Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the most important approach to reduce environmental risks associated with pests and pest management.

CIPM is investing in strategies to reduce the impact of pests and pest management on the environment.  

Figure from Magarey, Roger & Chappell, Thomas & Trexler, Christina & Pallipparambil, Godshen & Hain, Ernie. (2019). Social Ecological System Tools for Improving Crop Pest Management. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. 10. 10.1093/jipm/pmz004. 

Over the last few decades there has been increasing concern worldwide about the impact of pest management on human health and the environment. One strategy that has been used to address these concerns is eco-efficiency. Eco-efficiency is the ratio of costs to benefits of pest management in agricultural operations and considers impacts both within and outside of agricultural production. Eco-efficiency underlies a strategy of sustainably optimizing the balance of agricultural production against its negative feedback. CIPM is taking a lead role on a Research Topic on eco-efficiency to be published in the journal Frontiers of Insect Science. This research topic is expected to include papers that will highlight methods to reduce the environmental footprint of pest management. This includes strategies to communicate, identify, quantify, track and incentivize eco-efficient Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. As an example, IPM and precision agriculture can be harmonized through Pest-Smart management, which identifies and translates relevant data using IPM principles for use in delivering inputs when and where they are required.

CIPM through the Southern IPM Center funds innovative research to reduce the impact of pests on the environment.  

These example projects show how CIPM funded research is protecting the environment through conserving beneficial species and natural enemies. 

Developing wetland monarch conservation habitats for southeastern golf course IPM programs

Project Director: Adam Dale, University of Florida

Photo by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Urbanization is a driver of habitat loss in the Southeastern U.S., reducing monarch habitat and abundance in a region where they occur year-round. Golf courses are among the largest managed urban green spaces in the Southeast. However, approximately 40-70% of acreage is out-of-play, but mostly turfgrass. PI Dale has found that creating drought-tolerant wildflower habitat in out-of-play areas conserves pollinators and increases biocontrol of insect pests. The average southeastern golf course contains at least one body of water, which require wetland plant species around them, Therefore, golf course superintendents have requested IPM guidelines for utilizing these spaces for conservation and biological control. However, there are currently no evidence-based guidelines for these habitats. IPM historically promotes plant diversity to reduce specialist herbivores and promote biological control, and we frequently see that increased nutrient content benefits plant-feeding pests. However, since we are trying to conserve an insect herbivore, plant diversity may counteract conservation efforts. Plus, evidence from other studies indicates potential negative effects of nutrient content on monarch survival. Interestingly, plant diversity and nutrients may interact to reduce negative effects of either factor on monarch conservation and lead to recommendations that conserve this threatened insect and promote golf course IPM. Therefore, our overarching goal is to develop evidence-based IPM recommendations that benefit monarchs, pest control, and the golf industry’s environmental and economic impact.

Scales as beneficial insects? Tree pests sustain biological control in urban landscapes

Project Director: Steven Frank

Photo by Sonya Broughton, Department of Agriculture & Food Western Australia, Bugwood.org

Urban trees often have more pests, particularly scale insects, than trees in rural areas. In extreme locations, such as parking lots, tree stress and scale density are so high that insecticide applications and other maintenance are necessary to sustain tree health. However, in more hospitable locations, such as residential landscapes, many tree species are resilient to moderate scale density and generally do not require insecticides. By supporting scales and other herbivores these trees also support robust natural enemy communities. Thus, scales could be beneficial insects if predators and parasitoids they support improve landscape IPM and reduce insecticide use. The problem addressed by this proposal is that many urban trees have scale infestations for which insecticide applications are frequently desired by homeowners and landscape professionals but which are unnecessary and often ineffective. Insecticide applications to trees and other plants could be reduced if moderate scale infestations increase conservation biological control. Willow oaks (Quercus phellos) are among the most common urban trees throughout the Southeast. We have found that nearly all willow oaks in urban landscapes host low to moderate densities of lecanium scales (Parthenolecanium spp.) while maintaining growth. These willow oaks host high densities of dozens of generalist parasitoid and predator species. Our goal is to understand if, and under what circumstances, willow oaks promote conservation biological control in ornamental landscapes and develop these benefits as an IPM tool. Our objectives for this seed grant are to determine if 1) natural enemy abundance is greater and pest density lower on landscape plants surrounding scale-infested willow oaks compared to plants surrounding uninfested trees; 2) if predation or parasitism rates are higher near scale-infested willow oaks than near uninfested trees; and 3) produce articles and outreach material promoting the benefits of low pest densities and conservation biological control in IPM.

Pest Management and Human Health

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the most important approach to reduce human health risks associated with pests and pest management

CIPM through the Southern IPM Center funds innovative research to reduce the impact of pests and pest management on human health.  

These example projects show how CIPM funded research is protecting human health. 

IPM working group–Mosquito BEACONS: Biodiversity Enhancement And Control of Non-native Species 

Lead PI: Yoosook Lee, University of Florida

Photo by Dunpharlain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mosquito_on_arm.jpg

In the southern United States, several mosquitoes of medical and veterinary importance are invasive mosquito species, and their presence increases the risk of arbovirus transmission to humans and animals. Coordinated surveillance and control efforts across districts or states can reduce operation cost, resulting in more complete risk assessments, better use of mosquito control strategies, better estimates of mosquito diversity and abundance, and improve opportunities to detect new threats to public health safety.

The working group has a goal of implementing an integrated pest management (IPM) approach for the monitoring and control of invasive mosquito species in the Southern Region. The objectives are to:

1. i) Build capacity in IPM research and Extension priority areas through stakeholder meetings and collaborations.
2. ii) Build training and research resources on invasive mosquito species to fulfill the priority identified by stakeholders.

iii) Improve knowledge transfer through stakeholder engagement.

Delusional Parasitosis Working Group

Dr. Karen Vail​, University of Tennessee

Photo by Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org

Delusional parasitosis (DP) is “a rare psychiatric disorder in which a person has the false and persistent belief of being infested by parasites (mites and lice), worms, insects, bacteria, or other small living organisms.” DP sufferers go to extremes trying to rid their home and body of parasites. They often apply pesticides, cleaners and other chemicals unnecessarily and unsafely to unlisted sites on the pesticide label, including themselves, family and their pets. Extension agents, pest management professionals and entomologists lack the training to assist these DP sufferers. This project uses a One Health approach, including a psychologist and psychiatrist along with Extension entomologists and pest management professionals, to maintain and enhance sustainable IPM infrastructure by better equipping the Extension agents, entomologists and pest management professionals in the southern region to handle suspected DP.