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Pest Management

At MIT, we take an environmentally conscious approach to pest control, making a conscious effort to reduce the use of insecticides and pesticides.

Our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy takes a community-based approach to pest prevention, relying on the entire MIT community to understand and practice behaviors that will help limit pest issues in our buildings, residences and campus spaces.

Your Role In Pest Prevention

Every member of the MIT community plays a role in pest prevention, from custodial and dining services members to individual faculty, staff, and students. If all MIT community members practice the following two behaviors, together we can keep our campus spaces pest free.

Maintain a Clean Workspace

  • Keep your workspaces free from food debris
  • Avoid leaving dirty dishes or open containers with food in area sinks and kitchens
  • Store extra food in hard, sealed containers

Communicate Best Practices

  • Ensure everyone knows and supports behaviors that minimize widespread pest issues
  • Provide clear and consistent information on what actions you should take when we encounter pests
  • Please note, you may not apply an insecticide or pesticide in the Institute.

Report a Pest Issue

Pest Service Request

Whether you have actually witnessed a pest issue, or suspect it based on signs (e.g. droppings, gnawed materials, etc.), you should place a Pest Control Service Request through Atlas if you are concerned about pests in your lab, shop, office, or dorm.

This service is easy, free of cost to the individual, and anyone with Kerberos can place a request. The data generated by the request is tracked and will be used to manage how resources are allocated, improve services and hopefully mitigate any further issues.

To ensure the issue is quickly and properly addressed, be sure to:

  • State the location of the sighting or suspected issue in the sections labeled “Additional Information” or “Special Instructions”
  • Be as specific as possible (i.e. building, room, details -corner of the lab between the wall and where the spectrophotometer sits)

Dead Pests

In the event you find a dead pest, please attempt to cover it up prior to placing a Service Request. If it is in a place where there is a lot of foot traffic, consider cordoning it off if possible. It is best to rely on the pest management vendor to take care of the capture and removal of pests.

Post-Pest Cleanup

The custodial team is trained to manage minor biological cleaning. When creating a Service Request for cleaning, articulate that the cleaning requested is due to pest presence or pest death, so appropriate disinfectants may be used.

Pest Prevention Requests

If you have concerns about the cleanliness of your area or in need of a repair to prevent pests from accessing your workspace, you can also place a work order request. To report an issue of cleanliness, you should follow the same process as reporting a pest issue and fill out a Pest Control Service Request.  Repairs to prevent pest access can also be placed in Atlas by selecting “Repairs,” and providing specific information related to the type of repair needed. Be sure to mention that the repair requested is due to the presence of pests.

Our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy takes a community-based approach to pest prevention, relying on the entire MIT community to understand and practice behaviors that will help limit pest issues in our buildings, residences and campus spaces.

Your Role In Pest Prevention

Every member of the MIT community plays a role in pest prevention, from custodial and dining services members to individual faculty, staff, and students. If all MIT community members practice the following two behaviors, together we can keep our campus spaces pest free.

Maintain a Clean Workspace

  • Keep your workspaces free from food debris
  • Avoid leaving dirty dishes or open containers with food in area sinks and kitchens
  • Store extra food in hard, sealed containers

Communicate Best Practices

  • Ensure everyone knows and supports behaviors that minimize widespread pest issues
  • Provide clear and consistent information on what actions you should take when we encounter pests
  • Please note, you may not apply an insecticide or pesticide in the Institute.

Report a Pest Issue

Pest Service Request

Whether you have actually witnessed a pest issue, or suspect it based on signs (e.g. droppings, gnawed materials, etc.), you should place a Pest Control Service Request through Atlas if you are concerned about pests in your lab, shop, office, or dorm.

This service is easy, free of cost to the individual, and anyone with Kerberos can place a request. The data generated by the request is tracked and will be used to manage how resources are allocated, improve services and hopefully mitigate any further issues.

To ensure the issue is quickly and properly addressed, be sure to:

  • State the location of the sighting or suspected issue in the sections labeled “Additional Information” or “Special Instructions”
  • Be as specific as possible (i.e. building, room, details -corner of the lab between the wall and where the spectrophotometer sits)

Dead Pests

In the event you find a dead pest, please attempt to cover it up prior to placing a Service Request. If it is in a place where there is a lot of foot traffic, consider cordoning it off if possible. It is best to rely on the pest management vendor to take care of the capture and removal of pests.

Post-Pest Cleanup

The custodial team is trained to manage minor biological cleaning. When creating a Service Request for cleaning, articulate that the cleaning requested is due to pest presence or pest death, so appropriate disinfectants may be used.

Pest Prevention Requests

If you have concerns about the cleanliness of your area or in need of a repair to prevent pests from accessing your workspace, you can also place a work order request. To report an issue of cleanliness, you should follow the same process as reporting a pest issue and fill out a Pest Control Service Request.  Repairs to prevent pest access can also be placed in Atlas by selecting “Repairs,” and providing specific information related to the type of repair needed. Be sure to mention that the repair requested is due to the presence of pests.