On May 3, four UNL Extension IPM team members (Barb and Clyde Ogg, Stephen Vantassel, and myself) visited the selected demonstration school in Omaha, where we will be starting our IPM assessment June 22. We met with the head of nutrition services, Tammy Yarmon, who had asked us to do an in-service for the food service staff.
During this hour and a half training, we did presentations on general IPM and gave specific information about how the demonstration would work. We also explained what strategies we recommended to the food service staff in particular to help in IPM efforts. These included good cleaning of drains, floors, appliances and surfaces, keeping items stored on metal shelves and in sealed containers, and discarding cardboard boxes as soon as reasonably possible. We explained this is because cockroaches like to hide in the corrugated areas of cardboard (and will also eat it if hungry enough!)
Stephen presented on mice and rats, and Barb talked about cockroaches. There were some definite "Ah ha!" moments, such as how the dark colored, moisture loving Oriental roaches are often called "Waterbugs" but are indeed roaches!
Following the presentations, the food staff took us to the kitchen to show us areas in which they had seen or captured pests. We also looked at the teacher's lounge, where one staff member explained that last time the vending machine had been serviced, she had seen roaches scurry out of it!
We look forward to working with OPS and LPS this summer!
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