Exploring Urban Integrated Pest Management
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Michigan State University Pesticide Education, 2001
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Inspect and Investigate
Interviewing
Inspecting and investigating is the first step in
IPM. We need to know what pests we have and
where they live to target our management efforts at
those pests and places. Interviewing people can help
us focus on the problem areas.
Keep in mind, interviewing is a tool. People see
and interpret things differently. Interviewing helps
narrow the focus, but doing your own inspection is
needed to confirm what is there. Because most
people do not like seeing pests, they often do not
clearly see what they are.
Another reason interviewees may give incorrect
information is that many people do not know the
specific signs of different pests. When you visit a
doctor because of a stomachache, the doctor will
ask you specific questions. You may tell them what
you think caused the stomachache. It is then the job
of the doctor to use the information from you in
combination with their own examination to come to
a diagnosis.
Background
Inspecting and investigating in IPM works the
same way. The IPM team learns some from the
interviews and then conducts their own investigation
to confirm the specific pests and where they are
living.
Getting Ready
It is helpful to inform the people that you intend
to interview about this project before you send the
students out. Some choices for interviewees:
custodians, food service workers, teachers
(especially in Kindergarten, Home Economics, and
other rooms that may have food or sinks), hall aides,
principal and secretary, other students.
Tell the interviewees about the overall project
(see introduction to this resource). The students are
simply gathering information to learn how you find
about pests. Explain that we are teaching the
students interviewing and investigating skills, and
showing how their own behavior can influence pest
pro