Keep in mind that the initial inspection will take much more time to complete than subsequent surveys. Knowing a pest's habitat can save time in the monitoring program. For example, moist areas, such as underneath sinks, tend to attract some insect pests. Such areas can be watched more frequently and closely. The anticipated time of pest development can alert a pest manager to the most opportune times for scouting.
Some insect pests are present only during specific times of the year.
With a little experience, pest managers can predict when the pest will appear and damage will occur. Keeping records that contain monitoring counts, sanitation practices, pesticide use and other relevant information can be helpful in the long-range IPM program. In the original IPM models that were developed in agricultural environments, management measures were based on economic thresholds. To justify treatment, pest populations or pest damage had to exceed this threshold. In the urban landscape arena, there may be two different types of thresholds to take into consideration when making pest management decisions.