| In recent years, Integrated Pest Management | | | | make a nest by your home and provide a |
| (IPM) has become quite a buzz word in the | | | | "stakeout" for rodents to be able to gain easier |
| agriculture arena. However, the basic meaning of | | | | access into the home. |
| IPM is that it is a pest control strategy that uses | | | | Trim Your Trees |
| a combination of physical, biological, cultural, and | | | | To keep out squirrels and other such rodents |
| chemical methods, to name a few. The methods | | | | from entering through an attic or another |
| are conducted in three stages, from prevention | | | | structure from the roof of the house, work on |
| to observation, and to intervention. IPM is | | | | trimming your tree limbs. Rodents can gain access |
| considered a holistic approach created to reduce | | | | to the home by using tree branches, especially |
| or even eliminate the use of pesticides altogether. | | | | those that overlap the roof line, to get into the |
| Whether you spent your Winter holidays trying to | | | | home. Trim your limbs back to at least eight to |
| get rid of the rodents or whatever other pest | | | | ten feet from the roof. If you don't feel |
| was lurking around in your home, now is a good | | | | comfortable with tree trimming, an alternative |
| time to continue those activities, as long as cold | | | | option is to place sheet metal bands around the |
| weather is here. Spend your February on limiting | | | | trunks of the trees to discourage squirrels and |
| pest access in an IPM way. Below are some of | | | | other rodents from climbing them. |
| the ways you can participate in a natural pest | | | | Remove Excess Plant Growth |
| management activity, without using harmful | | | | As mentioned with trimming tree limbs, the same |
| pesticides, a benefit for you and your family. | | | | applies to plants around your home. Pruning |
| Check Door/Garage Door Sweeps | | | | appropriately can help stave off pests or at least |
| Your door sweeps and seals, mostly used for | | | | provide some control. Experts recommend pruning |
| blocking wind and weather, can also serve as a | | | | plants when they are young to minimize the need |
| means to stop pests from entering. Door | | | | to remove large limbs later on, thus avoiding large |
| bottoms can shift and lose their ability to keep | | | | pruning wounds. If there are pests using one part |
| out intruders, so it is a good idea to check them | | | | of the plant, you can prune them out as well. |
| and make sure the weather stripping is still | | | | Store Firewood Properly |
| performing. If you can see light coming in from | | | | If your home has a fireplace that you and the |
| underneath the door, the seal needs to be fixed. | | | | family like to gather around during cold weather, |
| Garage doors can have the same problem. Check | | | | then you should be concerned about how you |
| your windows and screens as well and any | | | | store the firewood that you use. Insects can |
| openings that pests can use to enter the home. | | | | emerge from the firewood that you have in your |
| Maintain and Monitor Your Soil Level | | | | home, and while not necessarily harmful, these |
| Most modern home designs have foundations | | | | bugs can be quite a nuisance. Pests such as |
| which are tall enough so that no wooden portion | | | | termites, wood-boring beetles and carpenter ants |
| of the structure is within eight inches of the | | | | can often be found feeding within the logs of the |
| ground, in order to prevent termites from | | | | firewood. |
| attacking and consuming wood without ever | | | | Store firewood outdoors away from the home |
| leaving the comfort of the ground. | | | | and off the ground - this can increase air |
| With this in mind, it is a good idea to scoop out | | | | circulation for drying and helps prevent logs from |
| any excess soil along the side of the foundation, | | | | being too moist. Before bringing in firewood, shake |
| so that you are not giving termites or other | | | | or knock the logs together to remove any |
| pests that extra leverage to get in at a critical | | | | insects still on the bark. You may also want to |
| entry point. The key is keep the soil level below | | | | check the bottom of log carriers because insects |
| the level of the foundation. | | | | can crawl into them when logs are brought inside. |
| Remove Debris | | | | With such IPM methods to employ this month, |
| Along with maintaining the soil level, you should | | | | you are not only using your common sense, but |
| also do a cleanup of any leaves and/or debris that | | | | you are also providing an enormous environmental |
| have accumulated near or at the foundation of | | | | benefit to your home, neighbors, and surrounding |
| your home. Debris will only encourage rodents to | | | | community. |