Integrated Pest Control(IPC)

( Article Type: Explanation )

Integrated pest control is the modern approach to managing all kinds of pests, be they insects, plants, birds or animals. The theory is to use methods that control the pests, whilst minimising the possible damage to the environment. For example, instead of using pesticides, farmers can introduce creatures that are the natural enemies of the pests. This is less dangerous and polluting and makes use of nature’s normal population control systems.

Other methods would be to remove the nesting areas of the pests or to disturb their life styles in order to encourage them to break up their flocks or move elsewhere. In the case of plants, for example, it would involve using insects that would attack or eat the seeds of the plants or trees. The IPM approach accepts that there may be circumstances where chemical methods must be used but this will only be done after all other methods have been investigated or tried and failed.