IPM – cheaper than you think

IPM IPM IPM.

Do we really practice it much in Canada?  Not really.

Should we?   Certainly.

Do we hafta???   Once the insecticides are banned I guess so.

Reason this train wreck of thought came up is I was reviewing our products and sales for the year, and one product sticks out like a sore thumb:

Diatomaceous Earth.

But Robert, is that really IPM?  DE is registered as a pesticide though.  There must be something “wrong”.   But in my opinion yes, DE is very IPM, just the same as a glue board or insect monitor is.

For minor infestations, and maintenance programs it’s a must.

First of all, I will go out on a limb and say it is one of the safest, if not the safest product we have in our arsenal.

Secondly, the product does work.  Bugs walk through it and die a slow, painful, screaming, gut wrenching death.  Well, may they just lay there and die.

AND – if you follow the researchers in the States, ALL OF THEM recommend using DE, especially in your bed bug program.

Can’t be efficacy.

1kg pail of the good stuff is gonna run you $20.00.  Damn straight it’s cheap.

Can’t be the price then.

Let’s see then;

It’s “safer” and “natural”.    The product is mined, ground to break it into a fine powder and packaged.

It works

It’s highly recommended

It’s cheap.

So why isn’t it used more?

Only reason I can see?  No instant kill.

I have bugs, you are professional, KILL THEM ALL.

That’s still our mentality.

But here’s the kicker, the companies that start looking at other solutions, offering a program approach, IPM and overall safer means of controlling problems, will learn that there’s extra money to be had.

Even tree huggers get roaches remember, and not just the kind you smoke.

Food for thought.