Integrated Pest Management for Schools and Child Care Facilities
Promoting Integrated Pest Management in North Carolina schools
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John Allran, the Environmental Toxicologist for NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division sent the following email to over 2700 schools across the state regarding the use of disinfectant wipes and other disinfectants in schools. We wanted to make sure those of you who work at or with schools had access to it. Many people are not aware that most disinfectants are classified by the EPA as a type of pesticide and therefore fall under both the Federal (FIFRA) and State Pesticide Laws & Rules.
We’ve added the two documents below. If you have questions, please contact John Allran at the email/number below.
Dear <Principal/Administrator>:
Many schools use disinfecting wipes and other disinfectants to control the spread of germs (viruses, bacteria) that cause colds, influenza, and other illnesses. Many disinfectants are actually pesticides registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and therefore the label must be followed to avoid adverse health effects, achieve disinfection, and comply with the law. The NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division (SPC&PD) is the State Lead Agency for pesticide regulation in North Carolina. The mission of the SPC&PD is to protect the public health, safety and welfare, and the environment by minimizing and managing risks associated with the legal use of pesticides through administration of the NC Pesticide Law of 1971 and the Structural Pest Control Act of North Carolina of 1955. School-aged children should NOT use disinfecting wipes, as the statement KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN is on the label.The SPC&PD is providing you with two infographic resources developed by the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) regarding the use of disinfectants and disinfecting wipes in schools. These infographics can be found on the SPC&PD website in the bottom right of the gold banner at http://www.ncagr.gov/spcap/. Please share this information with appropriate health, safety, and maintenance personnel to promote effective and safe use of disinfecting wipes and other disinfectants as part of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program at your school. If you have any questions or concerns, please visit the SPC&PD website or call (919)733-3556.
Thank you.
John W. Allran
Environmental Toxicologist
NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division
(919) 857-4150 (direct phone)
(919) 733-3556 (Division phone)
(919) 733-9796 (fax)
Cockroach baits, especially the gel formulations, provide excellent for controlling cockroaches in place of methods such as total release aerosols.
Researchers at NCSU have published a study showing that “Total Release Foggers” (or “TRFs”) are ineffective at controlling German cockroaches. The study published in BMC Public Health found that the foggers do not reach areas where cockroaches may be hiding and can increase pesticide concentrations in homes by as much as 600-fold (a median of 85-fold). Baiting is far more effective at controlling German cockroaches and reducing potential asthma triggers that result from infestations and the use of certain insecticides. For specific details of the study, click HERE
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Posted on by Patty Alder
Most schools are relatively quiet over the summer months, which makes summertime the perfect time to declutter and get some building maintenance done.
Figure 1. Make sure window screens fit properly and are not damaged.
Exclusion to keep pests out. Locate and seal up any gaps on building exteriors. Caulk may be used in some cases, but may not be as long lasting, especially for rodents. Depending on the size of the opening, screen, sheet metal, steel wool, or copper scrub pads may be used to seal openings. Make sure all doors and windows have proper weatherstripping. Make sure window screens fit properly and are not damaged (see Figure 1). All exterior doors should have door sweeps installed.
Figure 2. Debris and other clutter around buildings can provide a hiding place for rodents and other pests (Image: Mike Waldvogel, NCSU).
Declutter. Reduce or eliminate unnecessary clutter, both indoors and outside. Keep potential shelters such as piles of wood, bricks or stones away from the foundation of buildings to discourage pests from setting up camp right outside (See Figure 2). Cluttered rooms or closets can become a home to mice, cockroaches, ants so keeping everything organized is good for all. A little organization goes a long way in eliminating those potential homes for pests.
Figure 3. Mouse damage to a bag of grass seed (Image: Mike Waldvogel, NCSU).
Don’t feed them. Store susceptible food items in sealed, pest proof containers. This includes the foods we eat – like cereal, grains, and rice – as well as pet food, birdseed, and even grass seed (see Figure 3).
Eliminate excess moisture. Remove all areas of standing water. Repair faulty foundation drains, so the water doesn’t stand. Remove debris from rain gutters. Excess water attracts rodents, ants, and cockroaches, and mosquitoes will breed in this moisture-rich debris. Remove all piles of dead leaf material from under trees and shrubs.
Figure 4. Vegetation touching buildings can provide a bridge for ants and other pests.
Do some landscaping. Rodents and ants can gain access to buildings by climbing across tree limbs and entering the attic or eaves. Trim back trees and shrubs so they are not in direct contact with the foundation so that you can easily spot and address new points of entry that develop (see Figure 4).
Take advantage of the relatively quiet time the summer provides to get a little extra decluttering and maintenance done. These steps will go a long way in preventing pests in and around schools.
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东北网2021年05月06日新闻汇总:萤火虫2021年夏日动漫嘉年华等着你来 2021-05-06 10:13 [1060][东北网动漫] 动画冒险电影《藏獒多吉》6月28日公映 2021-05-06 10:13 [1061][东北网旅游] 文化搭台汽车唱戏 英女王威廉王子变身卡通汽车 2021-05-06 10:12 [1062][东北网餐饮], Extension Specialist in NCSU’s Department of Horticultural Science, and Dr. Andrew Senesac, Extension Weed Scientist
Cornell Cooperative Extension, discuss options for weed control without using glyphosate:
Red imported fire ant worker (Photo: Matt Bertone, NCSU)
School has begun – or will begin very soon – in many school districts. Now is the time to get a handle on red imported fire ants on school grounds.
Managing fire ants in and around schools requires balancing the health risk of someone being stung by fire ants with the risk of pesticide exposure. One of the safer methods of managing fire ants is through the application of baits. For optimal results, baits should be applied between 70 and 85 degrees F when fire ants are most active. During the summer, this typically means applying bait early morning or early evening. Make sure the bait is acceptable to the ants. Apply baits when no rain or dew is expected for at least five hours; if the bait become soggy, it will no longer be attractive to the ants. Avoid disturbing the ants or the mound right before applying the bait. Apply bait along the edges of mounds, rather than directly on top.
Figure 1. Carefully check for fire ant nests around areas students may congregate (Photo: M. Waldvogel, NCSU)
Take some time to walk around school buildings and grounds near buildings to locate any fire ant nests. Pay close attention to areas students may congregate, line up for buses, around outdoor trashcans, play areas, and athletic fields (Figures 1 and 2).
If you find there are multiple fire ants nests on the school grounds, a broadcast bait application can be very efficient. With broadcasted baits, a small amount goes a long way. And broadcasting small amounts of bait over larger areas poses minimal health and environmental risks. However, if only a few nests are present, is may be more efficient to bait each mound individually.
Remember, baiting does require some time before results are seen – anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks – depending on the active ingredient. Baits containing insect growth regulators usually take longer to work. With that in mind, if any fire ant mounds are located in areas where they may pose an immediate threat, a nest drench with a liquid insecticide or a watered-in granular insecticide may be appropriate. As with baiting, the best time to treat mounds individually with a liquid or granular insecticide is early morning or early evening as most of the brood and the queen will be closer to the surface at that time.
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Carpenter Ant Worker (Photo: Patty Alder)
Ant season is upon us, and it’s likely you are up to your ears in complaints from teachers and staff seeking some relief from ant invasion.
Know your enemy.The first order of business for successful ant management is knowing what ant species you’re dealing with. If you are having trouble identifying the species present, refer to this fact sheet:http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/a-guide-to-house-invading-ants-and-their-control. You may also submit insect specimens to NCSU’s Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (http://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/plantpath/extension/clinic/). There is a $30 fee to submit a sample.
Control. Ants invade homes and other structures in search of food, water, and shelter. Therefore, effective ant management needs to be a combination of control methods that involve inspection, sanitation and exclusion, habitat modification, and often some type of insecticide.
Inspection. It is important to check carefully and thoroughly both indoors and outside to determine areas of ant activity, nest locations, and type of ant present. Indoors, follow ant trails to locate their entry point(s). You may consider placing a nontoxic food bait in these areas to establish a trail that you can follow (Figure 1.) Although this will take extra time, it may pay off in those situations where your control efforts have not been effective so far.
Outside, check the foundation, walkways, trees and shrubs, and in mulched areas for ant trails. Look for nests in mulch and vegetation next to the foundation. Check under patio blocks, stepping stones, and in piles of rocks, lumber, and other debris. Inspect the foundation to find possible ant entryways such as areas where pipes enter the building, foundation cracks, and around doors and windows.
Sanitation and Exclusion. Removing or reducing indoor sources of food and water can help reduce ant activity indoors. Susceptible food items should be stored in pest-proof containers or stored in the refrigerator. If possible, any class pet food should not be left out continuously. Wiping down indoor surfaces, such as floors and countertops, with soapy water is helpful in a couple of ways. First, the soap removes food residue that may be attracting the ants. Secondly, it disrupts the ant pheromone trails that are leading more ants indoors. Don’t forget to check for leaks or plumbing issues that could be drawing ants indoors.
Exclude ants from entering the structure by sealing up any gaps, cracks, or holes around windows, doors, and foundations.
Habitat Modification.Habitat modification involves landscaping and other activities that can reduce the likelihood of ants nesting in areas around buildings. For example, mulch often provides an excellent nesting habitat for many ants. It provides shelter, warmth, moisture and it can prevent pesticide sprays from reaching their intended target.
Mulch, leaf litter, and vegetation should be kept 10-12 inches away from the foundation. Piles of lumber, bricks, stones, or other debris should be stored away from buildings as well.
Many ants are attracted to the sweet plant secretions and fruits/berries of ornamental trees and shrubs. Ants also feed on “honeydew” – a sugary material secreted by aphids and other insects often found on ornamentals. Trim back any tree branches or shrubs that are touching the house so that ants cannot use them to get around pesticide treated areas and enter the building (Figure 2). Controlling honeydew-producing insects on ornamental trees and shrubs will help reduce ant food sources.
Insecticidal Control. Simply spraying foraging ants may bring temporary relief but most often it fails to provide long-term, effective control. The most effective ant control is accomplished by locating and destroying the nest(s). Sometimes the nest can be found by following the foraging workers back to the nest site. Once the nest is found you can spray or drench it with a spray or granular insecticide. Or you may treat the nest using a bait; just remember baits are slower acting.
While finding and destroying the nest is the most effective control strategy for ants, finding the nest is not always possible. Many pest ants we deal with do not make large, discreet nests (e.g., Argentine and odorous house ants). And these ants often have multiple nests spread out over the landscape. Therefore, finding and treating each nest may not be possible. In those cases, you can apply an insecticide outdoors to help reduce ant populations and possibly keep ants from invading the home. Spray any known or suspected ant entryways: gaps around doors and window frames, cracks in bricks and foundations, around crawl space doors, foundation vents and utility openings, and under siding. In addition, you may apply a protective barrier or perimeter around the building.
You may also need to spray indoors for ants. If that is the case, stick with crack-and-crevice applications and spot treatments,wherever possible (Figure 3). Try to limit your indoor spraying to known or suspect areas ants are using to access the building.
When choosing an insecticide, you have the option to apply a repellent or non-repellent product. Understanding the difference between repellent and non-repellent insecticides will help you determine which formulation is best suited for the situation.
Fast acting pyrethroid insecticides, like Demand® CS, are considered repellent products because they create a barrier and act quickly to prevent ants from maintaining a pheromone trail. The resulting distraction from their trail gives the appearance that they have been repelled, even if a product formulation limits repellency.
Both formulations have pros and cons. Fast-acting repellent insecticides are excellent for creating chemical barriers around structures, but a thorough application is crucial. The chemical must penetrate heavy vegetation, ground cover or mulchand reach the ground so that foraging ants come in contact with the treatment. In such cases, the use of a granular insecticide like Demand® G may help move the active ingredient through the vegetation or mulch where it can create a complete barrier to insect movement. Just remember that granular formulations need to be watered in.
The other obvious treatment option for ants is baiting. Bait may be applied indoors and outdoors. When baiting indoors, you should expect to see ants at or near the bait. Again, this is where communication and education are key. If you are dealing with someone that has low tolerance, try to place the bait in out-of-sight areas. Or, you may choose to bait outdoors only.
Before you spend a lot of time (and money) on a complete bait application, make sure the ants accept the bait. Once you find an acceptable bait, place it at or near areas you are seeing ant activity. And be sure baits are placed away from areas you have applied a spray or granular insecticide.
Figure 4. Outdoor bait stations are an excellent choice for high populations of ant species that prefer liquid, sugary foods (Photo: www.spmglobal.com).
For ant species that tend to present in high numbers, such as Argentine and odorous house ants, you may consider placing a liquid, sugar-based bait outdoors in plastic bait stations (Figure 4). Be sure to place bait stations out of the reach of children. Many times baits are not effective simply because a sufficient amount is not put out to account for the large infestation. Carpenter ants and red imported fire ants seem to accept granular baits quite well. But again, because food preferences can change for ants, depending on the season and other food availability, it’s always a good idea to make sure the ants are accepting what you are offering before you apply it everywhere.
In summary, treating for ants will be most successful when you first determine what ant species is present. Good sanitation, exclusion, and habitat alteration practices are necessary as well. And finally, choosing the correct chemistry and insecticide formulation(s) is key – and that will be decided by each unique situation.
We are at the time of year where termite swarms will start showing up outdoors and possibly indoors. Swarms outdoors are likely to occur not far from trees and stumps where the termite colony is feeding on dead roots and in the stumps. For the most part, these swarms can be ignored but they’re a reminder to keep up with building maintenance issues that may create conditions suitable for termites.
If termites swarm indoors, they can be simply vacuumed up and discarded outdoors. There is no need to spray them with a pesticide (and swarming termites are not an emergency and will not change the fact that you have a termite infestation. It’s a good idea to check inside along walls (particularly along expansion joints for signs or termite tubes that may indicate an actual problem. Inspections can be complicated because of floor and wall coverings including built-in cabinets which may hide termite activity.
Treatments can be expensive because it may require drilling a slab in order to treat termites that are coming up through an expansion joint. Treating the building exterior may help, but it does not guarantee that you’re controlling the problem. Another option (although potentially more expensive) is the the use of a termite baiting system installed along the building’s exterior and possibly using “aboveground stations” inside to attack the termite colony more quickly. Regardless with both of these choices, termites are not going to cause significant damage in a few weeks (or a month or more). So, treatment can easily be delayed to weekend or even until a school holidays for when the school is closed (or at this point, even the end of the school year would not be unreasonable) .
We have some relevant information mostly targeting residential settings but does provide valuable information about termites in general.
The National Pesticide Information Center has released a new poster about using disinfectant wipes in schools. They can be very valuable when used properly, but should 萤火虫vpn be used by children. If you look at the containers, they say “Keep Out of Reach of Children”. That’s not a suggestion. 萤火虫vpn
Winter months are rodents’ most active time for entering structures as they search for food and shelter from cold temperatures. Now is the time to begin taking steps to rodent-proof structures, both inside and out.
Keep them out! Remember, mice can squeeze through an opening the size of a dime or larger, while rats can get through openings quarter-sized or larger. Locate and seal up any gaps on the building exterior. Depending on the size of the opening, screen, sheet metal, steel wool, or copper scrub pads may be used to seal openings. Caulk may be used in some cases, but may not be as long lasting. Make sure all doors and windows tight fitting with weather stripping. Exterior doors should have door sweeps installed.
Figure 1. Debris and other clutter around buildings can harborage rodents (Image: Mike Waldvogel, NCSU).
Don’t give them a place to hide! Reduce or eliminate unnecessary clutter, both indoors and outside. Keep potential shelters such as piles of wood, bricks or stones away from the foundation of buildings to discourage rodents from setting up camp right outside (See Figure 1). Rooms or closets with lots of clutter can also provide hiding places for rodents. A little organization goes a long way in eliminating those potential homes for rats and mice.
Figure 2. Mouse damage to a bag of grass seed (Image: Mike Waldvogel, NCSU).
Don’t feed them! Store susceptible food items in sealed, pest proof containers. This includes the foods we eat – like cereal, grains, and rice – as well as pet food, birdseed, and even grass seed (see Figure 2).
Do some landscaping! Rodents can gain access to buildings by climbing across tree limbs and entering the attic or eaves. Trim back trees and shrubs so they are not in direct contact with the foundation so that you can easily spot and address new points of entry that develop.
Taking the steps outlined above can help you make it through the winter months without unwanted guests!
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The EPA has published recommendations for contracts related to IPM in Schools. Check out 东北网2021年05月06日新闻汇总:萤火虫2021年夏日动漫嘉年华等着你来 2021-05-06 10:13 [1060][东北网动漫] 动画冒险电影《藏獒多吉》6月28日公映 2021-05-06 10:13 [1061][东北网旅游] 文化搭台汽车唱戏 英女王威廉王子变身卡通汽车 2021-05-06 10:12 [1062][东北网餐饮]
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Keep the Repellent Handy
Balancing Beekeeping and Mosquito Abatement in North Carolina
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Pest Management Online Courses Now Available! July 27, 2020
We are excited to announce that online pest management courses are now available! Currently, we have three 1-hour courses available, with a growing selection of more courses being developed. Each course is approved for 1 P-phase continuing education credit in … Continue reading →
HEALTH ADVISORY: Disinfectants Sold and Stored in Drinking Water Bottles and Other Inappropriate Containers July 27, 2020
The following health advisory was released by The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS): Background: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is reminding the public only to use disinfectant and pesticide products that are in properly labeled containers … Continue reading →
John Allran, the Environmental Toxicologist for NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division sent the following email to over 2700 schools across the state regarding the use of disinfectant wipes and other disinfectants in schools. We wanted to make sure those of you who work at or with schools had access to it. Many people are not aware that most disinfectants are classified by the EPA as a type of pesticide and therefore fall under both the Federal (FIFRA) and State Pesticide Laws & Rules.
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