Swallow-wort, a rampant invasive species in the Northeast, smothers small trees and native plants. Rhode Island entomologist Richard Casagrande is identifying natural enemies of this pest.

Drosophila suzukii, a small vinegar fly with the potential to damage many fruit crops, has been confirmed in several northeastern states.

Growing Green Lawns website; Brown Marmorated Stink Bug information; New York City’s bed bug site; and Louisiana State’s Pest Identification Guide for Pests in and around Buildings.

IPM proponents persuade school districts to choose pest prevention over sprays. “Schools that switch to IPM show a decline in pesticide use and are still able to keep pests at bay,” says UMass entomologist Bill Coli, who evaluates the impact of IPM projects.

IPM Training in Public Housing Authorities is a multiregional project that aims to strengthen communities and use integrated pest management to address housing conditions that threaten human health.

The Northeast Regional IPM Competitive Grants program has awarded approximately $580,000 to support seven projects that confront pest threats to children, honey bees, and crops.

The newly funded Brown Marmorated Stink Bug IPM Working Group hit the ground running in June 2010, when its 30 members met in West Virginia to establish research, extension, and regulatory priorities for an intensifying problem.

IPM Voice is an independent organization formed to secure the attention and resources that IPM deserves and needs.

IPM sets a bleak scene for Lyme disease carriers: The threat of Lyme disease has added a note of caution to outdoor activities in recent years. The Northeastern IPM Center funds research on ways to control ticks to protect human health while reducing the use of pesticides.

A new IPM Working Group is taking aim at the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), a pest that was introduced from Asia in the 1990s and has since spread to all of the mid-Atlantic states.

In 2010, the Northeastern IPM Center has awarded more than $400,000 to support research and outreach projects in northeastern states through the IPM Partnership Grants Program.

Greenhouses extend the growing season and increase profits for northeastern growers, but they also create ideal conditions for pest outbreaks. Guardian plants may help trap pests and shelter beneficial insects.

Penn State adapts early warning system for key pests, new crops. Pest forecasting models are a powerful tool, but high-tech early-warning systems require significant investment and expertise. To save costs, PA IPM researchers have adapted an existing online system.

Fresh ideas and strong relationships keep farm vibrant. Family farmer Don Dzen is convinced that expanding his use of IPM was a smart decision: “Each year there’s been something that paid for itself, something we were missing before.”

Five years ago, bacterial canker was a growing threat to New Jersey’s $28 million fresh market tomato industry. IPM researchers have introduced growers to a seed heat treatment that eliminates seed as the primary inoculum source.

Can these natural enemies slow the invasion? IPM programs in the Northeast have enlisted the help of two beetle species to slow the spread of purple loosestrife, and they find that these insects can significantly inhibit the weed’s growth.

Researchers, educators, consultants, and growers are working to synthesize current knowledge and create an advanced IPM system that could enhance profits and sustainability.

The 2009 growing season will be remembered for its widespread outbreak of late blight. Gardeners and farmers can prepare now for a healthy crop next year.