CORE Ch1 Cheat Sheet: Pest Management

🎯 Top 5 Traps

1

There are 6 APPLIED PEST MANAGEMENT METHODS — biological, chemical, cultural, genetic, mechanical/physical, and regulatory. ABIOTIC factors (wind, temperature, rain, pollution, topography) are NATURAL controls — NOT one of the 6 applied methods. Common trap: counting natural/abiotic controls among the 6, or miscounting (the manual is consistent: 6 applied methods). Mechanical and physical are TOGETHER as one method.

2

Action threshold = ZERO for public health pests — NO presence is tolerated. Examples: pests transmitting human pathogens (mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus), pests creating public health emergencies (cockroaches, rodents). Compare: a higher action threshold may be appropriate for cosmetic damage like leaf galls on a shade tree, but a wood-borer that may destroy the tree gets an action threshold of zero. Action threshold varies by PEST, by SITE, and by SEASON.

3

The Economic Threshold (ET) must be set BELOW the Economic Injury Level (EIL) — control happens BEFORE losses equal the cost of control. EIL = pest density at which losses equal cost of control (the BREAK-EVEN point). ET = pest density at which control measures must be initiated to PREVENT reaching EIL. If ET is set at or above EIL, the producer loses money first from damage, then from control cost. Action threshold is the equivalent concept for non-production contexts (urban, structural, public health).

4

Pesticide RESISTANCE develops when intensive use kills susceptible individuals and leaves resistant ones to reproduce. Continual use of pesticides from the SAME CHEMICAL CLASS (e.g., all pyrethroids, all growth regulator herbicides) drives resistance fastest. Prevention strategy: ROTATE MODES OF ACTION — not just product names. Most labels show a GROUP CODE at the TOP indicating mode of action (e.g., "Group 4A Insecticides — Neonicotinoids"). Rotate between groups, not within. Resistance also spreads faster in pests with many generations per year and many offspring (insects, mites, fungi, rodents).

5

Pesticide applications fail for 7 distinct reasons — not just "wrong product." (1) Wrong PEST IDENTIFICATION (Bt works on caterpillars but NOT sawflies); (2) Wrong DOSAGE; (3) Wrong USE (selective herbicide for grasses applied to broadleaves); (4) Wrong TIMING (pest in non-susceptible life stage; insects most vulnerable when immature, weeds before flowering); (5) Wrong EQUIPMENT for concealed pests (under leaves/bark, in soil, within stems); (6) ENVIRONMENTAL conditions (rain, temperature extremes, wind); (7) Pesticide DEGRADATION in storage (granular pesticides in wet/humid conditions clump and may deactivate).

🔢 Numbers You Must Know

Number

What It Represents

4 main pest groups

Weeds; Invertebrates (insects, mites, ticks, spiders, snails, slugs); Disease agents/pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, mycoplasmas); Vertebrates (birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, rodents, other mammals)

6 applied control methods

Biological, Chemical, Cultural, Genetic, Mechanical/Physical, Regulatory. ABIOTIC (natural) factors are SEPARATE from the 6.

5 IPM components

(1) Identify pest + biology; (2) Monitor target pest; (3) Develop pest management goal; (4) Implement IPM program; (5) Record + evaluate results

5 reasons to practice IPM

(1) Helps preserve balanced ecosystem; (2) Pesticides can be ineffective; (3) Saves money; (4) Promotes healthy environment; (5) Maintains good public image

3 pest management goals

PREVENTION (avoid loss/damage), SUPPRESSION (reduce populations to tolerable level — most common pesticide use), ERADICATION (eliminate — rare; effective only in confined spaces or regulatory programs)

3 pest categories

KEY pests (regular major damage — many weeds, cockroaches, rodents); SECONDARY pests (problem only when key pest is absent/controlled); OCCASIONAL pests (troublesome only sometimes — life cycle, environment, human activity)

1947

Pesticide resistance to DDT first documented (just years after WWII synthetic-pesticide era began)

1962

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring published — focused on DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons (long residual + persistence + bioaccumulation in fatty tissue)

1970

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created by Congress to implement environmental protection laws

1972

EPA banned the use of DDT in the United States; many other chemicals subsequently restricted

2500 BC

Earliest known chemical pesticide use — Sumerians used SULFUR compounds to control mites and insects

1000 AD

First known use of natural enemies (biological control) — Arabian growers moved predaceous ants to control date palm pests

🔀 Easily Confused

Pair / Group

Distinguishing Feature

Economic Threshold (ET) vs Economic Injury Level (EIL)

EIL: pest density at which damage losses EQUAL the cost of control (break-even point). ET: pest density at which control measures must be INITIATED to prevent reaching EIL. ET is set BELOW EIL. If ET is at or above EIL, producer loses money twice (damage + control cost).

Economic Threshold vs Action Threshold

Economic threshold: used in agricultural/ornamental commodity production (cost-driven). Action threshold: used in non-production contexts (urban, structural, public health) — pest level at which management action must be taken; may be ZERO for public health pests; varies by pest, site, and season.

Prevention vs Suppression vs Eradication

Prevention: keep pests from establishing — disease-free seed, resistant varieties, sanitation, exclusion, preplant herbicides, fungicides applied before infection. Suppression: reduce populations to tolerable level — goal of most pesticide applications. Eradication: eliminate entirely — practical only in confined spaces (e.g., commercial food establishments) or regulatory programs.

Quarantine vs Eradication (regulatory)

Quarantine: PREVENT entry of certain pests into pest-free areas; inspection stations at entry points; restricted nursery stock, seed shipments. Eradication: ELIMINATE pest from designated area where it already exists; area-wide spraying, sterile insect releases, intensive monitoring.

Selective vs Nonselective pesticides

Selective: toxic to some pests but little/no effect on others. Examples: certain herbicides control broadleaf weeds but not grasses; ovicides kill only eggs. Nonselective: kills wide variety. Fumigants kill fungi, insects, weeds, nematodes. Nonselective herbicides control any susceptible plant given sufficient dose.

Systemic vs Contact pesticides

Systemic: ABSORBED and TRANSLOCATED within plant or animal. Systemic herbicides absorbed through leaves/roots and transported within plant. Systemic insecticides eaten by or injected into livestock to control insect pests. Contact: NOT absorbed — must DIRECTLY TOUCH pest or a site the pest frequents to be effective.

Residual vs Short-term pesticides (persistence)

Residual: control pests for weeks, months, or years. Short-term: control for hours only. Greater persistence increases the chance of pesticide resistance.

Bioaccumulation vs Biomagnification

Bioaccumulation: chemical residues build up IN AN ORGANISM's tissues over time (especially fatty tissue). Biomagnification: residue concentration INCREASES UP THE FOOD CHAIN — organisms accumulate chemicals in HIGHER concentrations than those in their food. Predators at top of food chain show highest concentration.

Mode of action vs Site of action vs Chemical class

Mode of action: HOW the pesticide kills the pest. Site of action: SPECIFIC biological system affected within the pest. Chemical class: pesticides with similar chemical structures sharing common mode of action (e.g., organophosphates, organochlorines, carbamates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids). Resistance management requires rotating MODES OF ACTION across CLASSES — Group code at TOP of label.

Key vs Secondary vs Occasional pests

Key: cause major damage regularly unless controlled (many weeds, cockroaches, rodents). Secondary: become problem only when KEY pest is controlled or absent (some weed species, certain fleas/ticks attacking people only when host pets are absent). Occasional: troublesome only once in a while due to life cycle, environment, or human activities (ants moving in after sanitation changes).

Biological control: Importation vs Mass release vs Conservation

Importation (classical): locate natural enemies in pest's native home, test extensively, import + rear + release; long-term self-sustaining. Mass release (augmentation): release large numbers of natural enemies periodically (predatory mites for spider mites; parasitic wasps for specific pests; lady beetles, lacewings, praying mantids for general predation in gardens/greenhouses). Conservation: maintain healthy native natural enemy populations — diverse pollen/nectar plants, careful pesticide selection, lower-than-label rates if effective.

Genetic control: Resistant varieties vs Genetic modification

Naturally resistant varieties: livestock breeds selected for traits preventing attack; plant varieties naturally resistant to insects, pathogens, nematodes; some plants repel or contain toxic substances. Genetic modification (GMO): small amount of genetic material added from other organisms — Bt corn/potatoes (produce protein killing caterpillars), Roundup Ready and Liberty Link crops (herbicide tolerance).

Pest definition

An UNDESIRABLE organism that injures humans, desirable plants and animals, manufactured products, or natural substances. NEVER classify an organism as a pest until clearly determined to be one — damage may have other causes (weather extremes, air pollutants, road salt, fertilization issues).

🛡️ Pest Management Methods Quick Reference

Method

What It Is

Examples

Abiotic / Natural
(NOT one of the 6 applied)

Natural environmental controls that injure or destroy plants and animals — including pests

Wind, temperature, sunshine, rain, air/water pollution, topographic features (rivers, lakes, mountains)

1. Biological

Use of natural enemies — predators, parasites, pathogens, competitors — to control pests and their damage

Importation of natural enemies from pest's native home; mass release (predatory mites, parasitic wasps, lady beetles, lacewings, praying mantids); conservation of native natural enemies

2. Chemical

Use of naturally derived and/or synthetic chemicals (PESTICIDES) to manage pests

Insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, miticides, nematicides, molluscicides, ovicides, repellents, growth regulators, defoliants, desiccants, disinfectants, pheromones, chemosterilants, avicides, piscicides, predacides

3. Cultural

Practices that reduce pest establishment, reproduction, dispersal, and survival — INCLUDES SANITATION

Mowing, irrigation, aeration, fertilization; cultivation; crop rotation; trap crops; mulching; sanitation (closed garbage, removing weeds harboring pests, draining standing water for mosquitoes, removing wood debris for termites)

4. Genetic

Breeding or selecting plants/animals to resist specific pest problems

Naturally resistant plant varieties and livestock breeds; GMO crops (Bt corn/potatoes producing caterpillar-killing protein; Roundup Ready and Liberty Link herbicide-tolerant corn, cotton, soybean)

5. Mechanical / Physical

Direct kill or making environment unsuitable. Physical conditions altered — water, air movement, temperature, light, humidity

Mechanical: rodent traps (kill or live-catch), sticky surfaces, pheromone-baited traps. Physical: mulches, steam soil sterilization, deer fences, screens, cloth mesh, sealing cracks/crevices, sticky bands on tree trunks. Refrigeration of stored food. Bright lights to deter bats. Lower humidity for stored grain. Greenhouse air movement.

6. Regulatory

Government action against pests endangering public health or causing widespread damage to crops, animals, forests, ornamentals — directed by federal/state laws

QUARANTINE (prevent entry of pests into pest-free areas — port inspections; restricted nursery stock, seed shipments). ERADICATION (eliminate pest from area — area-wide spraying, sterile insect releases). Mosquito abatement laws.

🎯 IPM Concepts Quick Reference

Concept

Definition

Key Points

IPM (Integrated Pest Management)

A pest management strategy using a wide range of pest control methods or tactics. Goal: prevent pests from reaching economically or aesthetically damaging levels with the LEAST RISK to the environment.

Combines cultural, biological, mechanical, chemical methods + tactics like sanitation and exclusion. Site-specific decisions. Pesticides are just ONE tool — consider nonchemical methods first.

Step 1: Identify Pest

Accurate pest identification using reference materials, hand lens/microscope, university diagnostic labs, expert specialists.

Misidentification causes control failure — even nonchemical tactics fail. Look at host, location, environmental conditions, time of year. Pests look different at different life stages.

Step 2: Monitor

Regular measurement of pest populations and resulting damage/losses.

Scouting + trapping for insects. Weather/temperature data for life cycle prediction. Models exist for specific insects and plant diseases.

Step 3: Develop Goal

Set the IPM goal: prevention, suppression, or eradication. Combine prevention + suppression in most programs.

Set thresholds (ET, EIL, action threshold). Action threshold = ZERO for some pests (public health). Determine acceptable damage level.

Step 4: Implement

Initiate the IPM program with selected methods at predetermined thresholds.

Specific to each situation; adjust as you learn more. Observe all local, state, federal regulations.

Step 5: Record + Evaluate

Document and assess results of each management effort.

Some methods (especially nonchemical) are slow to yield measurable results. Others may damage target crop or natural enemies. Critical for resistance management — pesticide treatment history must be known.

Economic Injury Level (EIL)

Pest population density that causes losses EQUAL to the cost of control measures. The break-even point.

Production/agricultural concept. ET must be set BELOW EIL.

Economic Threshold (ET)

Pest population density at which control measures must be initiated to prevent the pest from reaching EIL.

Triggers control BEFORE damage equals cost. Used in commodity production contexts.

Action Threshold

Pest level at which some type of management action must be taken — predetermined unacceptable level.

Used in non-production contexts (urban, structural, public health). Often expressed as pests per unit area. May be ZERO for public health pests (mosquitoes carrying West Nile, cockroaches, rodents). Varies by pest, site, season.

💡 Memory Hooks

4 pest groups: "Weeds, Invertebrates, Pathogens, Vertebrates." Or WIPV. The four buckets every pest falls into.

6 applied methods: "Bio, Chem, Cult, Gen, Mech, Reg." Six methods. Abiotic (natural) is separate — not counted in the six.

5 IPM steps: "Identify, Monitor, Goal, Implement, Evaluate." The IPM cycle from start to feedback.

3 management goals: "Prevent, Suppress, Eradicate." In order from most preferred to most extreme.

ET below EIL: "Trigger before the break-even point." Control kicks in at ET so damage never reaches EIL.

Action threshold = ZERO: "Public health pests get zero tolerance." Mosquitoes (West Nile), cockroaches, rodents.

Resistance prevention: "Rotate the GROUP, not the bottle." Different chemical names with same mode of action breed the same resistance. Group code is at the top of the label.

Bio control trio: "Import, Release, Conserve." The three biological control approaches.

Bioaccumulate vs biomagnify: "Build up in tissue (bioaccumulate); build up the food chain (biomagnify)." Different mechanisms, different scales.

Why applications fail: "ID, dose, product, timing, equipment, environment, storage." Seven categories — pesticide failure is rarely just one factor.

History timeline: "1947 resistance, 1962 Silent Spring, 1970 EPA, 1972 DDT banned." The arc from synthetic pesticide era to modern regulation.