The idea of IPM has been around entomology department since at least the late 1960.  It was a model that was the results of the over and misuse of chemical in controlling pest (generally on agricultural crops). < sound familiar? 

The metrics required are having some idea of the pest growth curve and more importantly the inflection points* in the curve (almost always these growth curves are exponential or almost never linear). These inflection point typically determine 'when' you should treat. Monitoring for the pest to know where they are in that growth curve relative to the inflection point is the first piece of critical data but only in terms of knowing 'when' to treat.

To this metric the concept/model of the IPM pyramid is formed which defines the type of treatment.  The pyramid is built on a base of mechanical or cultural control, a mid section that is biological control and the pyramid top which is chemical control. Conceptually to apply the IPM idea properly you start at the base and work upward. < this idea reduces out of pocket cost and potential other unforeseen problems which only become self evident over time.

This idea has worked very well for what is known here in Texas as the Boll Weevil Eradication Program (certainly a misuse of word 'erradicate' since once introduced a pest is never truly eradicated). The consequence is much less use of spray on cotton... one of the land owners where I keep about 20 hives told me it has reduced his aerial application of pesticide from 12 to 1 (sometimes 0) application per season. It does require wide spread geographical mechanical reduction of over winter habitat for the pest (that is by regulation field debris is disc in the late summer or early fall). The pest itself is monitored over the season with little traps. 

As far as bees goes it seem the industry went straight to the top of the pyramid which has predicable led to a number of unforeseen problems in regards to contamination of the hive and the long term health of a bee hive. 

*inflection points are where the curve goes from increasing at an increasing rate to increasing at a decreasing rate. <this point pretty well informs you of when the population of pest is about to explode and an economic threshold for dealing with the pest.

Gene in Central Texas but not for long....

 

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