Safe Cockroach Control: A Guide to Setting Up an Integrated Pest Management Program within a School System.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a decision-making approach to pest control that has been used successfully on farms, city parks, offices, homes, and schools. IPM programs help individuals decide when treatments are necessary, where treatment would be most helpful, and what combinations of tactics would be most effective, safe, and inexpensive to adequately suppress the pests. The basic strategy of IPM involves modifying the environment so it is not capable of supporting a large pest population. This guide is designed for use by school system administrators in setting up an IPM program to control cockroaches throughout the school system. The program operates within the school hierarchy using four primary workgroups: pest control service operators; school principals; maintenance service personnel; and food service personnel. The first part of the guide, presenting the basics of a school IPM program, includes sections on: program initiation; five basic components of a cockroach control program; workshop composition/responsibilities; recordkeeping forms; and details of program components. The second part provides more detailed descriptions of the program's components and a brief discussion of basic cockroach biology and behavior. The final part describes elementary-level teaching packets available to school systems interested in including alternative pest management techniques in their curricula. (JN)