Steps in Pest Management

1Identify the pest problem.This is the first and most important step in pest control—figuring out exactly what you’re up against. Some pests (or signs of them) are unmistakable—most  people recognize a cockroach or a mouse. Other signs that make you think “pest” can be misleading. For example, what may look like a plant “disease” may be, in fact, a sign of poor soil  or lack of water.

2 Decide how much pest control is necessary. Pest control is not the same as pest elimination. Insisting on getting rid of all pests inside and outside your home will lead you to make more extensive, repeated, and possibly hazardous chemical treatments than are necessary. Be reasonable. Ask yourself these questions:

1. 
   Does your lawn really need to be totally weed free?
2. 
   Recognizing that some insects are beneficial to your lawn, do you need to get rid of all of them?
3. 
   Do you need every type of fruit, vegetable, or flower you grow, or could you replace ones that are sensitive to pests with hardier substitutes?
4. 
   Can you tolerate some blemished fruits and vegetables from your garden?
5. 
   Is anyone in your home known to be particularly sensitive to chemicals?

3 Choose an effective option. Use the information gathered in Step 1, your answers to the questions in Step 2, and guidance in the sections titled “Preventing Pests,” “Using Non-Chemical Pest  Controls,” and “Using Chemical Pest Controls” to determine  which option you want to choose. If you’re still uncertain, get further advice from the free sources listed in Step 1.

4 Evaluate the results. Once a pest control method has been chosen and implemented, always allow time for it to work and then evaluate its effectiveness by taking the following steps:
u  Compare pre-treatment and post-treatment conditions. Is there evidence of a clear reduction in the number of pests?
u  Weigh the benefits of short-term chemical pesticide control against the benefits of long-term control using a variety of other treatments, including non- chemical methods.