Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies are environmentally sustainable and economically feasible alternatives to chemical insecticides, used to control agricultural pests in a holistic, knowledge-based and pest-specific manner with minimal harmful side effects. Currently, in South Africa, growers lack access to reliable and current IPM information. The IPM Initiative, situated within the academic Stellenbosch University Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, has strong ties to the agricultural industry, and was developed to fill this gap.

The IPM Initiative, which serves as a link between academic and agricultural industry environments and functions as a teaching and research platform for IPM strategies, has recently launched a new, quick turn-around service for insect identification within a two day window. The first step in effective IPM strategies is correct identification of the pest so that the appropriate actions can be taken. Often, growers and other field personnel encounter an unknown pest in the field and would like a quick answer of what it might be. Although for most species-level insect identifications it is necessary to examine the actual specimen, over WhatsappTM it is often possible to give an initial indication, which is normally not very detailed.

This Whatsapp™ ID Service is the latest addition to the Insect ID Service of the IPM Initiative, and will act as a basic information sharing hub, as opposed to the more comprehensive reports provided by the Insect ID Service when samples are submitted. Reports sent over the mobile app in response to identification requests accompanying high quality photographs will contain a species level identification and information on the pest's basic biology. A full report on the submitted photograph may be requested, which will be sent via email to the user.

The service is available to anybody, and photographs may be submitted to Dr Corey Bazelet, manager of the IPM Initiative on +27 768067829.