All posts in “IPM”

World Pest Awareness Day

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World Pest Awareness Day

World Pest Awareness Day – June 6th, 2017. The goal is to create awareness with citizens all over the world. Pest managers provide protection for food, home, family, the environment in which they live, against public health risks. In agreement with the National Pest Management Association of the U.S.. NPMA joins the Federation of Asian & Oceania Pest Managements Association (FAOPMA), Chinese Pest Control Association and the Confederation of European Pest Management Associations (CEPA) in support of this event.

The video below brings home the need for public health pest control by comparing some fascinating statistics. In the opening sequence the audience is asked what do you think is the world’s deadliest creature? Sharks we are told kill 12 people a year, grizzly bears 90 people, crocodiles 800, hippos 29,000 people, snakes 90,000 people. But that tiny mosquito kills 2 million people. Mosquitoes are linked to water because that is where their young develop and that is also the best place to exterminate them. Mosquitoes are the vector (carrier) of several BAD diseases. They include Malaria, Yellow Fever, Encephalitis including West Nile virus and other equine, Zika virus, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and dog heartworm.

Diseases

Don’t forget that any blood feeder may spread disease, such as fleas and ticks. Bed bugs at this moment are not known to spread any diseases but more research is needed to verify. So please take precautions if traveling or hiking in areas where these pests can attack. Remember to also inspect your home for possible sightings and for possible entry points. Just a simple fix to a screen or doorway (IPM) might prevent pests from getting in and possibly hurting our family or colleagues. As always if you need help or assistance please give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/pdf/dvbd_factsheet.pdf

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr06dMFlRa4[/embedyt]

Pesticide and safety

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Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program – Gold Member of the EPA

ProBest Pest Management is a Gold member since 2010. A pesticide can be and should be considered dangerous and should be handled accordingly, they can also be useful.

Performance.
Participation.
Responsibility.
Education.

Established in 1994, the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) is an EPA partnership program. It works with the nation’s pesticide-user community to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. PESP is guided by the principle that partnership programs complement the standards and decisions established by regulatory and registration actions. The informed actions of chemical users can further reduce the risks from pests and pesticides. By playing a major role in ensuring human health and environmental safety.

PESP members are also encouraged to get involved in PESP goals, which currently include:

IPM in Schools Program – aims to reduce the risk that chemical exposure poses to children and school employees by promoting sensible applications of pesticides around schools.
Landscaping Initiative – seeks to enhance the environmental, human health, and economic benefits associated with landscapes while reducing the need for pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation, and energy inputs by working in concert with nature.
Tick IPM – seek to identify the most cost effective approaches to reduce tick encounters and incidence of tick borne diseases by collaborating with partners (federal, state, local government, NGOs, growers) that actively share experiences on pest prevention strategies.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-KMRyaSEbw[/embedyt]

Restaurants and the need 4 pest Control.

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Restaurants

The other a friend and myself visited a Pizza Place restaurant, before I even ordered I visited the bathroom. One of the cleanest bathrooms I’ve been in – in my life. That my friends is how I decide if I’m going to eat at a restaurant. Nothing would upset my intestinal track more than a sloppy disgusting dining place.

I’ll tell you another pet peeve, when an owner calls and I say you have to clean before I’ll take the account and when you come back nothing is done. Easy enough for me, I just won’t do the establishment, period. They are never going to be happy and neither will I. Restaurants should be cleaned at the end of each shift, they should then be cleaned weekly and then again on a monthly schedule depending on how busy they are. Each cleaning schedule can and should focus on certain things, again depending on the restaurant.

restaurants floor drain

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVy2xklnqEw[/embedyt]

IPM?

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The success is IPM – Integrated Pest Management

We have often talked about IPM, and just to be clear it is Pest Control. Using all the tools at hand before you have to use pesticides. Technicians don’t prohibit the use, we just leave it for the end if the other techniques don’t work.

Here is an example – you have ants in the kitchen, you have sealed and caulked every possible opening along the entire wall and somehow they continue to get in. Furthermore you tried a pesticide outside (I suggest Termidor outside only) and that didn’t work either (you must understand the bug). So now the only option is to bait within the house, hide it in an area they frequent and bingo they are now gone. Use the tools and success, with minimal intrusion and pesticides. As a result most pesticides are useful, use them with caution and use as directed. Always play it safe read and understand the label.

Home-seal and prevention.

Do a monthly check of your property.
Seal any cracks or holes on the home, use caulking or steel wool if rodents are involved. Remember mice need a hole the size of a dime. Rats require something in the area of a quarter to gain entry. Seal it with steel or copper wool and calking or cement.
Remove, replace any wood rot and seal it if possible.
Keep trash receptacle closed and clean and away from house.
Keep bushes, trees and vines away from the house.
Keep wood trim painted or sealed to keep away pests.
Keep water usage to a minimum, make sure you’re not collecting water in certain areas.
If you have a crawlspace keep it clean and dry, always good to keep it ventilated as well.
Once a year have a termite inspection done, they can also perform a pest inspection.
When in doubt, or maybe you don’t understand the pest – time to hire a Professional.

IPM

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJENY7zpsGc[/embedyt]

Home-seal 10 tips

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Home-seal Top 10 Tips video

Home-seal is the best method to keep out the bugs, nothing works better. It seems that almost anything you do and the scorpions still get inside. But I consider it whatever you can do to reduce the numbers. Sealing is #1, then pest control to reduce population of feeder bugs. Black-lighting to reduce population on your property. Then finally patching any holes, including weatherstripping on doors and windows. Often times we unknowingly do things that help the pests, planting trees and bushes to close to the home, over watering to close to the foundation and not repairing or replacing screens. Home repairs and upkeep is important to keeping the bugs out.

Home-Seal Storm Shield

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suiWKtQ97zs[/embedyt]

Seal to keep out the bugs?

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SEAL – You have to think like a bug

Seal – One of those things that can be done to prevent bugs from hiding on your property is to seal as many of those hiding places that you can. This includes those block walls around your property, I once found about 50 cockroaches living in a crack along side a home with a block wall. I used a little dust and they came running, it was a sight to see and of course I had to show the homeowner.

We often get into a debate over inside and/or outside, I try to think like this – where do the bugs generally come from? Outside most of the time, so let’s prevent them from getting in and cut down on the pesticide in the home. Now doesn’t this just make more sense? Now if they come in a bag of food, then you have to decide on the best option inside. Many times it might be ants and the use of a bait is right up the alley to get to the Queen ant and no harm no foul with having to spray the whole house.

Seal

I absolutely hate stories like this, don’t you?

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Stories – Fact or Fiction?

Have you heard the stories? As many of you are aware I hate spiders, without any doubt the Brown recluse spider is right at the top of my list. I’m always the first to mention that is is very important to know your enemy, so even though they may not be in Arizona or Pennsylvania it is important to know that they may travel. “Venomous spiders close Pennsylvania elementary school” In Arizona we have a Brown spider, related to but isn’t the dread Brown Recluse. So just to reiterate, if your in the bug biz – know your enemy even if it doesn’t live in your area.

Photo by PPMA

Does black-lighting or exclusion work to control pests?

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So what in my opinion really works the best to control pests from getting into homes, without a doubt home sealing or exclusion. Here are my Top 3 ways to control scorpions and those other bugs that may want to make your home theirs.

Home seal or exclusion.
Black-lighting to reduce the population.
Consistent monthly pest control.

You hear me talk about IPM all the time and I’m telling you it works. Rather than spraying pesticides all the time, you can reduce the risk by helping your Pest Management Professional by doing a few things to improve the situation at your home. By black lighting you reduce the numbers and by doing so you reduce the numbers that might make it to your home. By sealing your home you again reduce the numbers that make it to your home and reduce the numbers that could make it in. The next way is to reduce the numbers of the food (crickets, roaches) and ultimately the scorpions themselves.

Now with all that said, I do believe in pest control but as I stated above it needs to be done in a consistent manner. If you have scorpions I think especially in Arizona it needs to be done monthly. I also believe that outside service is the most efficient along with home sealing and black-lighting. There are some in my professional that still don’t get it, they are the ones that still treat inside each month or power spray each month. Now don’t get me wrong I still occasionally do the inside ie: German Cockroaches or ants and if you have ticks I may decide to power spray. There are always exceptions to the rules. But soon the lack of water or water quality issues are going to trump the constant overkill of those outdated and impractical pest control techniques. (my opinion)

Garage Door Rodent Guard and StormShield

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Part of our IPM approach to keeping the varmints out. Call us to get a quote 602-249-7378

Why you shouldn’t bug spray in your home every month?

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Over the years I have been an advocate of spreading the news about outside versus inside bug spraying. I’ve actually walked away from people demanding it be done. I’ve held to my guns that it just wasn’t necessary or good for you. This story “Indoor pesticide exposure tied to childhood cancers” is the proof that science and pest management has come towards an IPM approach to issues such as this. I have stated for at least 10 years that indoor spraying just isn’t necessary, there are exceptions like German Roaches that may require a one or two treatment service and there are now gels and dry baits which can be used. I remember 20+ years ago when I would notice a dry powder forming around the edges of rooms and you know that this becomes airborne when children, pets or people walk over it. Breathing that just can’t be good for you! Soapbox alert……

IPM is an abbreviation for Integrated Pest Management.

Integrated Pest Management is a process involving common sense and sound solutions for treating and controlling pests. These solutions incorporate three basic steps: 1) inspection, 2) identification and 3) treatment. Treatment options vary from sealing cracks and removing food and water sources to pesticide treatments when necessary.

Trust me on this folks, stop the every month inside spraying of homes and businesses, your lungs and body can thank me later. Many schools have adopted this program and thanks to a few here in Arizona we are on track to promote more and more schools towards these programs. “Integrated Pest Management – The most effective way to manage pests in your school by AZ Cooperative Extension office U of A