Least-Toxic Treatments . In an IPM program, the object of treatment is to suppress pest populations below their injury level, but not to eradicate them. Select control strategies that are easy to carry out effectively, long-lasting, and least disruptive to the environment. Inspect after treatment action has been taken. Write down what you learn.
Many cultural practices can reduce pests by making their environment less favorable.
Every pest found in the home, garden, or office represents a breakdown of sanitation procedures. Proper disposal of garbage, clearing up clutter in offices and basements, and removing weeds in gardens all contribute to removing food and shelter for pests. In the garden, crop rotation replaces a crop that is susceptible to a serious pest with another crop that is not susceptible, on a rotating basis. Several practices physically keep insect pests from places where they're not wanted. Barriers, such as window screens, will help exclude health and nuisance pests like flies, mosquitoes, and aphids from buildings and greenhouses.