our community IPM staff going back to school. Literally. We work with maintenance staff, nurses, groundskeepers, teachers, and parents. We provide the insight and know-how it takes to keep kids safe from pests and pesticides both. But schools are tricky to manage because—well, think of them as…Continue Reading Pests and pupils don’t mix
New York State School Environmental Health Summit: Is Your School Clean, Green, and Healthy?
A tentatively scheduled FREE conference for School Professionals, including teachers, facilities managers, nurses, administrators and others. Learn more about indoor air quality, asthma management, integrated pest management, and national programs to promote environmental health in schools. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Location: Saratoga Springs City Center 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Date: October…Continue Reading New York State School Environmental Health Summit: Is Your School Clean, Green, and Healthy?
NYS IPM Program Participates in Forthcoming Launch of a Statewide School Environmental Health Program
On June 18, NYS IPM Program staff met with a diverse group of people and organizations to develop a comprehensive effort to ensure that every child and school employee in the state have safe and healthy learning and working environments. The last of four meetings over a two-year period, the interaction was organized by the…Continue Reading NYS IPM Program Participates in Forthcoming Launch of a Statewide School Environmental Health Program
Survey Provides Insights into IPM within NYS Schools
A 2013 survey of the pest management policies and practices of New York State public schools was recently published on-line: Pest Management Practices: A Survey of Public School Districts in New York State. A partnership of the NYS IPM Program, the NYS Department of Health, the NYS Education Department, and the NYS School Facilities Association, the…Continue Reading Survey Provides Insights into IPM within NYS Schools
News Flash! IPM Research — Rats, Fleas, and the Plague
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
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
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
Mice in Your School? Who’s Job Is It, Anyway?
School kitchens, cafeterias, and food storage areas provide great habitat for mice. And it takes real dedication and attention to detail to deep-clean those hard to reach places. But here’s why you’ve got to: Mouse droppings, urine, and even the greasy sebum trail — grease marks from protective oils on rodent fur —aren’t just health…Continue Reading Mice in Your School? Who’s Job Is It, Anyway?