Overview
resideNtial
accounts
I
n Education and Training Are Key to Effective Residential Pest
Management
In an age where time is tight and
profits are easily squeezed, we
get constant reminders that what
actually works best in residential
pest management is a customized
approach to every homeowner. As
one article in our insert states,
“pest management is situational.”
Every account is different
and requires sometimes major –
sometimes subtle – differences in
a treatment approach. And every
homeowner has a different level of
sensitivity to treatment techniques.
So PMPs are perhaps best served
by training technicians to excel in
two areas – diagnosing and prescribing. The result? Repeat customers and growth from referrals
and word of mouth.
A great way to further develop
these skills is by attending one of
Whitmire Micro-Gen’s Skill Development Seminars, which focus this
year on residential pest management. Read more about residential pest management and see the
seminar schedule on pages 3-6.
Several new products featured
inside give PMPs more treatment
options, including our FastOut™
CS Foam and Reveal™ Termite
Monitoring System, and a lighthearted article takes a look at the
surprises some PMPs have found
lurking in their customers’ attics.
The underlying message in
each story: every customer and
every situation is unique. And
2 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
by Andy Symons
Prescription Treatment® Quarterly
is published by Whitmire Micro-Gen
Research
Laboratories,
Inc.
Whitmire Micro-Gen is one of the
leading manufacturers and suppliers of general insect control products and equipment to the professional pest management industry
in the United States. Whitmire
Micro-Gen special­izes in the
manufacture of aerosols and
baits for insect control and develops unique and environmentally
friendly fly control equipment.
Editor
Krista McCann
Krista.McCann@wmmg.com
Contributing Writers
Dr. Philip G. Koehler
Brian Mann
Brian.Mann@wmmg.com
Steve Richardson
A great way to further develop these skills is by attending one of Whitmire
Micro-Gen’s Skill Development Seminars, which focus
this year on residential pest
management. Read more
about residential pest management and see the seminar schedule on pages 3-6.
PMPs who excel understand that
a customized approach to residential pest management is the
secret to success.
Andy Symons is president of Whitmire
Micro-Gen Research Laboratories.
Andy Symons
Nick Tresslar
Nick.Tresslar@wmmg.com
Graphic Design
Karen Angus
Editorial Office
Whitmire Micro-Gen
3568 Tree Court Industrial Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63122
800-777-8570
www.wmmg.com
If you would like to submit information for the Prescription Treatment Quarterly, please contact
Krista McCann at 800-777-8570,
extension 4292.
SDS
by Brian Mann
residential
pest management
P
n Strategies and Tactics of a Great Pest Management Program for Homes
Pest management in and around
homes has changed significantly
over recent decades. Consumer
demands have shifted with new
construction techniques, building
materials, landscape designs, pest
management materials and even
pest pressures. It’s worth taking
a fresh look at this changing segment of your business to be sure
you are providing your residential
customers the most up to date and
effective service possible, while
keeping it profitable.
One of the greatest challenges
about residential pest management is the wide variety of clients,
homes and pest situations technicians run across each day. With
time always being in short supply,
all attempts to standardize services to drive efficiency are attractive
prospects. However, many PMPs
fail to see that there is a big difference between standardizing a service “process” and standardizing
a “treatment” to fit all situations.
Cookie cutter treatments tend to
fail and the reason is clear – pest
management is situational. This is
Even the finest homes can become infested with pests due to the complex nature of homes and the constant pest pressure
surrounding them.
February 2008 | PT Quarterly | 3
SDS
true at every account and service.
This is one of the few absolute
rules of our industry. In the context
of residential pest management,
every home has unique attributes
that make it different from others.
The uniqueness may relate to construction deficiencies, conditions
conducive to pests, client sensitivities, pest history…it can be almost anything. Understanding the
unique situations that exist in each
account and addressing them with
responsible choices elevates the
quality of service along with the
level of a customer’s satisfaction.
Inspection is the key.
The Prescription Treatment®
approach to pest management ensures that an effective process is
being followed. Making informed
decisions, taking appropriate actions and keeping the customer’s
needs in mind is critical. Following this process is an easy way to
standardize success. Prescription
Treatment begins with and centers
on information learned during the
inspection.
I’ve noticed that successful technicians have an almost innate ability to quickly scan their accounts
to identify the trouble spots, inside
I've noticed that successful
technicians have an almost
innate ability to quickly scan
their accounts to identify the
trouble spots, inside and
outside, that support pest
populations.
and outside, that support pest populations. The seasoned carpenter
ant professional, for example, may
notice the old rotting tree, the decayed railroad ties and the clogged
sagging gutters before he even
exits his truck, knowing that these
areas are likely to support carpenter ant colonies and need further
investigation. The same can be
said for technicians experienced
in spiders, stinging insects, cockroaches and termites who may
notice other common conditions
that support these pests. In fact,
there are many common microhabitats in and around every home
that emerge as the most productive places to inspect and treat for
pests.
Very often, pest prone microhabitats are overlooked while
rushing to perform a treatment-
based service. Only during a costly re-treatment are they searched
out and investigated. High re-treatment rates are a symptom that may
indicate there is something lacking
in the service process. Integrating
an exploration into these common
micro-habitats as a standard part
of inspection is vital to the effectiveness of a residential program.
This year’s Residential Pest
Management Skill Development
Seminar will emphasize the importance of understanding the
residential environment and the
need to identify micro-habitats
for inspection and treatment. We
will examine some of the commonly encountered situations
that frequently go unnoticed and
often contribute to re-treatments.
We will also take a close look at
some of the best ways to address
these micro-habitats through various treatment technique options
and product formulation options
best suited to help improve results
while reducing the impact on the
customer’s home.
Brian Mann is education and market
development manager at Whitmire
Micro-Gen.
Left: Fruit bowls, pet feeding dishes, cookie jars, decorative spice arrangements and any other items on counters or floors
should be inspected. Right: Garbage areas should be kept free of clutter and all containers should be tightly sealed, and emptied on a regular basis.
4 | PT Quarterly | February 2008 SDS
by Brian Mann
Micro-Habitats
Exterior Perimeter
Conditions:
1. Multiple substrates including brick,
mulch, dirt, wood and turf
2. Exposure to sunlight and rain
3. Multiple target pests: ants, large cockroaches, spiders and miscellaneous
occasional invaders
Goal: To prevent target pests from inhabiting and reproducing in this location and
to prevent entry into the structure.
Prescription:
1. Treat weep holes with Tri-Die® or
MotherEarth™ D then use Xcluder™,
Stuffit™ or screen in weep holes to
prohibit entry.
2. Trim away all vegetation touching
exterior wall.
3. Apply a band treatment of Cy-Kick® CS
to the lower wall and out away from the
wall 3 feet or to the edge of the bedding.
4. Apply Advance® 375A Select Ant Bait
along the base of the landscape pavers where they join the turf.
Crack & Crevice®
Conditions:
1. Potential ant or cockroach harborage
2. Painted and unfinished wood and
gypsum board surfaces at floor level
3. Dirt and other debris in crack
Goal: To kill any pests living in cracks
and prevent future use of these cracks as
harborage.
Prescription:
Three choices available:
1. Treat the crack with Perma-Dust® and
seal with caulk.
2. Apply a residual treatment with either
221L, 250 Propoxur or Cy-Kick Crack
& Crevice® Pressurized Residual.
3. For cockroaches, apply Advance™
Cockroach Gel Bait.
February
February 2008
2008 || PT
PT Quarterly
Quarterly || 55
SDS
What is the Residential
Pest Management Program?
The goal of Whitmire Micro-Gen’s new training program is to teach PMPs how
to manage pest populations in and around homes using the latest pest management practices. This program breaks down the complex environment of a home
into habitat zones on the exterior grounds, the exterior structure, and the most
important areas indoors for controlling pests. Hundreds of photos, some with
video segments, bring the audience into an actual residential account, making
the learning experience fun, real and memorable. This program is coming to a
location near you. For more information on the 2008 Residential Skill Development Seminar, visit www.wmmg.com/sds.
Residential Pest Management Program
The residential pest management program concentrates on the following habitats and micro-habitats found around homes:
Responsible Choices Through Prescription Treatment Process
Exterior Grounds
Garbage areas, Planting Areas, Sheds, Trees, Woodpiles
Exterior on Structure
Decks, Exterior Lighting, Foundations, Fireplaces, Roof, Gutters, Siding,
Downspouts, Eaves & Entries
Unfinished Indoor Areas
Basement, Garage, Attic Storage, Crawl space
Kitchen, Bath and Laundry Areas
Micro-Habitats for Each
Living Areas
Productive Inspection Areas
Residential
Pest Management
Dates and
Locations
February 5 Baltimore, MD
February 6 Piscataway, NJ
February 12 Nashville, TN
February 13 Birmingham, AL
February 14 Orlando, FL
February 26 Nashville, TN
March 4 Davie, FL
March 5 Tampa, FL
March 6 Jacksonville, FL
March 11 Raleigh, NC
March 12 Charlotte, NC
March 13 Roswell, GA
April 1 Tinley Park, IL
April 2 St. Charles, MO
April 3 Kansas City, MO
April 15 Boston, MA
For more information on
the 2008 Residential Skill
Development Seminar,
visit www.wmmg.com/sds
April 16 New Rochelle, NY
May 6 Irving, TX
May 7 Houston, TX
May 13 Riverside, CA
May 14 Sacramento, CA
May 15 San Carlos, CA
6 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
Green
by Steve Richardson
making
responsible choices
V
n 'Responsible Choice' Commitment Incorporates Prescription Treatment Approach
Virtually all manufacturers and
PMPs share the desire to be
stewards of the environment by
protecting public health and property and minimizing the environmental impact of treatment. But
PMPs also know that a pest management program simply must be
effective in order to satisfy customers.
Whitmire Micro-Gen is committed to helping PMPs balance those
needs through training, education
and a variety of product selection
options. It’s a commitment we call
“Responsible Choice.” Responsible Choice is about meeting
customer expectations with the
right process. Through training
and product selection, Responsible Choice helps PMPs understand a customer’s unique needs
and make informed decisions that
help you fulfill your professional
obligation to recommend the right
products, dosages and applications. This approach achieves the
balance of minimizing risk and
satisfying customer needs as part
of an overall pest management
strategy.
If Responsible Choice sounds
familiar, it is because helping
PMPs make responsible choices
has always been a mainstay of
the Whitmire Micro-Gen approach
to pest management. Our proven
Prescription Treatment Pest Management approach has helped
PMPs make responsible choices for many years, well before
the current public interest in the
“green” movement.
Responsible Choice is our commitment to environmental responsibility. Prescription Treatment
is the tool to help PMPs achieve
that commitment. Through the
Prescription Treatment Pest Management
contains five components that work together
to ensure effective and responsible pest control.
1. Inspect – Gathering basic information and answering key questions about the pest problem.
2. Prescribe – The prescription is the determination of
what remedy is appropriate based on the information
gathered during the inspection.
3. Treat – Treatment techniques are the options that
successful implementation of Prescription Treatment, PMPs can
be assured they are meeting their
professional obligation to recommend the best choices when it
comes to products and process.
Embracing a proven process
is the cornerstone of any welldesigned
pest
management
program. Whitmire Micro-Gen’s
Prescription Treatment Pest Management process has been in
place for decades and is the gold
standard for PMPs. With this education and training, PMPs have
a process that guides any pest
management treatment scenario
and any customer’s interest in the
“green” approach.
For more information, visit www.
wmmg.com or www.pt-u.com.
Steve Richardson is a freelance writer
based in St. Louis, Mo.
focus on how the prescription will be implemented.
4. Communicate – Communication begins with the
sales process and is applied during every phase
of service. Since the customer’s perception of
value is critical to retention, making sure that
value is transferred to the customer during
service is an important task.
5. Follow up – Pest management is a process that requires careful and ongoing documentation of findings,
recommendations, actions and communications.
February 2008 | PT Quarterly | 7
FastOut CS Foam
by Steve Richardson
fastOUt CS Foam
TM
G
n The First Microencapsulated Foam
Good news for PMPs seeking a
fast-acting, ready-to-use foam
for termites and 34 other pest insects. Whitmire Micro-Gen has introduced Prescription Treatment®
brand FastOut CS Foam, the first
microencapsulated, broad spectrum foam with non-repellent activity on the market.
FastOut CS Foam is an ideal
treatment choice for voids in and
around homes and commercial
The foam’s consistency allows it to fill hard-to-reach spaces and
leaves a blanket of microcapsules for long-lasting control of a
broad spectrum of pests ranging from termites to bed bugs and
even Asian ladybugs.
institutions including food handling
areas. The foam’s consistency allows it to fill hard-to-reach spaces
and leaves a blanket of microcapsules for long-lasting control of a
broad spectrum of pests ranging
from termites to bed bugs and
even Asian ladybugs.
FastOut CS Foam is the first
microencapsulated, ready-to-use
foam. Microencapsulation creates
a non-repellent effect, reduces
mammalian toxicity and extends
the foam’s residual properties.
The microcapsules attach themselves to pests and are transferred
to other insects.
“FastOut CS Foam is highly efficacious against a broad spectrum
of pests,” explains Marketing Manager Jeff Vannoy. “The dry foam,
along with its 30 to 1 expansion
ratio, leaves no stains or damage
to surfaces. It is a ready-to-use
formula so there is no equipment,
no mixing and no spills.”
The versatility of FastOut CS
Foam in terms of its labeled sites
and pests make this an effective
FastOut CS Foam is an ideal treatment
choice for voids in and around homes
and commercial institutions including
food handling areas.
8 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
new tool to add to your list of options within the Prescription Treatment® family.
In addition to treating a broad
spectrum of pests, FastOut CS
Foam is an important new targeted tool to Whitmire Micro-Gen’s
Advance® Termite Bait System.
Technicians can address isolated
infestations on the spot with FastOut CS Foam, which provides
excellent coverage to void areas.
This treatment option helps satisfy
the homeowner’s need for immediate treatment, especially in cases where termites have swarmed
inside a home and require immediate attention.
Dr. Jim Cink, Whitmire MicroGen’s
Product
Development
Manager, says FastOut CS Foam
underwent extensive studies at
several universities prior to being
introduced. “The results – including efficacy, coverage and residual power – exceeded our expectations in every test.”
FastOut CS Foam is sold
in a 20-ounce can, 6 cans
per case. For more information about FastOut CS Foam,
visit www.wmmg.com or call
800-777-8570.
Steve Richardson is a freelance writer
based in St. Louis, Mo.
Fleas
by Dr. Philip G. Koehler
The Life of a Flea
D
n Biology, Behavior and Control
Did you know the EPA completely
eliminated the use of some products indoors for flea control and
eliminated most broadcast insecticide treatments? All this was
done without public hearings or
input from the pest management
industry. It comes at a time when
on-animal treatments are failing. I
receive calls all the time from people who are saying their spot-on
applications from the vet are only
providing about threee days of
control. You will be able to make
a lot of money in flea control if you
develop a working knowledge of
flea biology and a successful program to control them for your customers.
Fleas found on cats and dogs
lay about 20 eggs per day and as
many as 10,000 eggs can fall off
an infested cat in 24 hours. The
eggs are smooth, not glued to
hairs, and fall off the animal when
the animal moves or scratches.
Most frequently, eggs fall into
places where the animal sleeps,
but they may fall off when the pet
is running through the house. The
eggs hatch and the larvae feed
on decaying organic matter, like
adult flea feces. Flea larvae can
be found anywhere the animal
spends time. They are not always
associated with cracks and crevices or pet bedding.
The larvae develop into pupae
and the adult flea remains inside
the pupal cocoon until stimulated
to emerge by the presence of a
host. They can remain inside the
cocoon as pre-emerged adults
until carbon dioxide and vibration cause them to emerge. Once
emerged, they jump onto the nearest host. If that host is a human,
they will usually bite around the
ankles or crawl up clothing to bite
exposed skin. Where fleas are uncontrolled, I have seen packs of
fleas chasing cats around a room.
They jump along in a huge bunch
with the pet running and trying
to stay ahead of the pack. They
are like a pack of wolves hunting
their prey. Eventually the pet gets
sleepy, settles in for a rest and is
almost exsanguinated by the pack
of fleas. Kittens and puppies are
very susceptible to blood loss and
often exhibit anemia after being
chased down by a pack of fleas.
Fleas found on cats and dogs lay about 20 eggs per day and as many as 10,000 eggs can fall off an infested cat in 24 hours.
February 2008 | PT Quarterly | 9
Fleas
Cat fleas are the most common
flea encountered by pest control
operators. Despite the name they
are commonly found on dogs as
well as other animals like raccoons
and foxes. They have been collected from more than 50 wild animals
including squirrels, possums, rats
and even humans. Wild animals
are important for transporting the
fleas from yard to yard, but they
are usually not good hosts for cat
fleas. Although cat fleas bite humans, they are not able to reproduce in areas where humans are
their only host. The females usu-
Ultracide® Pressurized Flea IGR & Adulticide is one
of the few flea products to retain its indoor broadcast label directions. In fact, it recently had a label
expansion to now include ticks. For some tips on
effective flea control using Ultracide refer to Pest
Management Bulletin #11 on www.wmmg.com.
treatment is to stimulate the fleas
to emerge by vacuuming them
with a beater bar vacuum cleaner
Cat fleas are the most common flea encountered by pest control
operators. Despite the name they are commonly found on dogs as
well as other animals like racoons and foxes.
ally expend so much energy jumping and running that they never lay
eggs. You may experience a customer, who recently moved into an
apartment without a pet, complain
of fleas. Previously, the apartment
may have had an infested cat that
produced 1,000 eggs per day.
When the previous renter left and
took the cat, the larvae developed
into pre-emerged adults waiting for your customer to
move in. In this case, the
developing larvae have Adult
the potential of producing 1,000 fleas per day
to attack your customer.
It may take a month to
six weeks for all the fleas
to die off, but your customer will complain that
the fleas are multiplying in the
apartment. Insecticide applications may not solve this problem
because the pre-emerged adults
are protected from insecticides
by silken pupal cocoons. The best
10 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
prior to insecticide application.
The EPA difference between
broadcast treatment and spot
treatment is considerable. A broadEggs
Larva
Pre-Emerged Adult
Pupae
cast treatment would allow the application of insecticide to the entire
infested area of a room. A spot
treatment would only allow the application of product to an area of no
more than 2 square feet, and those
2-square-foot areas can not be adjacent to each other. Also for spot
treatment, I believe the total spots
treated cannot exceed more than
10% of the total area of the room.
These label changes have
been done very quietly so many
pest control professionals are not
aware of these restrictions. Be certain to check the label directions
for your flea products. Now
that fleas are returning as significant household pests, the
changes in label directions
take on a new significance. Dogs and cats
are being attacked by
fleas. We are seeing
puppy deaths due to
exsanguination and
the pest control industry does not have
many tools to solve
the problem.
Dr. Philip Koehler is a Margie &
Dempsey Sapp Endowed Professor
of Urban Entomology at the University of Florida
Marketplace
by Nick Tresslar
Marketplace
n Overview of What’s New at Whitmire Micro-Gen
1. FastOutTM CS Foam
FastOut CS Foam is the only microencapsulated, ready-to-use foam
with non-repellant activity that provides PMPs with an immediate customer solution against a broad array of termite and general insect infestations.
1.
2.
2. MotherEarth™ Granular Scatter Bait
Gains OMRI Listed Certification
If your customers have organic requirements, now you have additional
options from MotherEarth. MotherEarth Granular Scatter Bait and MotherEarth D Pest Control Dust are OMRI Listed® and offer control for a
wide range of pests. Registration is pending in California.
3. Microcare® Pressurized Pyrethrum
Capsule Suspension is now labeled for
Bed Bugs!
3.
Whitmire Micro-Gen has expanded the label of Prescription Treatment®
brand Microcare pressurized to include bed bugs. Microcare’s microencapsulated pyrethrum provides outstanding performance in an easyto-use aerosol formulation for PMPs. Go to www.wmmg.com for the
updated label and check with your local state agencies for any special
requirements.
4.
4. The Power of 2% Propoxur Bait is Back!
Prescription Treatment brand 2% Propoxur Bait combines a proven active ingredient with a small granular bait matrix for quick kill of large
cockroaches and crickets. It is sold in a 4 lb. shaker bottle and is labeled
for both indoor and outdoor use. Registration is pending in California,
Hawaii, Iowa and Puerto Rico as of January 8, 2008.
5. RevealTM Termite Monitoring System
The Reveal Termite Monitoring System features a similar station cap
to the well-known Advance® Termite Bait System, but with a smaller,
two-inch housing with only wooden monitors in the units. The stations
are designed to be placed around customer homes, typically about 6-10
monitors per structure.
5.
February 2008 | PT Quarterly | 11
Marketplace
n Sales Team Update
Whitmire Micro-Gen recently made some changes to our sales team. Below is a list of Regional Technical
Specialists along with their territory and contact information. If you are unsure whom to contact, call Whitmire
Micro-Gen at 800-777-8570.
Jay Bradley
Alabama, Arkansas, Northern Florida,
Mississippi, Tennessee
205-298-0840 or 800-777-8570, ext 8676
James.Bradley@wmmg.com
Herman Giraldo
Caribbean, Central & Southern Florida
772-220-7567 or 800-777-8570, ext 8679
Herman.Giraldo@wmmg.com
Jared Harris
Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah,
Wisconsin
800-777-8570, ext 4224
Jared.Harris@wmmg.com
John Loesch
North Carolina, South Carolina, Eastern
Georgia, Southern Virginia
843-849-7349 or 800-777-8570, ext 2496
John.Loesch@wmmg.com
Dave Nardolilli
Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Northern Virginia, West Virginia
973-634-6874 or 800-777-8570, ext 2466
David.Nardolilli@wmmg.com
Mike Symmes
Arizona, Southern California, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
909-307-3307 or 800-777-8570, ext 4284
Michael.Symmes@wmmg.com
Steve Walsh
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
631-968-5680 or 800-777-8570, ext 2489
Steve.Walsh@wmmg.com
12 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
MARK MYERS
Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio
502-266-8507 or 800-777-8570 ext 2485
Mark.Myers@wmmg.com
Paul strickland
Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico
800-777-8570
Paul.Strickland@wmmg.com
Gary Moneyham
District Sales Manager – Georgia
770-925-4852 or 800-777-8570 ext 2464
Gary.Moneyham@wmmg.com
John Woodward
Regional Business Manager – West
Northern California, Nevada
530-878-4914 or 800-777-8570, ext 2440
John.Woodward@wmmg.com
Jim Derbyshire
Regional Business Manager – Northeast/
Central
636-458-7860 or 800-777-8570 ext 4248
Jim.Derbyshire@wmmg.com
Warren Vannest
Regional Business Manager – Southeast
770-558-5021 or 800-777-8570 ext 2461
Warren.Vannest@wmmg.com
Fred Webb
Regional Business Manager
210-545-1388 or 800-777-8570 ext 8541
Fredrick.Webb@wmmg.com
Steve Racioppe
Director of Sales
800-777-8570, ext 4286
Steve.Racioppe@wmmg.com
Reveal
by Steve Richardson
Reveal termite
monitoring system
TM
T
n Boost Revenue and Customer Confidence
The growing termite bait market
continues to evolve and Whitmire
Micro-Gen has introduced a new
termite monitoring product that
takes that evolution a step forward
while helping PMPs boost revenues and enhance relationships
with general insect customers.
Called Reveal Termite Monitoring System (TMS), this preventative system helps PMPs offer customers peace of mind by installing
simple monitoring devices that
can be checked on routine pest
control visits to notify the PMP and
homeowner if termites are present
on the property.
The Reveal Termite Monitoring
System features a head similar to
the well-known Advance® Termite
Bait System, but with a smaller,
two-inch housing with only wooden
monitors in the units. The stations
are designed to be placed around
customer homes, typically about
6-10 monitors per structure.
The monitors are designed only
to reveal the presence of termites.
There is no bait tube or treatment
component. If termites are found
within a Reveal monitor, the technician has the option of educating
the homeowner on the occurrence
and upselling the homeowner to
a protection level of service that
would include either a liquid or
bait installation.
“The Reveal Termite Monitoring System is a high-quality new
tool that helps PMPs increase
revenue with customers not currently seeing termite activity but
who are concerned about protecting their home,” explains Marketing Manager Jeff Vannoy. “With
swarm seasons continuing to be
soft, monitoring becomes a good
source of revenue while providing
future termite leads for the company.”
The two-inch housing makes
installing the monitors a snap
for technicians. The Quik-Lock®
cap is easily opened with
Whitmire Micro-Gen’s
Spider® Station Access Tool. The station head appeals to
homeowners because
it is unobtrusive and looks like a
sprinkler head. Reveal offers superior wood-to-soil contact, which
maximizes how quickly termite
activity is noticed by the PMP and
can be treated.
Based on market research con-
ducted with 729 qualified homeowners, nearly 75 percent showed
interest in purchasing a termite
awareness program like Reveal,
indicating that they were willing to
pay an average of $221 for the initial installation and a twice-a-year
inspection. This research clearly
proves PMPs opportunities to
both increase general pest route
revenue while also enhancing termite lead flow. With “swarm season” a thing of the past, it is one
excellent way to “create your own
swarms.”
Steve Richardson is a freelance writer
based in St. Louis, Mo.
The Reveal Termite Monitoring System features a head similar to the
well-known Advance Termite Bait System, but with a smaller, two-inch housing with only wooden monitors in the
units.
February 2008 | PT Quarterly | 13
attic stories
W
n Tales of the Unexpected
When most homeowners think
of pest control, they tend to think
of their immediate surroundings.
When they see a pest, they do
something to get rid of it. But most
homeowners rarely make the
climb into the attic, where unwanted surprises can lurk.
PMPs from across the country
share some of their most memorable stories from the attic, almost
all of which involve the discovery
of something unforeseen and unexpected.
From Bed Bugs to Hazmat
Jeff Duncan has seen a lot as
General Manager of the Orkin
franchise in House Springs, Mo.
But in 18 years of service, he had
never once come across bat bugs
– the pests that are found near bat
infestations and are physiologically similar to bloodsucking bed
bugs.
The tale started with a customer who called about a bed bug
problem in her two-story home.
The customer traveled frequently,
and it is not uncommon for travelers to pick up bed bugs, so both
the homeowner and Orkin began
their typical treatment to remove
the pests from the home. Over the
course of several months, it appeared that Orkin had a particularly tough case on their hands, and
frustration began to mount on both
sides when the infestation could
not be brought under control.
Frustrated and sensing that
there was more to the story, Dun-
Unwanted surprises can lurk in attics, like bats, ants and rats!
14 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
can called in Whitmire Micro-Gen
consulting Entomologist Jeff Tucker, and the two made a house call.
When
most
homeowners
think of pest control, they
tend to think of their immediate surroundings. When they
see a pest, they do something to get rid of it. But most
homeowners rarely make the
climb into the attic, where unwanted surprises can lurk.
A closer inspection of the pests
soon revealed the extremely subtle differences between bed bugs
and bat bugs, and shortly thereafter, a full-fledged bat infestation
was discovered in the attic. And
not just any bat infestation. Several inches of bat droppings covered
the attic’s insulation.
“Bats were accessing the peak
of the roof on both sides of the
house,” Duncan explains. “We did
an exclusion to get the bats out of
the attic, but it was not easily accessible so it required removing
siding and gable vents to get in.”
The infestation and bat droppings were so advanced that the
homeowner’s insurance company had to hire a contractor with
Hazmat capabilities to remove the
attic’s insulation. They wound up
staying for a week. Once the insulation was removed, Orkin dusted the attic and the problem was
solved.
Attic Stories
by Steve Richardson
“I must say this is not what I
envisioned when we got a routine
bed bug call, but you can imagine
how pleased everyone was to get
to the root of the problem.”
‘A Ball of Writhing Ants’
Suspicion of termites is what
brought Steve Christiaens to a
home in West Jordan, Utah. But
Christiaens, of Awesome Pest
Control, got a visual surprise when
he got to the attic.
The company was contacted
by the homeowners to do an inspection and bid for termites. The
homeowner had cut up a fallen
tree and stacked the wood in the
breezeway between the house
and the garage. They suspected
the wood had attracted termites
and wanted to treat the problem
promptly.
Luckily for the homeowner,
Christiaens performed a complete inspection and found that
the problem was not termites at
all, but carpenter ants, which are
uncommon in Utah. They were
entering and exiting a tiny hole the
size of a pin head in the ceiling/
wall joint.
Christiaens donned coveralls,
a respirator, goggles, flashlight,
hand duster and a can of Whitmire
Micro-Gen’s 565 Plus XLO Contact Insecticide, and climbed into
the attic. He lifted each roll of insulation while balancing on each
joist, in very tight conditions.
Close to the area where the small
pin hole was located, Christiaens
pulled up the end of the insulation
and discovered a huge clump of
carpenter ants underneath, nesting between the joists.
“It was a swarm of ants just
writhing in the shape of a ball. It
was unlike anything I had seen
Carpenter ants only needed a hole the size of a pin to invade an attic in Utah.
before with carpenter ants,” he
says. Christiaens treated the ants
with 565 Plus XLO for a quick
knockdown, then dusted the area
underneath the insulation and the
surrounding areas.
He got one final surprise before he left. After using a flushing
agent in the wood pile and moving several pieces, he discovered
two logs filled with more swarms
of carpenter ants. He – and the
homeowner – are happy to report
that there have been no additional
carpenter ant sightings since.
Rats Enjoy the View
Bob Lawlor – known as “Bug Bob”
in his hometown of Kingwood,
Texas – got a frantic call from a
friend and customer earlier this
year. The woman’s husband was
out of town, and she called Lawlor to report what she believed to
be a rat in her house. And, she
told Lawlor, she was desperately
afraid of rats and had almost fainted at the first sighting.
Lawlor came to inspect the
home and while on his way back
to his truck, he and the customer
looked back at the house.
“There, on a window ledge on
the second floor of the house, sat
a big fat rat just staring at us. She
was amazed that the rat would be
so bold – almost like it was taunting us,” said Lawlor, owner of
BUGSMART. “From nose to tail,
he was at least 11 inches long.”
As the inspection continued,
it was clear that rats had indeed
infested the two-story home. They
were entering through the compressor line of the air conditioning
unit. The environment was ideal
for rats because of the nearby
woods, many swimming pools,
and food left outside for the neighboring dogs.
Lawlor’s customer was having
none of it, and moved out for two
weeks while the problem was addressed. Good thing. In all, 16 rats
were trapped during the two-week
period – including the ledge dweller spotted the first day.
Steve Richardson is a freelance writer
based in St. Louis, Mo.
February 2008 | PT Quarterly | 15
Pest Trivia
by Jeff Whitman
Ants
Insects
Insects are incredibly diverse, but some
types are more diverse than others.
There are approximately 1.6 million described species. About one-half of these
species are insects and around onethird of all insect species are classified
as beetles!
House Centipedes
Some ants appear to measure distance from point A
to point B by counting their
steps. In an experiment on
desert ants (Wittlinger, Wehner and Wolf 2006), some
ants had their legs artificially
lengthened with tiny pig-hair
“stilts” and some had their
legs trimmed short. After
workers from a foraging column had had their leg length
altered, the ones with longer
legs overshot their destination while those with shorter
legs did not reach it. However, the affected ants quickly
adjusted and became able to
compensate for their new leg
length.
House centipedes are quite alarming to many homeowners due to
their many-legged “hairy” appearance, lightning speed and tendency
to appear in unexpected areas (bathrooms). However, they are not only
Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, www.insectimages.org
harmless to humans but are actually
beneficial due to their diet of small arthropods such as flies, spiders, bed bugs, termites, silverfish and ants. Their appearance is
an indicator that conditions inside the home may be favorable for
their prey. Reduction or elimination of excess moisture, food and
shelter should reduce their numbers.
Bat Bugs and Bed Bugs
Bat bugs are similar in appearance and behavior to bed bugs. One way
to tell these insects apart is by examining the hairs on the pronotum with
a dissecting scope or powerful hand lens. In the bed bugs, these hairs
are shorter than their eyes are wide (but longer in the bat bug).
The presence of bats in a structure could mean that a bed bug infestation is actually instead one of bat bugs. In this case, dealing with the bats
first is vital – they are the primary host and their presence will provide
bat bugs with an essentially unlimited food source and make elimination
very difficult
16 | PT Quarterly | February 2008
Bat bug. Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, www.insectimages.org