What is usually the first step in a pest management plan?

The first step in a pest management plan is inspection. This crucial phase involves assessing the environment for potential pest problems. During the inspection, the technician examines the premises to identify existing pest activity, conducive conditions, and possible entry points that pests may exploit. The information gathered during this step is foundational, as it helps in formulating an effective and tailored pest control strategy.

Monitoring, while important, typically follows the inspection and involves the ongoing observation of pest populations and the effectiveness of control measures. Treatment comes after a comprehensive understanding of the pest situation has been established through inspection. Evaluation is a step that often occurs at the end of a pest management plan to assess its effectiveness, not at the beginning. Thus, the inspection sets the stage for all subsequent actions in the pest management process.