Thursday, August 29, 2013

August School IPM 2015 eNewsletter

Greetings from School IPM 2015!  
Every day, 49 million children attend school in the United States, served by nearly seven million teachers and staff.   But they're not alone.  Schools are also frequented by a number of pests including cockroaches, mice, dust mites and more.  Asthma is epidemic among children, impacting nearly 6% of school children nationally with rates as high as 25% in urban centers.  Cockroaches are potent asthma triggers.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a prevention-based, highly effective approach proven to reduce pest complaints and pesticide use by up to 90% in schools and other public buildings.  IPM practices such as sanitation and exclusion also improve food safety, fire safety and energy conservation.  Our newsletter highlights real-life examples of IPM in practice and can help you start an IPM program in your school district.  For more information, visit www.schoolipm2015.com. 
Stinging Insects Are Getting Busy!       
It is that time of the year again, when stinging insects are on the move! In late summer stinging insects, such as wasps and bees, hit their peak activity levels and their main focus is foraging for food. Nests and hives contain as many as 50,000 insects, all at work bringing food to the drones and queens. Honey bee colonies live in hives which contain living chambers and honeycombs. Yellowjackets, wasps and bumblebees live in nests. Hives and nests can contain as many as 50,000 insects, all at work bringing food to the drones and queens!

These insects have one goal: to feed and protect the queen as she lays an unrelenting series of eggs in preparation for the approaching colder months. Unlike honey bees, whose stingers will become detached, wasps, hornets and yellowjackets can attack their victim countless times with a stinger that stays intact after each sting.

The prevalence of these stinging insects on schools grounds is cause for concern, especially because school kicks into high gear around the same time these insects become their most active. This concern motivated a study conducted in 2001 by the  New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, led by Lynn Braband, Carolyn Klass, Joyce Rodler and Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann.

The NYS IPM study focused on creating a proactive stinging insect management program tailored for schools and similar settings, and included techniques and learning tools that encourage the use of non-toxic stinging insect management.

One objective was to demonstrate to school officials and staff that stinging insects can be managed with IPM. Dr. Jody Ganlgoff-Kaufmann, a community IPM coordinator for New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University points out that schools included in the study were receptive to using IPM, and were looking for effective alternatives to pesticides. This includes early-season scouting and nest removal, exclusion and discouragement techniques, such as ensuring trash cans are covered and areas are kept clean. These methods can be used by unlicensed facility staff for prevention and avoidance of pesticide use.

"One of the biggest challenges to IPM projects in buildings is the eventual turnover of people," stated Dr. Gangloff-Kaufmann. IPM efforts can remain effective as long as there are continual efforts to train new staff. To learn more read the full report, click here.

Here are some helpful tips to help avoid stinging insects!

Inspect your home and lawn for nests. Become familiar with what the different nests look like. Some nests can be removed safely with little preparation or safety gear, and others require professional help. Don't take action yourself unless you are completely sure you can do the job safely.

Take extra precautions when dining outdoors. Keep food and drinks covered, especially if they are high in sugar. Be particularly careful when drinking from a can, or with a straw, which can hide stinging insects from view.

Avoid brightly colored clothing and perfume. These attract stinging insects, so if you are planning on spending time outside, wear darker colors and skip the perfume.  
'Tis the Season for Mice in Schools
After humans, house mice are said to be the most successful mammal in the world, according to  Integrated Pest Management of the House Mouse in Schools a fact sheet written by Tim Stock, Integrated Plant Protection Center, Oregon State University; Robert Corrigan, RMC Pest Management Consulting; and Dawn Gouge, University of Arizona. Schools are the perfect place for house mice to take refuge; they are warm, easily accessible, and there is plenty of food. Keys to the success of mice include their ability to move along wires, run up vertical walls, survive an 8-foot fall and squeeze through extremely small openings.

Dr. Corrigan, a New York consultant specializing in rodent problems, says that "house mice are the number one urban pest in the majority of schools across the USA, and are among the top three pests for all urban buildings in general." A primary focus of Dr. Corrigan's work is the use of monitoring and tracking baits within a comprehensive IPM program to better control pests, specifically rodents. He advocates the use of non-toxic baits to monitor the channels that rodents use throughout a building in order to effectively combat them.

Non-toxic baits are placed in tamper-resistant bait containers and checked regularly for any sign of feeding. If feeding is detected, a closer inspection is necessary in order to identify rodent conducive conditions, such as sanitation and exclusion issues. Tracking baits will change the color of the rodent's droppings and is one way to check if the rodent is consuming the bait. Non-toxic fluorescent powder can also be used in tamper resistant bait containers to aid with tracking. When the rodent enters the container powdered fiber balls will coat the rodent's fur making their movements easier to track using a fluorescent light.

Preventing these pests from entering buildings is crucial to reducing potential allergens and rodent-borne diseases. By sealing all gaps and mouse-proofing, a school can effectively manage mice and other pests. Mice tend to enter buildings as temperatures decrease from mid-October to November in temperate climates. "Once their food supply of seeds, insects and other items decline with the autumn months, mice begin dispersing from building exteriors to interiors seeking food and warmth," says Dr. Corrigan.

As always, taking preventive measures to control mice infestation is the best management strategy. By taking small steps, such as ensuring the building is sealed and food is stored properly mice will have to work that much harder to make themselves at home. For more information check out Dr. Corrigan’s Ten Golden Ru les for School Rodent IPM!
Check Your Facts!
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has a number of informative fact sheets for mice, rats, Argentine ants, cockroaches and bed bugs for school and childcare facilities. The fact sheets include recommendations for staff (teachers, food service, custodial/maintenance and grounds staff), a checklist for managing infestations, and treatment options. Results from a 2013 survey conducted by the National School IPM Working Group show the most popular resource  for school districts implementing an IPM program are fact sheets (43.3%), followed by a school IPM manual for pest management practices.

The snap trap, a commonly used device, works well for both mice and rats when placed with the trigger end against the wall. The best option is always prevention through exclusion and sanitation. For more about house mice, check out the above article: 'Tis the Season for Mice in Schools.

Identifying the ant species is the first step to a successful management strategy. Argentine ants are the most common ant in California, and their colonies are found in most areas of the state. They obtain some protein from insects, but tend to prefer honeydew, a sweet secretion produced by aphids, mealy bugs and whiteflies. Ants come indoors during the summer and fall when honeydew production declines. Even a few ants indoors are cause for concern. These scouting ants report a new food source back to the colony, and within hours there may be a steady stream of ants. Vacuum or use soapy water to clean up trails.

Cockroaches look for food, shelter and water in schools. Removing these will tremendously limit the probability of an infestation. Use a flashlight and small mirror to check behind cabinets and appliances and flush them out using a hair dryer. A few cockroaches by an outside garbage area is tolerable, but action should be taken if even a single cockroach is found in the kitchen or common area, one female can produce up to a thousand offspring!

Bed bugs are on the rise and continue to infiltrate homes and schools. These blood-sucking insects travel by attaching themselves to clothing, blankets or soft toys. Bed bugs do not spread disease, but their bites cause swelling and itching. If you think you have bed bugs, call a professional. Remember, you do not have to throw anything away! You can usually clean bed bug-infested items by vacuuming, washing with soapy water, and placing the items in a hot dryer for 20 minutes.

Friday, August 23, 2013

EPA to host Taking Action to Manage Asthma in Schools webinar

Sign up to learn more about two innovative asthma programs focused on improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools.



image: Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program

EPA's Back-to-School Webinar:
Managing Asthma in Schools
-
Tuesday, September 24, 2013, from 2 – 3 p.m. EDT.
Register Now for the Mold
and Moisture Contol in Schools webinar
Register to hear from two environmental health leaders who engaged their school districts to take action on asthma.
Are you interested in expanding your approaches for improving the indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools to help students and staff manage their asthma? If so, join this webinar to learn how two innovative asthma programs with unique challenges have worked to improve asthma outcomes in their local schools. This webinar will feature:
1.     A school nurse from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who champions asthma management for her district and will share tips and lessons learned for flood preparedness; and
2.     A professor from University of Turabo, Puerto Rico, who leads innovative interventions in over a hundred schools facing some of the highest asthma rates in the U.S.
Both speakers will discuss the ways in which their programs are grounded in EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools guidance. 
-
Speakers:
·         Laura Wheeler, RN, School Nurse, Cedar Rapids School District, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has led the charge in her school district to address IAQ issues that exacerbate asthma symptoms, including addressing the challenges raised by the record-breaking Iowa floods of 2008. Learn how Ms. Wheeler secures leadership buy-in and uses the National Association of School Nurses’ Managing Asthma Triggers program to build awareness of asthma triggers within school environments. 
·         Teresa Lipsett-Ruiz, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Universidad of Turabo, Puerto Rico, saw a rapid increase in the number of K-12 students with asthma and wanted to help the schools respond. Knowing the solution had to be community-based in order for it to succeed, she engaged a diverse group of school district and community representatives, parents, undergraduate and graduate students to implement a series of school-based interventions.  
Facilitator:
·         Tracey Mitchell, RRT, AE-C, U.S. EPA, Indoor Environments Division, is a registered respiratory therapist and certified asthma educator. She has led the patient and professional education efforts of EPA’s asthma program for 16 years. Tracey brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the asthma in schools issue.
Don’t miss your chance to have your questions answered during the webinar. Send your questions to IAQTfSConnector@cadmusgroup.com by September 23, 2013.  
Please note: This webinar will last approximately 60 minutes. You will need a high-speed Internet connection and a telephone line to interact with speakers and other participants. Call-in information will be provided upon registration.
-


-

Monday, August 19, 2013

August School Pest News issue from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is now available!

The August School Pest News volume from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is now available!


This issue features articles about the importance of IPM, IPM tips for teachers and staff, and how schools can prepare for potential head lice infestations as the new school year approaches.



School Pest News, Volume 12, Issue 5, 
August 2013  
 “To provide the best professional integrated pest management training and advice for school districts and other environmentally sensitive institutions in Texas and the Southwest.”
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service School IPM Program


In This Issue  
Why is IPM so Important?

Tips for teachers and staff to help with IPM  

Be Prepared for back to school and avoid head lice this year
Why is IPM so Important
Most of us in our everyday lives don’t give pest control a second thought. We only react after we see a roach or a mouse run through our house. Yet in our professional surroundings, some of us are asked to follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) either by law or voluntarily.
IPM is a strategy that provides quality pest control using the least hazardous chemicals and techniques.  IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycle of pests and their interactions with the environment.  This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.
Schools and childcare facilities face risks from to pests as well as the pesticides used to control these pests.  Pesticides can help control pests but must be used carefully.  It’s important for all of us to remember that children may be more sensitive to pesticides than adults.  Young children, especially, may have different exposures than adults - - they can encounter pesticides by crawling, exploring, or hand-to- mouth activities.
Read more by following this link 

Tips for teachers and staff to help with IPM 
Clutter and pests go hand-in-hand:  In most schools today clutter is a natural phenomenon that just “happens.” However, many pests (cockroaches, spiders & mice) thrive in areas that accumulate a lot clutter. Clutter control is essential in classrooms to reduce potential habitats for pests.
  • Keep materials organized in plastic storage boxes with lids.
  • Eliminate cardboard wherever possible.
  • Store items several inches away from walls so that storage areas can be easily inspected for pests.
Facing the food battle in the classroom:  These days keeping food out the classroom is not as easy as before. There are those rooms that students spend their entire day in the room, even lunches. That said, teachers and students can help keep pest populations from going “out of control.”
  • Store food in pest-proof plastic containers.
  • Keep items like beans, corn, and macaroni in plastic containers and pick up spilled items after each use.
  • If food or drinks are spilled in the room, clean it up immediately.
  • Encourage students not to keep food, drinks or candy in their desk or lockers. Have a cleaning party before long school breaks.
Want more tips go here


Be prepared for back to school and avoid head lice  
A new head louse season begins each year with the opening of school.  According to the National Pediculosis Association, millions of children in the U.S. will be infected with head lice this year.  Many of these head louse infections will be contracted in school settings.
            Many school employees are baffled as to the reason and cures for head lice.  The purpose of this article is to clarify some important facts about head lice and offer some practical management suggestions for school pest management coordinators.
            Head lice are tiny insects that live only on the scalps of humans.  Head lice feed on blood, cause itching and are a source of embarrassment to the child (and parents). 
            Much misinformation about head lice abounds.  Infestation is not necessarily a sign of poor hygiene.  Head lice occur on all people regardless of socioeconomic class.  Head lice do not jump.  They are spread primarily by crawling from one person to another, often via secondary transfer on hats, combs, headbands, jackets, etc.  It is possible, though less likely, that head lice can be transferred by sharing upholstered chairs, bean bags, or carpeting.
            Head lice can be very difficult to eliminate from children’s hair.  Parents often assume, or are told by physicians, that the difficulty in eliminating infestations is that their child is becoming re-infested at school.  While this can happen, it is probably more often the result of improper or inadequate treatment at home.   Read the rest of the story
To join or leave this listserv, reply to this e-mail with SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject heading of the email
 
Educational programs of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.  the Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county Commissioners courts of Texas Cooperating.