IPM Laboratories

What IPM Laboratories does

IPM Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held US biotechnology company founded in 1981 (as IPM Services) and incorporated under its current name in 1985. Headquartered in Locke, New York, with 11-50 employees, the company produces 7 species of beneficial organisms and distributes more than 45-50 additional species used for biological pest control - principally parasitic wasps, predatory mites, ladybeetles, lacewings, hister beetles, fly parasites (Muscidifurax raptor, M. raptorellus, Nasonia vitripennis), and banker plants such as Aphid Guard. Its product portfolio addresses aphids, thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, mealybugs, scales, fungus gnats, house flies, and stable flies across plant cultivation and animal agriculture settings.

The underlying technology is biological rather than digital: IPM Labs rears living organisms in-house and ships them with quality-assurance warranties ("alive and healthy when received" with correct species counts). Notable proprietary components include seasonal species optimization (M. raptor for cool winters, M. raptorellus added in warm seasons), the Guardian Plant System methodology combining banker/trap/habitat/indicator plants, and Aphid Guard banker plants using barley with bird cherry oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi) to sustain Aphidius colemani. Distribution is nationwide in the United States and serves three primary customer segments: commercial and hobby plant growers/greenhouses, commercial agriculture operations (dairy, poultry, small farms), and individual horse/pet owners.

The business model combines one-time e-commerce hardware sales (fly traps $21.95-$34, replacement sleeves), seasonal recurring fly parasite subscriptions priced $175-$699 across biweekly to weekly shipments from May to October, and consultative phone/email sales for plant pest controls and custom commercial agriculture programs that are explicitly not sold online. Pricing is unit-based with shipping included and orders confirmed by phone. Marketing is content-led through the company website, articles and fact sheets, conference presentations, and leadership roles in the Association of Natural Bio-Control Producers (ANBP) and ASTM International subcommittee E35.30. The company is founder-led by Carol Glenister, is independent of venture capital or private equity, has no parent company or subsidiaries, and has no disclosed funding rounds or M&A history.

Name

IPM Laboratories

Legal name

IPM Laboratories, Inc.

Website

https://ipmlabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IPM Laboratories is a privately held US biotechnology company that produces and distributes beneficial insects, mites, wasps, and banker plants for biological pest control in greenhouses, commercial agriculture, and equine/pet settings, selling direct via e-commerce and phone consultation nationwide since 1981.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biological Pest Control Products

NAICS

Exterminating and Pest Control Services (561710)

akta.pro primary industry

Biological Control Services (Beneficial Insects, Microbials) (AFACAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Insect Control (Crawling/Flying Insects) for Farms & Ag Facilities (AFACAGAF), Agriculture, Greenhouse & Nursery Commercial Pest Services (HSAMAKAO)

Keywords

• Biological pest control
• Beneficial insects supply
• Integrated pest management
• Fly parasite programs
• Greenhouse pest management

Headquarters

HQ city

Locke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beneficial Insect Product Sales: Sale of biological control products including fly parasites, predatory insects, and beneficial mites for plant and animal pest management. Products sold directly through e-commerce store and phone orders with personalized consultation.
2. Fly Parasite Subscription Schedules: Recurring delivery programs for fly parasites with scheduled shipments throughout fly season (May-October). Schedules range from biweekly to monthly shipments, providing recurring revenue from commercial agriculture customers.
3. Physical Products: Sale of physical pest control equipment including Biting Fly Traps, Face Fly Traps, and Replacement Sleeves. One-time purchases with replacement parts available.
4. Information Products: Supply of information on integrated pest management including articles, fact sheets, and conference presentations supporting successful use of biological controls.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IPM Laboratories produces and distributes beneficial organisms (parasitic wasps, predatory mites, ladybeetles, lacewings, hister beetles) for biological control of plant pests (aphids, thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, mealybugs, scales, fungus gnats) and animal flies (house flies, stable flies) in dairy, poultry, horse, and small farm settings. The company produces 7 species in-house and distributes more than 50 other species, supported by physical fly traps, banker plants, and subscription fly parasite delivery schedules.

Product overview

IPM Laboratories is a biological pest control company that produces and distributes beneficial organisms for integrated pest management. Their product portfolio centers on biological controls including beneficial insects (parasitic wasps, predatory mites, ladybeetles, lacewings, hister beetles) and physical fly traps (Biting Fly Trap, Face Fly Trap with replacement sleeves). They offer structured fly parasite programs (Fly Parasite Monthly and Schedules A, B, C) for livestock operations and a Guardian Plant System methodology that uses banker plants and habitat plants to support natural enemy populations. The company produces 7 species of beneficial organisms and distributes more than 50 other species.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fly Parasite Monthly Monthly fly parasite shipment program providing 5,000 host pupae with an extra 5,000 added to one shipment, delivered every four weeks for horses and pets. Priced at $175.00 per month.
• Fly Parasite Schedule A Biweekly fly parasite program for 1-9 horses, delivering 5,000 host pupae per shipment across 10 shipments. Priced at $297.50 total with shipping included.
• Fly Parasite Schedule B Biweekly fly parasite program for 10-19 horses, delivering 10,000 host pupae per shipment across 10 shipments. Priced at $363.50 total with shipping included.
• Fly Parasite Schedule C Weekly fly parasite program for 20-39 horses, delivering 10,000 host pupae per shipment across 20 shipments. Priced at $699.00 total with shipping included.
• Biting Fly Trap Physical fly trap with fiberglass cylinder and Stiky Sleeve for controlling horse flies, deer flies, and horn flies in pastures, paddocks, kennels, and swimming pools. Catches up to 5,000 flies per trap. Priced at $34.00 and includes fiberglass cylinder, wooden stake, brass fasteners, giant paperclips, and Stiky Sleeve.
• Face Fly Trap Physical trap designed for face fly control in livestock settings. Priced at $28.30.
• Replacement Sleeves (10) for Biting Fly Trap Replacement Stiky Sleeves (10-pack) for Biting Fly Trap. Priced at $26.44.
• Aphid Guard Banker Plants Barley with bird cherry oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi) used to support healthy populations of Aphidius colemani. Each unit contains 4,500 to 11,000 aphids that attack cereals but not broad-leaved plants.
• Guardian Plant System Methodology combining indicator plants, trap plants, habitat plants, and banker plants to pull pests and support natural enemies. Includes barley banker plants for aphids, marigolds for thrips, lantana for whitefly, and ornamental peppers.
• Aphidius colemani Small parasitic wasp for controlling green peach and melon aphids. Optimal environment: 50-76°F, tolerates cool temperature and low light.
• Aphidius ervi Parasitic wasp for controlling potato aphids and greenhouse potato aphids. Grown on pea aphids with fava beans, peas, sweet peas, and lupines.
• Encarsia formosa Tiny wasp (0.6mm) that attacks whiteflies by puncturing/feeding on scales or laying eggs in scales. Produces 30-500 eggs during lifespan.
• Eretmocerus eremicus Parasite specifically adapted to silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii). Lays eggs under small young scales of silverleaf whitefly. Tolerates higher temperatures (75-100°F) than Encarsia.
• Chrysoperla rufilabris (Lacewings) General predator lacewings that feed on aphids, mealybugs, scales, spider mites, thrips, and small caterpillars. Each aphid lion consumes 200-300 aphids.
• Hippodamia convergens (Ladybeetles) Field-collected ladybeetles that are general predators preferring aphids. Adults can consume 5,000 aphids each during their lifetime.
• Muscidifurax raptor Fly parasite species well suited for cooler climates with snowy winters. Produces single offspring per host pupa. Used as core species in cold winter months.
• Muscidifurax raptorellus Fly parasite species producing multiple offspring per host pupa. Used during warmer seasons but requires warm temperatures to thrive.
• Hister Beetles Shiny black beetles (slightly longer than 1/16 inch) that consume large numbers of house fly eggs and small housefly larvae in poultry manure. Each adult destroys an average of 54 housefly immatures per day at 80°F.
• Neoseiulus cucumeris (Predatory Mite) Tan-orange predatory mite that consumes up to 10 thrips per day. Can survive on pollen and spider mites in absence of thrips.
• Orius insidiosus (Minute Pirate Bug) Small predaceous bug that kills thrips by piercing and sucking body contents. Adults eat 5-20 thrips per day. Can survive on pollen in absence of prey.
• Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Tropical lady beetle (mealybug destroyer) for rapid control of high populations of citrus mealybugs. Adults lay 200-700 eggs during 27-70 day lifespan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Weekly releases of 25,000 fly parasites combined with good manure management reduced fly numbers by more than half during peak season (mid-July to mid-August) on Cornell University study dairy farms
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Natural Bio-Control Producers (ANBP)coreOthersCarol Glenister serves as past president and current member of the ANBP Board of Directors. ANBP is the only professional organization representing biological pest control producers in North America, formed in 1990 with approximately 100 members including 37 producers/suppliers. ANBP advocates for production and use of biological controls, works on regulatory issues, communicates with research community, and supports quality assurance development.
• ASTM International subcommittee E35.30coreOthersCarol Glenister serves as Chair of ASTM International's subcommittee E35.30 on Natural Multi-Cellular (Metazoan) Biological Control Organisms. The subcommittee develops standard definitions, classifications, appropriate test methods, and recommended practices for quality, handling, distribution and use of natural multi-cellular biological control organisms.
• Cornell UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarol Glenister holds a Master's Degree in Entomology from Cornell University. Research collaboration documented in materials includes Cornell studies on dairy farm fly control demonstrating effectiveness of biological control programs.
• Ohio Florist AssociationminorOthersProfessional association membership providing networking and industry advocacy for the floriculture industry.
• Natural Organic Farmers Association of New York (NOFA, NY)minorOthersProfessional association membership supporting organic and sustainable agriculture in New York state.
• Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)minorOthersProfessional association membership supporting sustainable agriculture practices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Certis Biologicals: Large biological pesticide and biocontrol manufacturer with biofungicides, bioinsecticides, and beneficial organism products distributed through ag-input channels; overlaps with IPM Labs in the biocontrol category but operates at manufacturer scale rather than niche producer scale.
• Koppert: Global leader in biological crop protection and natural pest control with an extensive beneficial insect, mite, and nematode portfolio serving greenhouse and field agriculture; competes directly with IPM Labs in the broader biocontrol category but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• Biobest Group: Major international producer and distributor of bumblebees, beneficial insects, and IPM solutions for horticulture and agriculture; offers a directly overlapping beneficial-organism portfolio and global grower-support infrastructure comparable to IPM Labs' plant pest management offering.

Direct peers

• Sterling International: Manufacturer of RESCUE! fly traps and other insect-attractant traps; while focused on physical traps rather than living beneficials, Sterling is a peer in the broader alternative fly-control product category for animal agriculture.
• ARBICO Organics: Arizona-based supplier of beneficial insects, biological controls, and organic pest management products with a strong e-commerce and catalog model serving growers and small farms; competes with IPM Labs for both greenhouse and small-farm customers via direct online sales.
• Rincon-Vitova Insectaries: California-based producer and distributor of beneficial insects and IPM consulting for organic and conventional growers; offers directly overlapping beneficial-organism products and a comparable consultative sales approach targeting greenhouses and farms.
• Spalding Labs: Producer of Fly Predators (parasitic wasps) and related biological fly control products for horses, dairies, and poultry; the closest direct competitor to IPM Labs' animal fly parasite subscription business with a comparable brand and seasonal recurring-shipment model.
• Beneficial Insectary: North American producer of beneficial insects and mites for greenhouse, nursery, and field crops with a very similar product mix (parasitic wasps, predatory mites, lady beetles, lacewings) and grower-support resources; the closest US-based direct peer to IPM Labs.

Emerging players

• Bioline AgroSciences: Specialist producer of beneficial insects and mites (including proprietary Macrolophus and Orius lines) for protected cropping; smaller than Koppert/Biobest but increasingly competitive in the greenhouse biocontrol segment where IPM Labs also operates.

Regional players

• Buglogical Pest Solutions: Supplier of beneficial insects and organic pest control products focused on the western US and Mexico markets; comparable product mix but different geographic focus than IPM Labs' nationwide US footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ipm-laboratories-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IPM Laboratories