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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWhy Manage PestsNEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION DIVISION OF SOLID & HAZARDOUS MATERIALS BUREAU OF PESTICIDES MANAGEMENT PESTICIDE COMPLIANCE SECTION 625 Broadway ALBANY, NY 12233-7254 Brochures in this series ar e a v a i l a b l e f r o m the NYSDEC central office i n A l b a n y , N Y , DEC regional offices, and c o u n t y C o o p e r a t i v e Extension. Copies of the br o c h u r e s w i l l a l s o be provided to Soil & Wat e r C o n s e r v a t i o n Districts, main public librarie s a n d c e r t a i n o t h e r state and local offices. Fo r a l i s t o f o t h e r brochures in this series c o n t a c t t h e NYSDEC or its we b s i t e , http://www.dec.state . n y . u s / W h y M a n a g e P e s t s ? PREPARED BY:NYS DEPARTMENT OFENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVAT I O N DIVISION OF SOLID & HAZARDOUS M A T E R I A L S ANDNYS WATER RESOURCES INST I T U T E JUNE 1999Development of this brochure w a s f u n d e d b y US Environmental Protect i o n A g e n c y and NYSDEC N e w Y o r k S t a t e D E C N e w Y o r k S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n s e r v a t i o n G e o r g e E . P a t a k i , G o v e r n o r E r i n M . C r o t t y , C o m m i s s i o n e r P E S T M A N A G E M E N T I N F O R M A T I O N S E R I E S # 1 I n t r o d u c t i o n Printed on Recycled Paper10 Percent Post-Consumer C o n t e n t • Additional Information Sou r c e s : wCooperative Extension —Individuals can contact the C o o p e r a t i v e Extension or bring home an d g a r d e n pests to them to be identified a n d b e advised of recommended co n t r o l s . M a n y Cooperative Extension office s h a v e consumer horticulture specia l i s t s t o confer with in learning abou t a p a r t i c u l a r pest.wSpecialized garden centers — Many centers have trained st a f f f o r identifying pests and providi n g recommendations.wMain Libraries.wSoil & Water Conservation D i s t r i c t s . Q . H o w c a n p e s t s b e m a n a g e d ? Q . W h e r e c a n I g e t i n f o r m a t i o n There are many reasons w h y p e s t management can be important to yo u r f a m i l y a n d pets, and to your home or apartmen t a n d p r o p e r t y . Proper pest management can reduc e o r p r e c l u d e the following:• Interior damage to your home o r o t h e r structures which may result fro m c e r t a i n types of pest infestations;• Pest damage to landscaping, t r e e s , f l o w e r i n g plants, shrubs, lawns and veget a b l e g a r d e n s ; • Human allergic reactions and d i s e a s e d u e t o certain pests;• Damage to items in your home s u c h a s clothing and furniture;• Pest contamination of stored f o o d p r o d u c t s ; and• Pest infestations of your pets a n d h o u s e p l a n t s . A . a b o u t p e s t m a n a g e m e n t ? Q.Why is pest mana g e m e n t S e v e r a l r e s o u r c e s c a n s u p p l y i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t h o w t o m a n a g e y o u r p e s t s : • N e w Y o r k S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n s e r v a t i o n ( D E C ) : T h e D E C i s t h e l e a d a g e n c y i n N e w Y o r k f o r t h e r e g u l a t i o n o f t h e s a l e a n d u s e o f p e s t i c i d e s . D E C c o n d u c t s p u b l i c o u t r e a c h a c t i v i t i e s , s u c h a s t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n a l b r o c h u r e s e r i e s , a n d r e g u l a t o r y c o m p l i a n c e a s s i s t a n c e a c t i v i t i e s . D E C h a s a c e n t r a l o f f i c e i n A l b a n y , N Y , a n d n i n e r e g i o n a l o f f i c e s l o c a t e d a r o u n d t h e S t a t e t o a s s i s t w i t h p e s t m a n a g e m e n t a n d p e s t i c i d e r e g u l a t i o n m a t t e r s . Q u e s t i o n s o n p e s t m a n a g e m e n t a n d t h e S t a t e p e s t i c i d e r e g u l a t o r y p r o g r a m c a n b e d i r e c t e d t o t h e D E C c e n t r a l o f f i c e , B u r e a u o f P e s t i c i d e s M a n a g e m e n t , ( 5 1 8 ) 4 0 2 - 8 7 8 1 o r t o a n y o f t h e D E C r e g i o n a l o f f i c e s . • B r o c h u r e S e r i e s : T h i s S e r i e s w i l l s e r v e a s a r e f e r e n c e f o r h o m e - o w n e r s , a p a r t m e n t d w e l l e r s , c o n d o m i n i u m o w n e r s a n d s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s o n t h e c a r e a n d p r o p e r u s e o f p e s t m a n a g e m e n t m e t h o d s a s w e l l a s t h e r e g u l a t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s c o n c e r n i n g p e s t i c i d e s . S m a l l b u s i n e s s o w n e r s s h o u l d b e a w a r e o f t h e r e g u l a t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e i r u s e o f p e s t i c i d e s . important? W h y M a n a g e P e s t s ? Q. What is a pest?Pests can be a number of th i n g s , s u c h a s weeds, insects, rodents and less co m m o n l y t h o u g h t of things such as fungus and bacteri a . G e n e r a l l y , pests are living plants or organisms e x i s t i n g w h e r e they are not wanted, such as in our l a w n s , g a r d e n s and homes.People have differing levels o f ‘ t o l e r a n c e ’ for other living things. For example , s o m e p e o p l e are not bothered by insects or weeds , b u t m a n y people have experienced times whe n t h e y b e c o m e a problem and that is when they are p e s t s . W h e n insect or rodent populations increas e i n o u r h o m e s lawns, gardens, and trees, as well a s o t h e r l i v i n g and working spaces, people may fee l a n e e d t o reduce and control the pest populati o n . The goal o f t h i s P E S T M A N A G E M E N T I N F O R M A T I O N S E R I E S i s t o h e l p r e s i d e n t s a n d s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s m a k e i n f o r m e d d e c i s i o n s ab o u t m e t h o d s t o h a n d l e p e s t p o p u l a t i o n s i n a n d a r o u n d t h e i r h o m e s , a p a r t m e n t s , l a w n s a n d p r o p e r t i e s . This intro d u c t o r y b r o c h u r e i s t h e f i r s t i n t h e s e r i e s , a n d d i s c u s s e s w h a t p e s t s a r e a n d w h y m a n a g i n g t h e m i s i m p o r t a n t . A. A r a n g e o f m e t h o d s a r e a v a i l a b l e t o m a n a g e p e s t s a n d h e l p r e d u c e o r p r e v e n t t h e i r p o p u l a t i o n s : • C u l t u r a l — M a k i n g c h a n g e s i n t h e w a y p e o p l e b e h a v e t o i n f l u e n c e p e s t p o p u l a t i o n s , s u c h a s m a t t e r s o f s a n i t a t i o n ( e . g . m a i n t a i n a t i d y h o m e a n d y a r d , c l e a n u p s p i l l s a n d p r o p e r l y d i s p o s e o f g a r b a g e ) . • P h y s i c a l — U t i l i z i n g “ t o o l s ” s u c h a s s c r e e n i n g , c a u l k i n g , p l a s t e r i n g , a n d t r a p s . • B i o l o g i c a l — U s i n g a p e s t ’ s n a t u r a l e n e m i e s t o r e d u c e a p e s t p o p u l a t i o n ( e . g . p e s t p r e d a t o r s s u c h a s s p i d e r s , a n d p a t h o g e n s s u c h a s B a c i l l u s t h u r i n g i e n s i s ) . • C h e m i c a l — A p p r o p r i a t e l y u s i n g c h e m i c a l p e s t i c i d e s ( e . g . f o l l o w i n s t r u c t i o n s o n t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r ’ s l a b e l ) . U n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e s e o p t i o n s a n d w h i c h m e t h o d m a y w o r k b e s t f o r y o u t o m a n a g e a p e s t p o p u l a t i o n i s o n e o f t h e o b j e c t i v e s o f t h i s p e s t m a n a g e m e n t i n f o r m a t i o n a l b r o c h u r e s e r i e s . I n t e g r a t e d p e s t m a n a g e m e n t ( I P M ) e m p l o y s a c o m b i n a t i o n o f t h e s e m e t h o d s t o k e e p p e s t s a t t o l e r a b l e l e v e l s , m i n i m i z e t h e u s e o f p e s t i c i d e s , a n d u s e t h e l e a s t t o x i c c h e m i c a l c o n t r o l s w h e n r e q u i r e d . A. A .