IPM Success Stories
IPM is good for people, the environment, and the pocketbook
Since 2000, we’ve fostered the development and adoption of integrated pest management, supporting projects that focus on important pest problems and provide economic, environmental, and human health benefits to our region. Read on to learn about the impacts of projects we’ve funded and about the work of our partners nationwide.
- In Urban Jungle, Tiger Mosquito Falls Prey to Killer Bacteria
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City neighborhoods are home to Asian tiger mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus and dog heartworm. The Northeastern IPM Center is funding research to control these pests using a natural bacterial disease that afflicts mosquitoes.
- Decoded Secret Betrays Berry Weevil
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In New Jersey, a major center of blueberry and cranberry production, entomologists are using pheromones to lure weevils so growers can time their sprays for greatest effectiveness.
- Swallow-wort Biocontrols Pass Test
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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.
- School IPM: Good for Children, Easy on the Budget
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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 Tackles Bed Bugs, Cockroaches, and Hoarding
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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.
- Nervous Ticks
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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.
- Growers PIPE Up for High-Tech Tools
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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.
- Thriving on IPM
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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.”
- Tomato Seed Treatment Prevents Bacterial Canker
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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.
- Beetles v. Purple Loosestrife
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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.