grounds be done by a licensed professional, they nevertheless may pose risks to adults,
adolescents, and individuals with health problems and especially children in ways sci-
ence does not yet fully understand.Fallacy #8: More is better.
Fact: Actually, more can be deadly. Labels are very carefully written and directions
should be followed to the letter.^14IPM in SchoolsUse of IPM principles and practices in school environments is a growing trend in
communities throughout the United States. IPM focuses on pest prevention using effec-
tive, least-toxic methods, and is proving practicaltoapplyandcost-effectivetooperate.
A school is a challenging place to operate a pest management program. Most
school buildings are unintentionally designed with ideal entry points and locations
for pest insects, rodents, and other unwelcome wildlife. Inappropriate landscape
design and plant selection often encourage weeds and other pest problems. Diminish-
ing budgets and deferred maintenance exacerbate these conditions.
Schools also include diverse physical spaces, both indoors and out, that require
customized solutions to pest problems. In addition, schools host a wide variety of
people, from teachers and students to vendors and community groups, who have dif-
fering opinions about pest tolerance levels and appropriate pest management meth-
ods. It is necessary to sensitively address the concerns of parents and others who
desire a school site free of nuisance or health-threatening pests, but want this achieved
with minimal use of toxic materials.
Because IPM is a decision-making process and not a rote method, an IPM pro-
gram will always be able to take into account the wide spectrum of pest problems
and the diversity of people involved. IPM methods enable pest control operators and
other members of the IPM team to design flexible, site-specific pest management
plans scaled to the severity of the problem and the level of resources available.
The IPM approach also offers unique opportunities to incorporate pest manage-
ment issues into the school science curriculum and gives students hands-on learning
experiences in the biology, ecology, and least-toxic management of pests that inhabit
school buildings and grounds.
In the IPM approach, considerable effort is also put toward preventing pest problems
by controlling conditions that may attract andsupport pests. For example, to control an
infestation of pavement ants in a classroom, placing ant baits (pesticides) in areas inacces-
sible to children, or applyinggel baits to baseboards might be effective options. However,
many schools have experienced repeat problems because pesticides alone do not usually
achieve long-term control. Some schools have also received complaints when repeated,
frequent applications of a pesticide occur in areas where children are present every day.
For long-term pest control, it is essential to identify why the infestation arose in
the first place. Non-chemical controls such as sealing cracks and crevices to prevent120 | Pesticides