University Archives, Archives Research Center - 2011 IPM Report
Introduction
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a program that attempts to minimize the use of
chemical pest controls by continuously monitoring the environment of an area to determine
likely causes of and solutions to infestations. Monitoring is done by placing insect traps
throughout an area, collecting them on a monthly basis and identifying the amount and types of
insects on each.
The initial goal of this process is to develop a baseline, or expected population, of insects.
The long term goal of the process is to monitor for unusual variations from the baseline, as
these are possible indicators of infestation. In the event of an infestation, several measures can
be taken before the use of chemicals, such as altering the environment and investigating
possible maintenance concerns. The monitoring process also informs these decisions by
helping to locate the source or entry point of the insects.
At the beginning of 2008, 28 Trapper® insect traps were placed throughout the University
Archives' Archives Research Center (ARC), defined here as Rooms 4, 8, 107, and 201 (climate
controlled vault locations) within the Horticultural Field Laboratory (see floor layouts at end of
report):
1. Room 4
Seven traps: one at each entry door (south and east walls); two within the stacks (at the
center of the third aisle from the north and south walls); and one located at the center of
the west, north, and south walls.
Room characteristics that may be factors driving the level of insect activity:
Foot traffic: the Archives staff accesses the room throughout the day to page
needed materials and may bring pests into the room on their person
Increased %RH throughout the Summer/Fall seasons (April – October)
Basement location
2. Room 8
Six traps: one at the entry door; one in each corner; and one at the center of the long
eastern wall.
Room characteristics that may be factors driving the level of insect activity:
Foot traffic: the Archives staff accesses the room throughout the day to page
needed materials and may bring pests into the room on their person
Increased %RH throughout the Summer/Fall seasons (April – October)
Basement location
3. Room 107
Eight traps: one in the northwest, the southeast, and the southwest corners of the room;
two within the stacks (at the center of the third aisle in from the north and south walls);
one at the second entry door on the north wall; and one at a central location on the east
and south walls.
Room characteristics that may be factors driving the level of insect activity:
Foot traffic: the Archives staff accesses the room throughout the day to page
needed materials and may bring pests into the room on their person
Increased %RH throughout the Summer/Fall seasons (April – October)
First floor location: most activity within the facility occurs on the first floor. Insects
and other pests may gain access to the vault location via the hallways.
4. Room 201
Seven traps: one at a central location on each wall; two within the stacks (at the center
of the third aisle in from the north and south walls); one at the southeast corner of the
room.
Room characteristics that may be factors driving the level of insect activity:
Foot traffic: the Archives staff accesses the room throughout the day to page
needed materials and may bring pests into the room on their person
Increased %RH throughout the Summer/Fall seasons (April – October)
Collection activities in these areas continued throughout 2011
Reporting
For the purposes of this report, collected data will be broken out into two categories,
Indicators and Damaging pests. Indicators include booklice and springtails. These two insects
indicate the possibility of high relative humidity, aging building materials, moisture, leaks, and
cracks in the structure of a building. Damaging pests are those that feed directly on library
building materials or collections and include a variety of beetles, cockroaches, clothes moths,
silverfish, and termites. As a final note, for convenience “insects” and “pests” will be used to
mean a broad range of insect-like pests, including those that are not strictly insects, such as
millipedes, mites, pill bugs, etc.
Also, since monitoring of these spaces is done by the Preservation graduate assistant,
the person doing the identification will change on an almost yearly basis. This will have an effect
on the data depending on the person’s acuity and attention to detail, particularly concerning very
small insects.
Room 4 (7 traps)
Indicators
The number of springtails declined from 2010 to 2011, from 227 to 78, and the number
of booklice also declined by over 60% of the 2010 level, from 534 to 194.
Damaging Pests
There were 6 damaging pests found in Room 4 during 2011, up 4 from 2010. No
particular pest type appeared at levels exceeding 2. This is still a rather low level number of
pests, so it is most likely that these pests are blundering into the area rather than infesting it.
Recommended Actions
Given the significant decrease of indicators in 2011, a return to 2009 levels, this
is further indication that 2010 conditions in Room 4 have stabilized.
Room 8 (6 traps)
Indicators
Springtail populations in Room 8 have remained essentially stable, 2011 showing a
trend resembling 2010, with a large spike in late spring/early summer and a somewhat gradual
drop. Booklice populations decreased, though returning to 2009 totals.
While there are far fewer total insects in Room 8, it is following a very similar pattern to
Room 4. We look first to environmental conditions. As with Room 4, the heightened relative
humidity in the summer months of 2010 account for last year’s spike in booklice.
Damaging Pests
There were a total of 21 potentially damaging pests found in Room 8 during 2011. The
largest offenders by far were silverfish, with 8 appearing throughout the year. Aside from that,
there were a large variety of beetle species: 6 odd, 4 powder post, 1 carpet, and 1 hide. While
this may seem like a concerning number of damaging pests, the large variety means it is not
likely that there is any infestation. A large variety of pests suggests ease of entry into the
building, which is enough to explain the number of pests we are seeing here, particularly given
that this is a basement location. Furthermore, these numbers are not unique to 2011; 2010 saw
27 potentially damaging pests.
Recommended Actions
As with Room 4, there is a concern with the conditions of the room envelope. The large
variety of pests shows that Room 8 is very easy to get into and out of from an insect’s
perspective. We recommend starting discussions with the Facilities and Services office and
considering building assessment options, particularly if the following year’s IPM data shows a
similar trend.
Room 107 (8 traps)
Indicators
2011 saw a slight decrease in the number of springtails in Room 107, continuing a trend
from 2008 to 2010. Booklice populations also decreased from 2010 to 2011; falling to its lowest
levels since 2008.
To compare the results to environmental data for this area, visit the Preservation website
at: http://www.library.illinois.edu/prescons/services/environmental_monitoring/index.html
Damaging Pests
There were a total of 7 potentially damaging pests found in Room 107 during 2011: 1
termite, 1 German cockroach, and 5 beetles. This is a very small number of pests, so it is most
likely that these pests are blundering into the area rather than infesting it.
Recommended Actions
Given the decreasing number of indicators and small number of damaging pests, no
particular remedial actions are recommended for this room.
Room 201 (7 traps)
Indicators
Compared to the other spaces, there were a large number of springtails caught in Room
201 during 2011, a total of 580 for the year. This figure is significant, though considerably less
than the previous year’s total of 995. All of these figures are an order of magnitude larger than
the other rooms in the Horticulture Field Lab. This data is surprising, since Room 201 is
essentially identical to Room 4 and Room 107 in size, shape, climate, and number of traps.
Booklice in Room 201, on the other hand, followed a trend very similar to those in Room
107. There were a total of 34 in 2011, nearly half of 2010 counts, and the monthly trend had no
unusual or confusing aspects.
The environmental conditions of this room mirror those of the other rooms, and will not
be shown in this report. To compare these results to environmental data for this area, visit the
Preservation website at:
http://www.library.illinois.edu/prescons/services/environmental_monitoring/index.html
Damaging Pests
Room 201 had the largest number of potentially damaging pests, with a total of 17. The
composition of this total was as varied as Room 8. The implications are the same for Room 201
as they were for Room 8; there is likely no infestation, but it appears to be very easy for insects
to travel into this room. Contributing factors to insect traffic may be cluttered adjacent spaces,
proximity to attic spaces, or a relatively recent re-roofing project that took place roughly when
the increase in damaging pest traffic began in 2010.
Recommended Actions
Given the prolific number of springtails, efforts to dehumidify the space should
commence as soon as possible. Also, given the ease in which pests are travelling into Room
201, we recommend starting discussions with the Facilities and Services office and considering
building assessment options, particularly if the following year’s IPM data shows a similar trend.