Managing Pests Without Toxic Pesticides
Chemical-dependent pest
management tends to react to a pest problem, but not address the source of the
problem, resulting in reoccurrence. Less hazardous methods are based on altering
the elements that lead to pest problems: entry, food, water, shelter, and stressed,
non-native lawn and landscapes. Schools have successfully used various elements
of the following list of steps, which resulted in a decrease or elimination
of pest problems and prevented future outbreaks from occurring. Different methods
may apply to different situations.
Sanitation Strategies:
- Use heavy-duty trash bags which will lead to less cleaning of the cans;
- Store food properly and in air tight containers;
- Deep clean kitchens twice to three times a year;
- Remove garbage more frequently and steam clean garbage cans as needed;
- Use enzyme-based cleaners to remove pests' pheromones left on surfaces and/or
use enzyme-based cleaners containing peppermint oil to deter pests;
- Use citronella beads in dumpster to repel pests like bees;
- Refrigerate trash and recycle rooms;
- Move dumpsters away from building;
- Use metal containers for storage of food and supplies in the classrooms.
Lawn and Landscape Maintenance:
- Use string trimmers to mechanically manage weeds;
- Prune trees and shrubs and cut back flowers;
- Apply mulch to suppress weeds;
- Manually weed at least three times per season;
- Overseed and fertilize athletic fields annually to promote growth to keep
weeds out;
- Use weeders;
- Plant native vegetation that will be better apt to tolerate local climate
plants;
- Use compost, dethatch lawn and aerate soil;
- Install an irrigation system;
- Seal sidewalk cracks;
- Flame weed, which works well for weeds around portable classrooms, and in
sidewalk cracks and gravel;
- Use herbicidal soaps and corn gluten meal.
Shelter Modifications:
- Do not store boxes or products directly on floor and use shelving made of
metal;
- Eliminate storage or use of cardboard boxes;
- Clear storage areas of unused materials.
Entry Restrictions:
- Caulk or otherwise seal any cracks and crevices and any potential pest entry
points;
- Install door sweeps on building perimeter doors;
- Install screens on all intake/outlet ports around the school building to keep
wasps and bees out;
- Repair or install window screens;
Specific Pest Control
Strategies:
- Vacuum small insects found in the building,place baby powder in the vacuum
cleaner to instantly kill the insects;
- For crawling insects and small rodents, use glue traps or glue boards;
- For rodent control, use sharp traps;
- For rodent and gopher control, have woodwork classes build owl boxes;
- For wasp and bee control, use jar traps like the Oak Stump Farm Trap;
- For bee and wasp nests, use hot soapy water and remove manually. Attach a
scraper on a long pole for removing the nests;
- For ant control, use soapy water to kill them on contact and caulk holes;
- For geese control, a border collie can effectively chase them away;
- For bagworm control, use red spider mites, herbicidal soap and prune;
- For cockroaches, use sticky traps and modify their habitat by fixing leaking
pipes that provide moisture they are attracted to;
- For pigeons, place decoys at appropriate locations;
- For termites, use nematodes.
Least Hazardous Pesticides:
- Boric acid and disodium octobrate tetrahydrate, silica gels, diatomaceous earth,
nonvolatile insect and rodent baits in tamper resistant containers or for crack
and crevice treatment only, microbe-based pesticides, pesticides made with essential
oils (not including synthetic pyrethroids).
Further resources for
pest control alternatives:
University
of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
California Department of
Pesticide Regulations' School IPM Web site
Integrated
Pest Management Institute of North America
Beyond Pesticides/National
Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
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