Scouting and Monitoring
Scouting and monitoring for pest populations is essential to good IPM programs. By regularly inspecting the premises and plantings, insect other arthropods can be detected and identified to make sure which are actually causing damage. Notice any subtle changes that might signal weak or damaged areas.
Observe the overall health of your landscape including development stage and phenology. Phenology is a word scientists use for life cycle events and how they relate to climatic conditions. In the case of plants, this includes budding, blooming, dormancy, etc. Correlating these events with pest activity and phenology is helpful for making pest management decisions.
Sampling methods available for turfgrass and ornamental plant pests allow for detection, estimation of abundance and/or plant injury, and evaluation of any suppression tactics implemented. By continuing these scouting or monitoring practices throughout the year or growing season, pest populations levels and plant injury can be documented annd anticipated in future years during the same season. Thus, it is possible to anticipate insect pest problems before they occur.
Next >> IPM Concepts: Pest Identification