Integrated Pest Management Monitoring Manual

Collection Management Procedures and Instructional Guide

June 2022, updated January 2024

Introduction

Monthly monitoring for pests is a major, crucial part of our IPM program. It is necessary in order to understand the baseline of pest activity at the NYPL Research Libraries and LSC as well as to prevent pest damage and address infestations before they become an unmanageable problem. Pest monitoring is undertaken on a monthly basis by members of the Collection Management (CM) team.

As of Fall 2021, Collection Management began using Airtable as the repository for all IPM-related data. Monitoring, trap placement, sighting, pest-related events, and reference data is stored in the Integrated Pest Management Airtable base. When inside the base, clicking on the title will show a detailed description of how to use the base.

Section 1: Starting a Program

Section 1.1: Trap Types

We use low-tack blunder traps at SASB, LPA, LSC, and SCH which allow for the tracking and analysis of insect captures. At LPA and SASB, we also use pheromone lures, which are used when monitoring for a specific pest (in our case, to attract webbing clothes moths).

  • Blunder Trap
  • Pheromone Lure 

Section 1.2: Trap Placement

Section 1.2.1: Choosing Trap Locations

Trap placement is crucial to effective pest collection data. Blunder traps should be placed inside every building, area, and room where collections are used and stored. The size of the space and what is stored within it will determine the number of traps necessary. Pests tend to travel along perimeters, such as walls of rooms, so placing the traps along these paths will provide more accurate data. Spread the location of traps throughout the room, especially on either side of doorways, windows, near drains and water sources, and any other possible entry points. To see where all traps (past and present) are located, see the “Traps” table in the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base. For more tips on choosing trap locations, see the Monitoring page on MuseumPests.net. Trap placement is reevaluated yearly during the end of year IPM report.

Section 1.2.1.1: Pheromone Lures

Pheromone lures are placed directly on the sticky blunder trap. There are two lures on a trap at a time and they are placed next to each other in the center. Only one lure is replaced every two months. For more information about replacing the pheromone lures, see Section 2.2: Monitoring. As of 2022, pheromone lures are only employed at LPA and SASB.  

Section 1.2.2: Trap Labeling

When placing a trap, each should be labeled with three important pieces of information:

  • Date of placement
  • Unique name/number
    • Each trap should be given a unique name based on where it is located. For larger buildings, like SASB, traps are named based on the collection space.1 For other buildings, the traps are numbered by building. 2 Traps should be placed in number order around a space. - If you are adding a new trap to an existing space, check the “Traps” table in the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base to determine what the next available trap number is.
  • DO NOT MOVE sticker which should be printed on colored labels.

Once this information is put directly onto the trap, place the trap in the designated locations you selected and take a photo of it in situ (to be uploaded to Airtable later). Be sure to remove the plastic film over the trap adhesive before placing the trap. 

Section 1.2.3: Creating Trap Maps

Floor plans for each space allow us to map the traps for our reference and for Facilities’ reference. If a floor plan does not exist for a space where you place traps, you can create one using Microsoft Visio. In order to have the program installed on your computer, put in a ticket in ServiceNow. To create the floor plan:

  1. Open Visio, and select “floor plan,” then click “Create”.

  2. Under the “Design” tab, click on “Size” and make sure the page is 8.5” x 11” and the orientation of the page should be landscape.

  3. Set up a grid over the page by going to the “View” tab and selecting “Grid” in the “Show” section.

  4. Go to the Shapes pop out on the left side of the screen. Click on “More Shapes,” then select “Building Plan,” followed by “Walls, Doors and Windows” and then “Office Furniture.” Once you select these options, they will show up in a list just below “More Shapes.” Look at the other options in the “Building Plan” drop down menu if what you are looking for is not found in the first two options.

    1. Click on the item (furniture, wall, window, etc.) that you want and drag it onto the page and build the floor plan

      1. These floor plans are not made to scale, so do not worry about size. That being said, make sure you have the correct number of shelves, desks, etc. in the space.

    2. Tips

      1. For furniture of the same size that you have more than one of, make one the size and shape that you need and then copy and paste the number that you need

      2. Make sure furniture is facing the correct direction.

      3. To move more than one item at the same time, hold down the CTRL key and click on the items you want to move. Take your finger off of the CTRL key when finished. The items will now move as one. 

  5. Once you have completed the floor plan itself, mark where the traps are using a red dot. To do so, click and drag the circle from the “Quick Shapes’’ menu onto your floor plan.

    1. Under the “Home” tab, go to the “Shape Styles” section and click on “Fill.” Select bright red. 

    2. Make the circle small (about the size of an eraser on a pencil). 

  6. Once the circle is the size and color that you want, copy and paste the amount you need and move them to where the traps are located. 

  7. Then, type the unique number of the trap next to the red dot using a text box (found in the “Tools” section of the “File” tab).

  8. Once the floor plan is completely finished, it needs to be saved as a PDF. The file name should include the “(Space Name/Number)_IPM Trap Plan (MonthYear)”

  9. The PDF file, along with the Visio file (saved with the same name), needs to be saved in the IPM folder in the Google Drive. 

    1. There are separate folders for each building with an IPM program. Select the folder for your building, and within that folder, select the folder titled “(Building) IPM Floor Plans.”

    2. Drag and drop your files here.

Section 1.2.4: Entering Trap Info in Airtable

Once you have placed the traps and created the trap maps, you need to create records for the traps in the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base. To do so:

  1. Go to the “Traps” table in the base and scroll down to the bottom of the list. 

  2. Click on the “+” to add a trap.

  3. Add the name/number of the trap (same name/number that is written on the actual trap).

  4. Add the room location and the “Building,” “Floor,” “Room Number,” and “Room Name” columns will automatically fill in.

  5. Fill in the “Trap Location Within Room” with a brief, but specific, description of where the trap is located within the space.

  6. Upload the photo of the trap in situ by clicking on the “+” in the “Trap Image” cell. A window will open where you can select the file you want to upload or drag and drop the image.

  7. In the “Trap Type” column, select the type of trap being used, either “Blunder” or “Lg Board Lg WCM Lure” (for the blunder trap with lures attached at LPA).

  8. Set the Status to “Open” and enter the date you opened the trap.

  9. The trap floor plan field is populated from the Location Master List table, so in order to fill in that field, go to the Location Master List table on the upper left of the screen. In the “Trap Floor Plan” column, insert the link to the PDF file of the trap floor plan for that space located in the Google Drive. Once the link has been entered here, it will automatically populate the field in the “Traps” table for any trap designated as being in that space.

Section 2: Monthly Monitoring

Collection Management conducts routine monitoring of all traps across the Research Libraries and LSC on a monthly basis. Below lists the supplies you will need to complete monitoring along with step-by-step instructions for how to do so. 

Section 2.1: Supplies Needed

All of the necessary supplies will fit in a tote bag, making it easy to walk from one trap to the next. The supplies you will need are: 

  • Tote bag

  • Sharpie

  • Extra blunder traps

  • Pheromone lures*

  • IPM Trap Labels

  • Celestron MicroCapture Pro Microscope

  • Laptop

  • Trap Maps

*Only needed at LPA and SASB and they are replaced every two months 

Section 2.2: Monitoring

  • Check the trap. Scan for any pests, dust, and debris. Use the microscope if needed.

  • Record all data in the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base using the IPM Trap Monitoring Data Form

  • To record pest activity: Input the designated “Trap Number”, select the “Pest” type from the drop down menu, and record the “Quantity” found

    • Submit a new form for each different type of pest found on the trap

      • For resources on identifying pests, see Section 3.1: Bug Identification Resources

  • Additional notes may be added in the “Notes” section, i.e. “larvae”, “adult”, “male”, “female”. If the pest type is unidentified, include possible guesses for what it may be (if you have any).

  • If necessary, images of the pest(s) may be added by uploading a photo to the form. This is especially important to include if the pest type is unidentified so you (or someone else) can try to identify it later.

  • To record a “Trap Note”, e.g. “Lure Replaced, “Trap Damaged”, “Trap Replaced”, submit a new form for each Trap Note. 

  • Replace traps when they become too full, dusty, damaged, or are no longer sticky. 

    • Trap replacement is at the discretion of the person conducting IPM

    • Regardless of whether a trap is full, dusty, damaged, or no longer sticky, it should be replaced after one year.  

  • Pheromone lures are replaced every two months. 

    • If you are not throwing the trap away because it is dusty or too full or not sticky, remove the lure with a sharpie mark on it. Then, put a sharpie mark on the old lure remaining on the trap and place the new lure next to it unmarked. 

  • If the trap is not replaced but pests are found, place a black dot with a Sharpie marker adjacent to the pest to signify it was recorded so you do not count that same pest again next month.

    • Also mark any questionable debris spotted, so you do not have to question it again the following month. 

Section 2.3: Closing a Trap

If traps are closed due to low activity, or for any other reason, the trap needs to be removed from the trap floor plan and re-saved and the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base needs to be updated accordingly. To close a trap:

  1. Go to the “Traps” column in the table. 

  2. Under the “Status” column, switch the status from “Open” to “Closed.”

  3. In the “Date Closed” column, insert the date you closed the trap.

Section 3: Analysis

Section 3.1: Pest Identification Resources

  • Google Drive:

    • Bug Pictures folder: This resource, located in the Google Drive, has been compiled by Collection Management during monitoring and it is continuously added to. Within the “Bug Pictures” folder, there are separate folders for different bugs containing good photo examples of ones that are commonly encountered. Feel free to add to these folders (and create new ones if there is not already a folder for what you come across) if you find any good examples of certain pests. Looking in this folder is usually a good place to start if you come across a pest that you are not familiar with.

    • For information about identifying webbing clothes moths specifically, see the Webbing Clothes Moths ID Sheet.

  • Airtable: In the “Reference: Pest Library” table in the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base, you will find examples of pests along with photos. In the table, you will also find the risk factors of each pest along with where and when they have been spotted before in traps across the Research Libraries and LSC. Feel free to add to this reference library as it is not comprehensive. 

  • Apps: There are two apps that we use to identify pests when the previous two methods are ineffective: Seek and iNaturalist. Both can be downloaded onto an iPad or personal cell phone. Start with Seek and if it is unable to identify the pest, then try iNaturalist. Both apps allow you to take a photo in the app or upload an image. It is best to take an image using the Celestron MicroCaputre Pro and then upload that image, as most of the pests you encounter are quite small and you would not be able to get a good enough image with your phone or iPad. Make sure the image is clear and as zoomed in as possible.

    • Seek: Upload your image and the app will also ask for your location in order to provide a more accurate identification. Zooming in on Manhattan (or Queens in the case of LSC) is sufficient. If the app is able to provide an identification based on the image you provided, the name of the pest will pop up along with an image of the pest from their archives. If it is unable to pinpoint what the pest is, try another photo (if you have one) or use iNaturalist.

    • iNaturalist: Like Seek, you are able to upload a photo (referred to as an observation) into iNaturalist, but unlike Seek, this app is crowd-sourced. Once you make an observation, you wait until others respond with what they believe it is. This can happen in a few hours, sometimes days, and occasionally, not at all. You will get an email and notification when someone responds to your observation.

  • Museum Pestlist: This resource is a listserv associated with MuseumPests.net and the MuseumPests Working Group. To subscribe to the Museum Pestlist, follow this link. Send a picture to the Pestlist listserv to ask for help in identification. 

  • MuseumPests.net: The Pest Fact Sheets and Image Gallery on MuseumPests.net is an invaluable resource for identifying pests and understanding what risks particular types of pests pose to cultural heritage collection material. 

Section 3.2:  IPM Report Emails

A monthly email report with your analysis of the pests discovered during monitoring is sent to CLMGT (collectionmanagement@nypl.org). In addition to monthly reports, yearly reports are written for each building. The annual reports are on a January to December cycle. 

Section 3.2.1: Where to Find the Data

In order to find the data to include in your reports, go to the Integrated Pest Management Airtable Base and follow these steps:

  1. Select “Interfaces” in the upper left corner.

  2. Click on “IPM Overviews”.

  3. Select the IPM Overview for the building you are working in.

  4. In the upper left corner, filter the data by the (abbreviated) month and the year

    1. If there are any other fields you would like your building’s Interface to be able to filter by (e.g. by pest, by space, etc.) contact your center Collection Manager, who has editing privileges in Airtable.

Section 3.2.2: Monthly IPM Report Email 

Once you are finished checking all pest traps, you will send out a Monthly Report email using Airtable. To do so, navigate to the “Monthly Reports” table. This table partially auto-populates with some of the information you entered into the “IPM Trap Monitoring Data Form.” The following fields in the table will already be filled in:

  • Report Name

  • Total Pest Count

  • Total Threats/Moisture Indicators

  • Created On 

  • Last Modified On

Next, you will select the month and year in the respective fields and enter your name in the “Report Compiled By” field. 

Then, you will fill in the “Analysis and Notes” field. Using the data you find in the IPM Airtable Base (see Section 3.2.1 for more information), provide a brief analysis of why you think pest numbers were what they were. Below are a few examples of topics to bring up in this section:

  • If there was an uptick in pests in a certain area, what may have caused that? Do we need more vacuuming in that area?

  • Were there a lot of moisture indicators? Where could the moisture be coming from? 

  • Do we need to follow up with Facilities for any reason? 

  • Were any traps missing that had to be replaced? What may have happened to them? Has this happened before? Does the trap need to be moved to a more convenient location?

  • Do odd beetles mean we should check the roof for a dead animal?

  • Was there anything else out of the ordinary that should be brought to the group’s attention?

You can either type directly in the “Analysis and Notes” field or type up your analysis in a Word document or email and copy and paste it into the field. See the “Analysis and Notes” entries for other months for examples of fully completed analyses.

Lastly, once you are completely finished with your analysis and each field is filled in, click on the checkbox in the “Report Complete?” field. Once this box is checked, your analysis email will automatically be sent to CLMGT. 

Section 3.2.3 Annual IPM Report Template

At the end of each year, a report is compiled for each building. The report contains much of the same information as the monthly reports. Fill out the template below: 

Introduction

Monitoring

Trap Data 

Pests of Concern

Conclusions  

Recommendations

Annual reports are saved in the Google Drive in the IPM Folder. There are separate folders for each building with an IPM program. Select the folder for your building, and within that folder, select the folder titled “Yearly Reports.” A link of the report is then sent to CLMGT along with the Building Manager.

Footnotes:

  1. For example, SASBBRG.01-SASBBRG.16 for the Berg Collection, SASBM1.01-SASBM1.23 for Milstein 1, and SASBReg.01-SASBReg.04 for the Registrar’s office ↩

  2. For example, LPA1 through LPA40 at LPA and LSC1 through LSC51 at LSC ↩