Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Eric Paysen
Study finds fire ants use venom as preventative medicine - Pest Management Professional
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists from the agency’s Biological Control of Pests Research Unit and Southern Insect Management Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss., discovered a new way that fire ants use their venom to prevent diseases in their colonies. Venom is associated with being harmful, but red imported fire ants are using their venom for its medicinal benefits by sharing the toxic substance with their nestmates, according to a study published in the Journal of Insect Physiology.
NCPMA raises $10,000 at charity golf tournament - Pest Management Professional
More than 100 golfers, volunteers and supporters with the North Carolina Pest Management Association (NCPMA) gathered on Oct. 5 at the Crooked Tree Golf Course in Brown Summit, N.C., for a charity golf tournament. The tournament, dubbed “The 2022 Big Cup,” raised more than $10,000 to benefit NCPMA charities and the NCPMA Extension Program Endowment in honor Mike Waldvogel.
Syngenta appoints new territory manager - Pest Management Professional
Syngenta has appointed Matt Higley as a new territory manager within its professional pest management (PPM) business to support distributors and pest management professionals. Higley will be assisting customers in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee with their pest management needs.
Syngenta: PestPartners 365
It’s a snap to save with new features in the 2023 Syngenta PestPartners 365 Program. Pest management professionals (PMPs) can become 2023 program members by purchasing any combination of Syngenta products that generate at least $200 in base rebates during the qualification period from Oct. 1, 2022, to April 30, 2023. Once in the 2023 program, PMPs will earn rebates on all their Syngenta purchases made between Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023.
Hold these SPP truths to be self-evident - Pest Management Professional
Question: Dan, I just picked up a food processing account that has a history of stored product pest (SPP) issues. Is there anything special I need to do here? — Mulling Over the History Answer: The first thing you need to do, MOTH, is not focus too much on the “stored product” part of the “SPP issues” designation. Certainly, knowing exactly what food materials present SPP gives you an advantage by allowing you to implement inspection and monitoring programs tailored to the expected pests.
Deep-cleaning important for pest control - Pest Management Professional
The professional pest management industry has expanded from pest mitigation to become more established as guardians of public health and safety. When many of us were asked to protect our customers from an “invisible pest” during the pandemic, we developed cleaning and safety protocols, and applied products we had never purchased in the past.
Preventing reproducing flies in the summer - Pest Management Professional
Summer is here, which means many pests have started rapidly reproducing. Filth flies (Milichiidae) are possibly the best example of rapid reproduction. This group of flies is comprised of large, strong-flying species, such as house, little house, flesh and bottle flies. The larvae (maggots) develop in decaying organic material teeming with pathogenic microbes, making their “filth” name appropriate. Additionally, adult flies are known or suspected to transmit at least 65 diseases to humans.
Ergodyne: Lightweight Skullerz Hard Hats - Pest Management Professional
Ergodyne has extended its head protection line to include new lightweight hard hats that deliver Skullerz quality at a fraction of the weight and cost. The ultra-light (14.3-ounce) high-density polyethylene plastic shell meets standards for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is designed “for a worker-approved fit and feel that doesn’t compromise on protection,” the company says.
Scientists suggest RIFA can be controlled by virus - Pest Management Professional
A new study suggests that Solenopsis invicta virus 3 (SINV-3) can be used as a natural way to control red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta, or RIFA) colonies. Invasive species of fire ant reached North America in the 1930s from Argentina and spread fast in southern states of the US, currently costing $6 billion a year in economic damage, according to ZME Science. While the solution so far has been pesticides, a study is now suggesting using a virus to tackle the problem.
5 practical tips for a new pest control business - Pest Management Professional
Did you recently start a new pest control business? If so, you are probably feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start or what to do, especially if you have been working as a technician without previous business experience. Here are five proven and practical tips to help you get started on the right path. 1. Be consistent in everything that you do. Consistency matters in all aspects of your business.
Crawlspace Depot: LED Lights
These five long-life light-emitting diode (LED) lights produce 7,500 lumens and use just 70 watts. The lights are spaced 10 feet apart on a 50-foot cord. Each light has an extra-wide light spread with a super-bright beam. Connect up to eight sets for a maximum 400 feet. They are safe and cool to the touch, the company says, and come with a 3-year limited warranty. Each light includes a carabiner for simple installation.
Strategy to take care of a stinging insect problem - Pest Management Professional
Mel Whitson, Senior Field Technical Service Manager, Zoëcon Professional Products Stinging insects like wasps and hornets can keep homeowners from enjoying outdoor spaces — and can affect your clients’ ability to maintain outdoor equipment, especially in the summer months.
3 steps to building, and keeping, your dream team - Pest Management Professional
Illustration: MaksimYremenko/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Great teams don’t just happen. It takes time, trust, energy and money to develop them. You dream of a team that rows in the same direction, that works cohesively together, and where each member elevates the others. You strive for alignment in your business and people strategies. You hope the leaders of your team lead with the same integrity and heart as you would want them to lead.
Preventing scorpions from structures - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Eric Paysen, Technical Services Manager, Syngenta Professional Pest Management Scorpions are one of the most disturbing pests pest management professionals (PMPs) can encounter. In addition to causing fear, their stings are painful and a legitimate health concern. While they are potently armed with an effective stinger (or telson), scorpions are not overtly aggressive toward humans. Most scorpions sting as an act of defense when they feel threatened.
Syngenta: PestPartners 365
It’s a snap to plan, buy and save all year with the PestPartners 365 Program. Become a 2022 program member by April 30 to receive yearlong rebates on all your Syngenta pest control purchases. Discover one of many easy ways to save with this perimeter pest control bundle, containing eight 2-quart bottles of Tandem insecticide and seven 12-pound bags of Advion Insect granular bait.
Harmful ant stings - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Eric Paysen, Technical Services Manager, Syngenta Professional Pest Management In addition to being nuisances in kitchens across America, ants also can cause painful encounters. While ants can bite with their mandibles, they’re usually too small to be harmful. Ant stings, however, can inject pain-inducing venom similar to bee or wasp stings.
Ants can create swarmers - Pest Management Professional
Heather Erskine Patterson We all know termites create swarmers, but some new to the industry may be surprised to learn that ants create swarmers, too. This can complicate identification, because typically these nuptial flights, depending on your location, can overlap and occur around the same time of the year — late spring or early summer, for instance.
It’s time to raise rates - Pest Management Professional
This is one of two non-stock rooms filled with product at Schopen Pest Solutions, because the company purchased as much material as it could to avoid supply disruption and take advantage of lower prices before a mid-December price increase. PHOTO: PETE SCHOPEN Last January, Chicago was hit with a nasty snowstorm. No surprise there. I slipped on some ice and fell pretty hard.
PMPs caught in the act — of kindness - Pest Management Professional
It’s no secret that the professional pest management industry is teeming with kind and generous people. Here are some recent examples to perhaps inspire you and your team as the holiday season of giving gets underway. Share your stories with us at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net. PHOTO: EARTH’S BEST NATURAL PEST MANAGEMENT On Sept.
Kitchens are go-to spots for store product pests - Pest Management Professional
Mel Whitson, Senior Field Technical Service Manager, Zoëcon Professional Products Insects often are looking for the same things humans are: food, water and shelter. Kitchens offer all three. And because we prepare and store food in our kitchens and pantries, they are go-to spots for store product pests (SPP), too. It’s important to remember that SPP prevention is the best remedy.
5 questions with June Van Klaveren - Pest Management Professional
June Van Klaveren, author of Me & Smugg, the Bug June Van Klaveren has worked in the pest control industry since 1971, starting as manager of communications for Whitmire Micro-Gen, a legacy company of BASF. Since 1997, the Ballwin, Mo.-based Van Klaveren has been the dynamo behind Compelling Communications, which focuses on helping pest management professionals (PMPs) better brand and market their businesses.
Stop infestations to help prevent food spoilage - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Eric Paysen, Technical Services Manager, Syngenta Professional Pest Management Store product pests can infest a wide range of structures, from massive food-processing facilities to a homeowner’s modest pantry. In any scenario, it is important to quickly stop the infestation to help prevent food spoilage. Before sending customers searching for a pest-infested product, ensure it is truly a stored product pest.
Fabrics that attract stored product pests - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Cisse Spragins, founder and CEO, Rockwell Labs Unlike pantry pests, the fabric subset of SPP typically infest and damage animal-derived textiles. They feed on keratin, which is a protein found in wool, fur, feathers, silk, hair and horns. Clothing and carpets come to mind, but pet hair, birds’ nests, taxidermy, upholstery and natural-bristle brushes are also possible sources. Typically, fabric pest adults and/or the damage are spotted. Yet it’s the larval stage that does the eating.
What a thorough fly control program should include - Pest Management Professional
Filth flies comprise an offensive group of pests that includes house flies, flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) and bottle flies (Calliphoridae). These insects breed in sites rich in infectious bacteria such as carcasses, feces and decomposing waste. Adult flies mechanically vector bacteria to surfaces they land on, including human food and prep areas. A thorough control program should include sanitation, mechanical control and, for long-term control, liquid residual applications.
Quick tips for effective spider control - Pest Management Professional
Dr. Eric Paysen, Technical Services Manager, Syngenta Professional Pest Management Whether spinning webs on front porches or making a mad dash across the kitchen floor, spiders are sure to get attention when they make an appearance. These pests dwell in protected crevices when not sitting in their webs or actively hunting prey, so the key to effective spider control is a thorough inspection and application.
Brown marmorated stink bugs: a smelly situation - Pest Management Professional
PHOTO: Mark Sheperdigian In pest management, it’s not uncommon for challenging pests to come from unexpected places. Without natural predators, invasive species that aren’t controlled can spread and reach population numbers we don’t typically see in native species. Red imported fire ants, Argentine ants and German cockroaches are elite members of this group and have made huge economic impacts in areas they’ve invaded.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Eric
Contact Eric, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack