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Articles by Charles Silcox
AMGUARD hires industry veteran as southwest sales manager
AMGUARD Environmental Technologies has hired René Berryessa as its Southwest regional sales manager. He will serve pest management professionals (PMPs) in California, Arizona and Nevada via AMGUARD’s six manufacturing plants in the US and growing portfolio of new technologies, proven chemistries and green solutions. Prior to joining AMGUARD, Berryessa held senior sales roles with Paragon, Newport Exterminating, Antbusters Pest Elimination, and EcoLab.
Tick Academy speakers announced
The Tick Academy will be held over Zoom Oct. 11-12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central Time. Once a year, the Tick IPM Working Group hosts the Tick Academy, which is an opportunity for researchers, educators, students, public health professionals, pest management professionals, public-space managers and citizen scientists interested in learning more about what they can do to stop the spread of ticks and tick-borne diseases in their communities. The speakers will be: Oct.
NIAID funds Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome research
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded five projects for research to better understand Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS). PTLDS is a collection of symptoms, such as pain fatigue and difficulty thinking or “brain fog,” which linger following standard treatment for Lyme disease.
Zoëcon Professional Products: Fly Control Options - Pest Management Professional
House flies, fruit flies, drain flies — these insects are known to spread more than 100 pathogens and cause food safety violations in kitchens and food-handling establishments. Zoëcon and Starbar products allow pest management professionals to fight flies with highly effective products for both immediate relief and long-lasting control.
Brandenburg: Genus Spectra LED and Spectra Compact LED - Pest Management Professional
Elegant. Compact. Discreet. Experience what is being called the world’s fastest fly trapping technology with Brandenburg’s Genus Spectra LED and Spectra Compact LED insect light traps (ILTs). The Spectra LED line allows for horizontal or vertical placement, enabling low-profile wall-mount installations. The slim form factor of the Spectra LED ILT allows for discreet placement in locations where space is limited.
PMP resolves to continue to improve - Pest Management Professional
One of the cool things about writing this column is that I get a chance to meet people from all walks of life. Last year, when Pest Management Professional Editor-in-Chief Heather Gooch and I were brainstorming about the shape of “Start-Up Stories,” I wanted to pick a wide sample of Americana. This month, we are going to talk with 13-year pest veteran Carlos Lugo.
Understanding and managing phorid flies - Pest Management Professional
Phorid flies, also known as humpbacked or coffin flies, are small nuisance pests found worldwide in various habitats, including homes, hospitals, and agricultural settings (Disney, 1994). This article explores the biology and habits of Phoridae flies and provides effective control strategies to manage infestations. Phorid flies undergo complete metamorphosis, progressing through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Viking Pest named Best Pest Control Company, reports uptick in ticks - Pest Management Professional
Viking Pest Control was recently named one of the Best Pest Control Companies by Real Simple magazine, a magazine focused on all things home related. Viking received the 2023 honors for Best Pest Control Company for Spotted Lanternflies as well as Best Regional Pest Control Company for Mosquito and Termite Control from Real Simple and Best for Mice, Best Regional for Termite Control, and Most Economical for Mosquito Control from Better Homes & Gardens.
PMP Gallery: UPFDA Spring Conference edition - Pest Management Professional
1. CHECKING IN The United Producers, Formulators and Distributors Association’s (UPFDA’s) spring meeting took place April 18-19 at the Royal Sonesta in New Orleans, La. 2. BOARD MEETING A SUCCESS The UPFDA board met April 18 to discuss a variety of topics while visitors listened in a gallery area.
The making of a family pest control business - Pest Management Professional
Most people look at my family today and have some kind of feeling about us. We are active and known in our industry by choice. Our father’s father was in medical administration in the U.S. Army. He was transferred often to work with hospitals on base and get them in order. As a result, our dad, Bob Jenkins Sr. — a Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer (Class of 2005) — went to 13 different schools in 12 years. Dad also served in the military but decided to not make it his career.
Basic steps in chemical treatment for ticks - Pest Management Professional
Chemical treatments are an important tool in professional tick management. Precise pesticide applications can significantly reduce the number of ticks in an area, making it safer for people and pets. Here are the basic steps involved in a typical chemical treatment for tick control: Inspection. Examine known areas with tick activity in addition to tick-prone areas, such as tall grasses and shrubs, to determine your treatment site.
How to have successful fly control - Pest Management Professional
Effective fly control requires identifying the juvenile stages of flies, primarily the larvae. This can be a challenging task, as different fly species prefer different larval habitats. For instance, house fly larvae are typically found outside, while drain fly larvae thrive in drains. By contrast, the larvae of red-eyed fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) can be found under the trash bag in the trash can.
Use "1-2-3" approach to treat fleas, ticks - Pest Management Professional
Controlling fleas and ticks can be challenging, because their habitats tend to be where pets and humans like to spend time outdoors. Because this is expected to be a strong pest segment again this summer, we suggest PMPs take a comprehensive, “1-2-3” approach to flea and tick control: Have customers consult with their veterinarians for flea and tick preventives, to treat pets orally or topically.
Fighting fleas, one life stage at a time - Pest Management Professional
Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) can be a notoriously challenging pest to manage. Infestations can appear suddenly and multiply rapidly, leaving clients frustrated and overwhelmed. Adult activity may even persist for months despite ongoing treatments. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for flea control, understanding three aspects of the cat flea’s life history can help avoid some of the common pitfalls that lead to treatment failure: 1.
AMGUARD: BioMop Plus - Pest Management Professional
AMGUARD Environmental Technologies has added BioMop Plus to its growing portfolio of green solutions. BioMop Plus is a highly concentrated combination floor cleaner and biological degrader that is specially formulated for foodservice applications. Its powerful microbial formula digests inanimate organic waste and grease. In addition to cleaning floors, regular use of BioMop Plus keeps drains free-flowing and odor-free.
PestWest USA: Mantis Qualis - Pest Management Professional
PestWest’s exclusive Mantis Qualis fly control system incorporates the latest ultraviolet A light-emitting diode (UVA LED) tube technology Quantum X, to deliver a whole new level of fly control. Quantum X is science-driven engineering technology that involves micro-LEDs integrated onto a filament. The filament arrangement allows UVA LED filament lamps to emit UVA light at a full 360 degrees, equaling the attraction of conventional fluorescent lamps.
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.
Long-term fly control prevention - Pest Management Professional
Flies are not only nuisance pests, they also can carry diseases. While baits, sprays and dusts can be effective methods for treating these pests in the short term, the key to long-term fly control is prevention. Whenever a call comes in about flies, remember to educate customers about the ways they can take ownership in the process. For example: Keep the pests outside. Explain to customers that flies are always looking for ways to come inside.
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.
Easy ID tips for 3 common fly species - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Chuck Silcox, Product Development Manager, AMVAC Environmental Products Cultural control is key to fly control. Breeding sites must be eliminated — and this means locating manure, decaying vegetation or garbage in which fly larvae develop. Adult flies can be controlled by applying a residual application of an appropriately labeled insecticide, for example. Another common method is to hang a dichlorvos (DDVP)-impregnated resin strip in garbage receptacles or trash dumpsters.
Meeting demand has its rewards - Pest Management Professional
ILLUSTRATION: LEO MICHAEL If you are among the pest management professionals (PMPs) who take the job of protecting public health and property seriously, it should come as no surprise that many of your colleagues — maybe even you — now offer disinfecting services. Although Congress declared pest control an essential service at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, many PMPs added disinfecting services to make up for revenue lost to shuttered businesses and unemployed customers.
2 fogging tips for better mosquito control - Pest Management Professional
Backyard mosquito control targets vegetation that is a daytime resting site for adult mosquitoes. The objective is to create a lethal insecticide residue on leaf surfaces. A backpack fogger typically is used to direct a droplet plume to vegetation. Where those droplets go after they leave the nozzle is important, because they may go where they were not intended.
Still so much to learn - Pest Management Professional
On a Friday in April, I was awarded a promotion from editor to editor-in-chief of Pest Management Professional (PMP) by its parent company, North Coast Media. And on the following Monday, I was stung by a wasp that landed on my head as I sat in my living room. Don’t you know who I am? I asked her. She didn’t. I have worked for PMP (and its previous name, Pest Control) for almost my entire career. The industry has taught me a lot about entomology, public health and business success.
Follow your nose to find house fly source - Pest Management Professional
Here’s what happens when you leave catfish bait in a tackle box for several months. PHOTO: JUDY BLACK, BCE QUESTION: Judy, I have a customer with a 1970s-era basement construction home with house flies (Musca domestica). The homeowners keep the property very clean. I can’t find any breeding site on the inside, so could they just be coming in from the outside? I’m confident the flies are identified correctly.
Meet customer expectations with IMM - Pest Management Professional
When mosquito customers call, they are expecting a rapid reduction in the adult mosquito population as well as a relatively long period of time before the population rebounds to a nuisance level. Integrated control measures often are required to meet this expectation. Pest management professionals should implement an integrated mosquito management (IMM) program. Reduce mosquito breeding sites by eliminating standing water on the property, and as needed, treating with a mosquito larvicide.
Strategize when spraying for spiders - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Chuck Silcox, Product Development Manager, AMVAC Environmental Products The active ingredient bifenthrin can be extremely effective for eliminating spiders. It can be applied as a residual spray to both indoor and outdoor surfaces. Applications should be directed at typical locations that spiders inhabit, including corners, eaves, wall and ceiling joints, and around window frames. Indoor applications should be applied as a coarse, low-pressure crack-and-crevice or spot spray.
Using aerosol sprays for controlling stinging insects
Product Development Manager, AMVAC Environmental Products Appropriately labeled contact aerosol sprays can be very effective for controlling stinging insects in residential, commercial and institutional areas, including decks and patios, playgrounds, docks, outdoor refuse areas, attics and other environments. For optimal results: Apply the spray to insect nests during dawn or dusk, when insect activity is low and colony members are present within the nests.
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