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Articles by Brian Mount
FMC: Totality Wood Treatment
Totality Wood Treatment has been approved for pest management professional (PMP) use in Florida. The active ingredient in Totality wood treatment, bifenthrin, is the same trusted active ingredient in Talstar insecticide. The emulsified concentrate (EC) formulation and application efficiencies associated with Totality increase productivity. PMPs will spend less time mixing and cleaning equipment as Totality requires only one treatment.
Roll the dice on your mice expertise - Pest Management Professional
Photo: P A Collins/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Editor’s Note: Questions for this month’s test were contributed by Foster Brusca; Doug Foster; Bobby Jenkins; Jerry Schappert, ACE; and Mark Sheperdigian, BCE. Want to know your grade? Send your answers to pmpeditor@ northcoastmedia.net, and we’ll let you know how you did.
FMC: GSS website - Pest Management Professional
FMC Corp. has launched a website specifically for its Global Specialty Solutions (GSS) business. The website elevates the user experience with updated and detailed information about FMC GSS’s differentiated product offerings across markets. The new site was designed to be fast, user-friendly and easy to navigate. Through a personalized experience, customers and distributors can focus their attention on market, location and pest species.
Other common flies in homes - Pest Management Professional
While nearly everyone is all-too-familiar with the house fly, it’s not the only common and problematic fly species. For example: Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) look very similar to house flies, but they hold their heads slightly higher and their abdomens slightly lower when they are at rest. They’re known for their painful bites, often to the lower leg or ankle areas of their hosts.
Insect light traps for fly monitoring - Pest Management Professional
We all despise pesky flies: No one wants the surprise of flies on their fries. Pursuant to analyzing trends and root cause, conventional fly monitoring methods are labor-intensive and fuel-expensive. In our opinion, the future of cost-effective fly monitoring is through an insect light traps (ILTs) remote monitoring system. Typically, an ILT system’s camera monitors flies through high-resolution images of its glue boards.
Good sanitation crucial to control flying insects - Pest Management Professional
As with all pest issues, flying insects should be properly identified prior to attempting to gain control. Different flying insects typically prefer different breeding habitats and feed on different sources of food. Most filth flies, for example, prefer rotting plants or meats as foods or breeding sites. Proper food storage is key, especially for stored product pests (SPP). Any open food items should be stored in sealed containers.
FMC Corp. hires pest and nursery/greenhouse market manager - Pest Management Professional
Philadelphia, Pa.-based FMC Corporation hired Kyle Richards as pest and nursery/greenhouse market manager within its Global Specialty Solutions (GSS), Professional Solutions division. “We are very pleased to have someone with Kyle’s deep industry and investigational experience joining our team,” said Michael Sisti, North American marketing manager for FMC’s GSS, Professional Solutions group. Richards brings a technical background into his new role.
Set a profitable mouse snap trap program - Pest Management Professional
Need a best practices refresher for using snap traps at a house mouse (Mus musculus) account? Read on: Eliminating spilled food and other debris helps increase the efficiency of your traps. So does performing proper sanitation and pest-proofing, and storing food in rodent-resistant containers. See what the mice are eating before you select an appropriate lure. By pre-baiting traps without setting them for a night or two, you can get a higher initial catch.
Questions with liquid termiticide application - Pest Management Professional
Pest management professionals (PMPs) looking to provide excellent post-construction termite control with a liquid termiticide application should consider three basic questions: Is the active ingredient non-repellent? Can the active ingredient be distributed throughout the colony? Does the active ingredient have long soil residual? All termiticide labels provide detailed application information that is required for successful termite control.
Harvester ants: Pogonomyrmex spp. - Pest Management Professional
Harvester ants are comparatively large, red to dark-brown ants that range from 0.25- to 0.5-inch long. They can be recognized by the long hairs that form a “brush” or “beard” under their heads. These hairs are used to clean their legs and antennae, carry water and seeds, and remove sand during nest excavation. Harvester ants are polymorphic, with both major and minor workers. Some workers are known to lay unfertilized eggs that are fed to the larvae and queen.
Preconstruction termite treatments to prevent later problems - Pest Management Professional
One of the best ways to prevent subterranean termites from attacking a home or building is to employ a preconstruction termite treatment. The good news is that there are many products available for these treatments, ranging from soil application to lumber application to termite baiting systems. Some key treatment areas include: Pipe penetrations/access points. Expansion joints. Areas where attached porches or patios that abut the structure.
FMC Corp hosts 1st Friday webinar on July 8 - Pest Management Professional
FMC Corp. will present its next 1st Friday webinar on July 8 called “The Pesticide Label is the Law & Equipment Calibration.” Registration for the free webinar is now available. The webinar is for lawn care professionals seeking more information about product labels and calibration of equipment while securing free CEUs in the process. Attendees must join FMC’s True Champions program in order to attend and get CEUs, but no purchase is necessary.
FMC hires North America sales manager for pest division - Pest Management Professional
FMC Corp. hired Allan Dufoe as the North America sales manager for its pest division. Dufoe graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a major in entomology and worked in technical services with FMC earlier in his career. Over the years, he has managed many key pest accounts and has extensive knowledge of the pest segment, according to a news release.
Mosquito control in residential properties - Pest Management Professional
Mosquito control on residential properties has many challenges. The property usually is relatively small, and the neighboring properties often do not take measures to control mosquitoes. One of the basic tenets of mosquito management is source reduction, either by eliminating standing water where mosquito larvae develop, or by treating the water with an appropriately labeled mosquito larvicide.
Tips for dealing with mosquitoes - Pest Management Professional
When dealing with mosquitoes, there are a few tips to keep in mind: Inspect the property to locate breeding sources, defined as anything that holds water, such as bottles, cans, tires, low areas in the yard, bird baths, clogged gutters, etc. Remove or modify these areas to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites. Identify areas for adulticide treatments, such as cool, shaded areas under eaves, within dense vegetation, under decks, or in ground cover.
FMC: Tick Webinar - Pest Management Professional
FMC’s next First Friday training session for enrollees of its True Champions program takes place Friday, May 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Eastern. “Tick Biology & Management” is a one-hour continuing education unit (CEU) training webinar. It will cover how ticks are an incredibly diverse group of blood-feeding parasitic arthropods. They are found all over the world and vector the widest variety of pathogens. The webinar will be presented by entomologist Dr. Shaku Nair.
FMC: Termite Control Wood Treatments Webinar - Pest Management Professional
FMC’s next First Friday training session for enrollees of its True Champions program takes place Friday, April 1, from 10:30 to 11:30 Eastern. “Termite Control Wood Treatments” is a one-hour continuing education unit (CEU) training webinar on the use of wood treatments as a primary termite control treatment on new construction.
Evaluate your ant awareness - Pest Management Professional
Photo: iHenrik_L/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Editor’s Note: Questions for this month’s test were contributed by Dr. Hamilton Allen, BCE; Greg Baumann; Michael Broder; Foster Brusca; Doug Foster; Frank Meek, BCE; and Pete Schopen. Want to know your grade? Send your answers to pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net and we’ll let you know how you did.
Of pickles and face masks - Pest Management Professional
Pete Schopen with his preferred pickles. PHOTO: PETE SCHOPEN I eat pickles on tacos. Let that sink in for a minute. Onions, tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese and pickles make my tacos tastier than a Gordon Ramsay beef Wellington. I also eat pickles on spaghetti sandwiches. This is a Schopen family favorite. My brothers, Eric and Drake, and sisters, Brenda, Sonja, Anita and Dayle, all partake in the spaghetti sandwich.
Tools and techniques to control cockroaches - Pest Management Professional
Cockroaches are one of the most adaptable groups of insects. They have been here for a long time, and likely will be for many millennia to come. The good news, though, is there are great tools and techniques available to help pest management professionals control them. It all starts with an inspection to identify the species, extent of infestation, sanitation issues to fix, food, water and harborages.
Sprayers to use when treating bed bugs - Pest Management Professional
Casey Prewitt, Sales Manager, Professional Pest Management, Neogen Treatment options and application equipment are some of the most crucial decisions that must be made for success against bed bug infestations. From small, non-pressurized sprayers to electrostatic equipment, each has its own place within the treatment process. Electrostatic sprayers have brought a new excitement to chemical applications and, as more real-world testing occurs, have proven to bring new life to many chemicals.
The basics to bed bug treatment - Pest Management Professional
Over the past decade or so, pest management professs have become more adept at dealing with bed bugs. There are more tools available to treat and monitor for this pest, and overall, the industry has become more accustomed to these calls. However, there are still some basics for bed bug control that should not be forgotten: Inspect.
Bell ringer - Pest Management Professional
Business is a game. Many believe it is an art, some believe it’s a science. But let’s look at the characteristics of gamesmanship. Games include competitive play, and a set of rules decided by skill, strength or luck. In football, we accumulate our score several different ways, such as a touchdown, field goal, extra point or safety. In business, our ultimate score is determined by profits, supported by cash flow, with the final prize being company valuation.
How to shore up your weakest links - Pest Management Professional
Photo: Richard Villalonundefined undefined/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images If a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, then the supply chain we as an industry depend upon so much for our survival is indeed, very fragile. In fact, as of late, we can see several “links” that are in desperate need of repair.
Inflation: A primer for PMPs - Pest Management Professional
Illustration: AlexSecret/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans increased and extended unemployment benefits. The stock market and crypto currency market rose quickly, and not just for professional investors. Money is everywhere, chasing limited goods and services where production stalled because of a worldwide pandemic. And there it is folks: Economics 101. Inflation is the highest it has been in decades.
Three best practices to prevent ants - Pest Management Professional
Because ants are so routinely encountered, it is critical that we understand how to manage them and take the time to do so correctly. Managing ant infestations is dependent on the species, and location of the infestation. Below are three best practices that should apply to any situation. Be proactive. Deny ants access to the structure by trimming landscape ornamentals back from the home and check them for such honeydew producers as aphids, mealybugs, etc.
A step ahead of ants - Pest Management Professional
Joe Barile, BCE, Technical Service Lead, Bayer Ant management is certainly not easy, and pest management professionals always should work to stay ahead of populations. Here are just a few tips for a successful ant management program: Ensure proper identification. This is the most important aspect of an ant management program. Different ant species often can look alike, but have very different behaviors and life cycles. Proper identification is critical to design a successful management program.
Take advantage of cold weather to prevent ants - Pest Management Professional
Take advantage of the season now before warm weather hits to reduce future customer calls and callbacks. Think about conducting your first service of the new year with an emphasis on ants. In fact, when ants emerge, you can make sure dinner is already waiting by “prebaiting” before ants start to forage. Particle baits are ideal for this scenario. As the warmer months approach, ants will start to forage and increase their population nest size.
Use bait to get control of ants - Pest Management Professional
Andy Linares, President/Founder, Bug Off Pest Control Center The concept of ant trophallaxis is a beautiful thing for PMPs. Trophallaxis is the transfer of food or other fluids among ant colony for feeding. It’s also a method of communication for ants. Now, when you introduce an ant bait into the equation, ant foragers act as tiny Trojan horses when they return to base — spreading the bait throughout the colony. The key is using enough bait to get control.
Custom tools at the push of a button - Pest Management Professional
Sure, duct tape is handy for a broken toolbox hinge, but wouldn’t replacing the hinge itself be handier and look more professional? What if you could replace it within a few hours, completely to spec? With an investment in a 3D printer, some material filament, some patience and knowhow, this is an easy reality for pest management professionals (PMPs). At Atlanta, Ga.-based Arrow Exterminators, Scot Hodges, ACE, is the “go-to guy” for situations just like this.
7 steps for preconstruction liquid subterranean termite wood treatment
Brian Mount, BCE, Technical Service Manager, FMC Corp. To ensure an even, consistent and successful preconstruction liquid subterranean termite wood treatment, follow these tips: Start with a clean tank and spray nozzle to ensure an even and consistent application. Target the application to coincide with the “dried-in” stage of construction to maximize access to materials that will be treated.
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