www.nevadapca.org

PEST CONTROLN E V A D A

A S S O C I A T I O N N E W SApril 2009 • Vol. 2 No. 1

Principles of Ant ManagementBy Dr. Austin Frishman Page 4

The Ways Rodents Get Into OurCommercial FacilitiesBy Dr. Bobby Corrigan Page 6

Turn Off The Lights –The Party’s Is OverBy Lloyd Smigel Page 11

3N e v a d a P e s t C o N t r o l a s s o C i a t i o N N e w s

The 2009 Nevada Pest Control Association Expo was a complete success! The positive feedback that I received regarding our event was overwhelming. I am so proud to be associated with

an organization that actually does what they say they are going to do. I would like to say ‘Thank You” to all of our participating vendors, volunteers, and speakers. Each and every one of you had a part in making this Expo the finest and most well attended show in NPCA history. The Orleans Hotel and Casino did a fantastic job and the food was delicious. I sincerely want to express my gratitude to everyone that played a part in putting the show together, with special thanks to the vendors who believed in the NPCA’s potential. Not only did we put on a great show, we increased our membership to over 300 members and 90 companies. We are adding new companies every week as our membership continues to grow. If you are reading this and you are not a current member of the NPCA, I strongly encourage you to join. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our association. As our membership increases, it provides numerous opportunities for us to expand our knowledge and improve our association. We always welcome any suggestions or ideas that you may want to contribute. I would like to welcome our newest sponsors, JT Eaton and Bird Be Gone. Both of these companies bring to us a wealth of experience and knowledge. Thank you for your support. I look forward to working with both companies for many years to come. All of our sponsors are willing to do whatever it takes to improve the quality of your company. All you have to do is give them a call. Smaller companies may not realize that they can contact our sponsors for information. The size of your company does not matter. Just give your sponsor a call and they will work with you. They can help you over the phone, and if necessary, will come to you and provide your company with an in-house class at your office. I am very excited for the remainder of this year. We all know that last year was difficult but 2009 does not have to be. I am currently meeting with several companies, working together and exchanging ideas on how to improve sales, quality of service and our bottom line. Now more than ever, it’s important to pull together and combine our knowledge. If you would like to meet with me or another company in the association, just give me a call. An old friend of mine once said, “If you want to know what is at the end of the road, ask someone who is coming back.”

PResIdenT’s MessAGe

President’s Message 3By Kurt Trombetti

Principles of Ant Management 4By Austin Frishman

The Ways Rodents Get IntoOur Commercial Facilities 6By Bobby Corrigan

nPCA Pest expo 2009 8

Turn Off The Lights —The Party’s Is Over 11By Lloyd Merritt Smigel

The Regulatory Corner 13By Lee Lawrence

Pest Identification 15By Jeff B. Knight

By Kurt TrombettiNPCA President702-385-1269kurt@lvpest.com

Table of ConTenTs

Times have changed! If you don’t change-you and your company will maintain or decline while more flexible companies around you will gain YOUR market share.

If you are NOT one of those people who can’t admit that they cannot keep going the way they are going and want to learn how to become more efficient so that you and your employees can earn more-then here is the place to do it.

The retreat is a place to meet with other pest control companies and share informa-tion on specific subjects.

Call Terry NOW to register 1-888-711-3232

terrycare@att.net

Upcoming RetreatsApril 17 & 18, 2009

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September 11 & 12, 2009Supervision

4N e v a d a P e s t C o N t r o l a s s o C i a t i o N N e w s

SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR TOUGHEST PESTS

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PRInCIPLes OF AnT MAnAGeMenT

ants, as a group, are the most successful insects on the earth. The number of species and diversity of behavior make

it imperative that you know what species you are working with. This first step is no easy hurdle.

Most ants are small and difficult to see the structure needed to key them out. That being said, these are basic principles to understand that will help you manage them successfully. As social insects, there is no such thingas a stray ant. They can not survive alone. For every ant you see walking around, there are at least 8 living in a colony elsewhere. Therefore aiming your ant control at the visible ones may give immediate satisfaction but no long-term success. The “belly” of the colony is immature ants called larvae that sit in the nest. They have no legs. Adult ants bring solid food to the colony that is digested by the larvae and then vomited back up to feed the adult ants. Therefore, if you are going to use a bait, use a slow acting one that will allow the adult ants to bring the bait back to the nest. In Nevada, where it is hot and dry, liquid and gel units evaporate very quickly in exposed air. This Always read and follow label directions.

www.PestControl.basf.us • Phantom is a registered trademark and the Phantom logo is a trademark of BASF. © 2009 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

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For control of bed bugs, nothing beats the effectiveness of Phantom. To eliminate bed bugs in your customers’ accounts, incorporate Phantom® termiticide-insecticide

into your program.

Independent laboratory and university cooperator research has demonstrated that Phantom

can be used as part of an integrated pest management program to effectively control bed bugs.

Its active ingredient, chlorfenapyr, is a proactive insecticide which utilizes the biology of the bed

bug to activate the material.

Phantom is also listed on the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) chart for use with

pyrethroid resistant bed bugs. Pest management professionals and university researchers report very

good control with Phantom as a spot treatment or in cracks and crevices for breeding areas,

nesting sites, hiding places, runways and other places where subject to infestation. Topical

treatments of Phantom have provided results within 96 hours.

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By Austin Frishman, Ph.D., B.C.E.President AMF Pest Management Services, Inc.

results in too high a concentration of toxicant. Place baits in containers that reduce evaporation. Moisture is the limiting factor for ants in hot dry areas. Look at all moisture zones on the exterior of a structure to help pinpoint ant nests and trails. A leaky faucet, pet water dish, faulty sprinkler system, water abandoned in mulch chips are all prime suspects. Once you find the ant trails, control becomes much easier. Children are much better at finding ant trails indoors than adults. “Deputize” the children and have them keep an eye out for you. Some PMP’s would issue Deputy badges to the little scouts. Once you eliminate an ant colony, you leave a void. The void still contains the same food and shelter sources. Therefore, expect the void to be quickly be filled by new ants. In most cases this will be the same species invading from adjacent areas. This means two things: (1) Your customers need to continue service and (2) you need to continue inspecting and treating as necessary. Ants leave pheromone trails which can persist for months and even years. Use these trails to your advantage. Bait near or place residuals on these trails and record where the trails are. This way if a reinfestation occurs in six months, you will remember where to inspect. Caulking, removal of debris on the exterior, keeping vegetation from touching a structure, minimizing thickness of mulch, removing dog feces, avoiding access to garbage in trash cans, and avoiding excess moisture all help reduce ant invasions.

6N e v a d a P e s t C o N t r o l a s s o C i a t i o N N e w s

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The WAys ROdenTs GeT InTOOuR COMMeRCIAL FACILITIes

When you service commercial facilities (e.g., stores, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, etc.), etc., it is often only a matter of time

before you capture a mouse (or even a rat) in one of your maintenance traps (multiple catch trap, glue trap). Ocassionally our customers ask us, “Where did that rodent come from?” “Did you think it entered through the front doors along with our shoppers or customers?” “Or, did it sneak in through some other

door?” Or, they may ask, “What other ways do rodents gain entry to my building?” When your customers ask, what is your response? From where do rodents enter the commercial buildings of greater Las Vegas? Lets take a look at this interesting question. In order of the most likely to the least likely, here’s how and when most rodents enter our commercial structures. 1. Directly beneath doors with gaps sufficient to allow the rodents in (only ¼ inch is needed for mice and ½ inch for rats). But doors where there may be any type of food preparation areas or indoor areas that generate warm air currents in the winter and cool air currents during the hot Nevada summers are most vulnerable. Most rodent entries occur in the dark and quiet hours of the night. 2. Directly through the “back doors” during the dozens of times doors are left open or propped open by employees on smoke breaks or during employee exits and entrances. 3. Through the spaces of incompletely sealed pipe (and other utility) penetrations through walls, floors, ceilings and roofs. These spaces should be closed via the use of the appropriate escutcheon plates, but often they are not.

4. Through delivery doors during times of supply unloading. Interestingly, many commercial clients believe this to be the most common rodent entry points and time. But it is not for a few reasons. First, the presence and noise of humans, as well as the noise and vibrations associated with all the unloading while the door is open can scare rodents away from the area during the actual delivery time. And second, there is also the low statistical chance of a rodent actually being nearby the door during the window of delivery time. Certainly, if a delivery lasts for several hours and during the night, the chance of rodents entering during such times increases. 5. As “Trojan horses” within the boxes of deliveries. This is more likely to happen within non-food items arriving from warehouses where the non-food item may have sat for prolonged periods (e.g., napkin boxes, paper towels, toilet tissues, cups, etc.). In these cases, mice are in fact hand-delivered and “signed off for” by your client. Once inside the rodents move out of the boxes when the boxes are stored on racks in storage rooms and closets. 6. Off of delivery trucks. If delivery and trailer trucks are not kept clean and in good repair, rodents (and insects) will live within the walls of the trailers and travel all around the country. Sooner or later when the trailer doors are opened, the pets may jump off the truck and enter a building, or they may hitch a ride as a stowaway on the base of one of the pallets.

The Take Home Message Reducing the chances of rodents entering commercial facilities requires clients to be be informed of the structural state of their doors, employee practices and door policies, and finally, their delivery policies. It also requires that our clients are educated to the materials and methods involved in properly “pest proofing” doors, walls and utilities. For example, many commercial maintenance personnel mistakenly believe that “weather-stripping” is just another way to “pest proof.” Which, of course, is too bad for all parties— or at least, all human parties.

By Bobby Corrigan, Ph.DRMC Pest Management Consulting

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11N e v a d a P e s t C o N t r o l a s s o C i a t i o N N e w s

sometimes we don’t know when to quit what we are doing or fire someone who is not doing. When do we turn off the lights?

I’m not talking about closing your company, but rather changing the company before it’s too late. When we keep poor personnel, your good employees wonder why. I don’t blame them. When you keep on whipping a dead horse, employees wonder why. The point is that there are times that we should just drop what and who is not working and come up with new and better personnel and/or programs. The good employees often ask me, “Are you going to help us change here? We’re dying.” They see it. I usually respond that that is the reason your boss hired me – to help us change for the better. He (or she) realizes that it’s time to change.

By Lloyd Merritt SmigelCare Management Consultants

The point is that we often KNOW that we have to change or do things differently, but it is more comfortable to stay as we are or not to change. We don’t know what to do. What happens by doing nothing is that your personnel start to see a sinking ship. The better employees will make a few suggestions. However, when none are taken and nothing else is happening to change the status quo, they leave. I hear that all the time. When I go to an office and interview employees, they tell me the problems they see. They say they talked to management about the problems, but nothing is done. They are frustrated, irritated and confused. It can be sort of like seeing a ship taking on water, but not worrying as long as the ship is still moving forward. True slower and slower but… As we grow, we have to change. What got you to where you are may not be what will get you to where you want to go. I say that over and over again. We don’t service the same as we did 30 years ago. We don’t bill the same way. We don’t use the same materials. Everything changes. So we have to change with the times. There have been many changes in communication, in leadership, in management, in sales. We have to get with it It often takes a lot to change. Start with the desire. If you have the desire, go out and learn what it is you have to do to change. There are courses, classes, videos, books and seminars. (Mine are the best, though.)Whichever you choose, learn to make the changes before it’s too late and you have to turn off YOUR lights.

“TuRn OFF The LIGhTs – The PARTy’s OveR ”

Please complete the following application. This information will be used for the membership directory.

Business License # ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Company Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Name_______________________________________________________________ Phone _____________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ________________________________________________________________________ State ________________ Zip ___________________

Email Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Return this application with your check made payable to: Nevada Pest Control Association

Please charge my credit card: o MC o Visa Name on card ____________________________________________________________

Credit Card # _________________________________ CVV Code ______________ Exp. Date _______________ Amount: $ _____________

I / We acknowledge the purpose of the sponsorship program of the NPCA and hereby agree(s) to the membership and standards.

Signature ___________________________________________________________________ Date _______________________________________

Please mail or fax form to: NPCA, 7764 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89117 Phone: (702) 385-1269 Fax: (702) 385-1908

nevada Pest Control Association Membership BenefitsThe Nevada Pest Control Association (NPCA) is a willing coalition of pest control professionals, allied for the promotion of quality and awareness in the Nevada pest control industry. Each and every member submits themselves to conform

to the standards set by the association, meaning that our customers will receive the best service available.

Industry Support and Awareness • Training • Business Operation Support and Professionalism

Nevada Pest Control Association Registration FormTo your customers, a roach is a roach.Only Advion® sees things the same way.

I don’t want to know their names. I want them out of my apartments.”

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Always read and follow all label directions and precautions for use. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, Advion® and MetaActive™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates. Copyright © 2007 E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. All rights reserved.

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Introducing DuPont™ Advion® ant gelWhen it comes to ants, you don’t always know what you’re up against. That’s why there’s new DuPont™ Advion® ant gel. New chemistry powered by the MetaActive™ compound makes Advion® consistent and reliable. And ants are highly attracted to it. In fact, Advion® ant gel has more ant species listed on the label than any other ant gel product. The active ingredient in Advion® has also been classified as reduced-risk by the EPA, so it can be used in many sensitive situations. For more information, call 1-888-6DuPont (1-888-638-7668) or visit us at proproducts.dupont.com.DuPont™Advion.® Unbeatable results.

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Always read and follow all label directions and precautions for use. Advion ® ant gel is not available in all states. See your local DuPont representative for details and availability. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™ , The miracles of science™ , Advion ® and MetaActive™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates. Copyright © 2007 E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. All rights reserved.

13N e v a d a P e s t C o N t r o l a s s o C i a t i o N N e w s

The ReGuLATORy CORneRWhAT dO We dO ABOuT The InTeRneT?

Those of you who were fortunate enough to attend the 2009 PESTEXPO in Las Vegas and watched the panel discussion, may remember that I was asked a question about how the Nevada

Department of Agriculture deals with the internet sale of Restricted Use Pesticides to uncertified citizens. This question came as a surprise, one for which I had to perform a mental scramble to remember the Department’s position on this issue. The answer is relatively simple, but the ramifications of these sales are rather complex. It is probably safe to say that every state is dealing with this issue on one level or another. The EPA is concerned about the sale of these products and has had some success in controlling them. In reality very few illegal pesticides are shipped into the U.S. from foreign countries. This is due in large part to cooperative efforts between the U.S., Canada and Mexico to curtail these shipments. Products from overseas are not as a big a problem as many perceive, probably due to the costs associated with shipping bulky, heavy, liquid containers. The biggest problem comes from the domestic sale of Restricted Use Pesticides on internet bid sites. For instance, if a Restricted Use Pesticide is sold by an online dealer in one state to an uncertified person in another state, a couple of problems can occur. The first being the seller may not have a Restricted Use Pesticide Dealers License in the state where the pesticide is being sold. Secondly the purchaser may not have a Restricted Use Pesticide Certification. Furthermore, the product may not be registered in the state where it is being purchased. When these violations occur within America’s borders, state and federal authorities have the ability to prosecute the seller, buyer and end user. However, tracking down violators can be difficult. One problem is that authorities normally do not become aware of these illegal sales until there is a significant health or environmental effect, a common result when inexperienced or uncertified users apply Restricted Use Pesticides. There have been instances where buyers (i.e. applicators) have filed complaints because they felt they were cheated or that the product “didn’t work”. Another problem the NDOA has been facing with the internet is the advertisement of unlicensed pest control companies. A variety of “yellow book” sites exist on the internet. To bolster their advertisement status, many of these sites “borrow” information from other internet

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advertising sites. What often occurs is a mixture of outdated, misplaced and unreliable information. For instance one phonebook site lists several dozen pest control companies as providing service for the Reno area. When I compared the ads to a list of pest control companies licensed in Nevada, I noticed many of the companies listed in the ad did not hold a Nevada pest control license. To determine if the companies were operating illegally in Nevada, I contacted each of them to inquire about their ads and if pest control services were truly being performed here. To my surprise, NONE of them knew about the ads, nor did they have any desire to work in Nevada. One company was based in

Beverly Hills, California, but was listed as pest control provider for Gerlach, Nevada! The newest internet problem involves unlicensed people using Craigslist to advertise pest control. With the increase in unemployment, the NDOA is anticipating there will be more and more unlicensed people trying to make a quick buck doing pest control through Craigslist. Last year the NDOA began work to halt this activity and is expecting to put considerable effort and resources into controlling this problem this year. The internet has solved a lot of our problems, but has certainly created a host of others. Aside from the internet, pesticide phone scams have been on the rise. These phone scams are aimed primarily at agricultural producers who are promised incredible deals on products which will solve all their pest control needs. The best part of all is the incredible deals that farmers can get by using these products. At only $99.00 per gallon, for a pesticide that will do everything, who could resist such an offer? Unfortunately, these unscrupulous sales

tactics leave unsuspecting buyers with products that may be under formulated, misbranded, outdated, or unregistered in Nevada. To avoid being a victim, before purchasing a product ask questions about who manufactured it, what the active ingredient is and its concentration, and ask for a (fax) copy of the label. Once you have this information, READ THE LABEL to determine if the claims by the phone solicitor match the information on the label. You may also check with the NDOA’s Pesticide Registration Division to see if the product is registered in Nevada and you may want to check with your local pesticide dealer to see if the price is competitive with theirs. Local dealers are probably more likely to stand behind their products if a problem occurs. Remember, if you chose to buy any pesticide without at least reading the label first, you may be setting yourself up for failure.

By Lee LawrenceNevada Department of Agriculture - Reno Office

With the increase in unemployment, the NDOA is anticipating there will be more and more unlicensed people trying to make a quick buck doing pest control through Craigslist.

15N e v a d a P e s t C o N t r o l a s s o C i a t i o N N e w s

days to a week. The easiest way to control springtails is to locate the source and eliminate the excess moisture. If house plants are the problem, simply letting them dry out between watering will reduce the numbers of springtails (as well as fungus gnats). If springtails must be treated, almost any general insecticide properly labeled for the site will give adequate control.

FROM The enTOMOLOGIsT’s MICROsCOPe:PesT IdenTIFICATIOn

a s temperatures get warmer I receive numerous samples of springtails. Springtails are wingless, soft

bodied primitive insects that belong to the order Collembola. They get their name from their behavior of hopping or jumping when disturbed. This is accomplished by the use of an appendage at the end of the abdomen, a key character in identifying this group. The size of this organ may vary between species. They are rather small insects between 2 and 5mm in length as adults. The nymphs are almost indistinguishable from the adults.

They come in a variety of colors with the most common being black and gray, although one small species in southern Nevada is bright pink color. Springtails are most often found in or around moist decaying plant material where they feed. This is often around heavily mulched areas or turf with excess thatch that is being over watered. They feed on the fungi, algae and bacteria. There can be 100,000’s of springtails per cubic meter of soil and they are often found during the Spring in large numbers around homes. They can sometimes look like soot covering driveways and sidewalks. When found inside homes, they are an indication of excessive moisture (leaking pipes) in or under the house. Over watering houseplants can also cause springtail problems indoors. They do not bite or carry any diseases. They sometimes are considered a nuisance due to their high numbers. High populations will generally only last a few

Now that Temprid™ is here, things will never be the same. Temprid delivers unsurpassed ant control and

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Bayer Environmental Science, a business group of Bayer CropScience L.P., 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. www.BackedbyBayer.com, Bayer, Temprid and Backed by Bayer are trademarks of Bayer. Always read and follow label instructions carefully. ©2008

By Jeff B. Knight, EntomologistNevada Department of Agriculturewww.agri.state.nv.us

BAsF Acquires sorex Pest Control BusinessBASF has acquired Sorex Holdings Ltd., a leading manufacturer of branded chemical and non-chemical products for professional pest management. The transaction, which includes U.S.-based Whitmire Micro-Gen and U.K.-based Sorex Ltd., will increase BASF’s presence in the two most important pest control markets worldwide, the United States and Europe. Financial details have not been disclosed. Combining BASF’s existing pest control business and research capabilities with the Sorex Group portfolio and expertise in application technology will strengthen the company on several fronts. BASF will diversify into the U.S. general insect control segment and solidify its position in Europe. In the United States, BASF now becomes a market leader in general insect control. In the termite sector, where BASF is already the market leader in liquid treatments, its portfolio

is now broadened to include the second-largest termite bait offering: Whitmire’s Advance Termite Bait System. In Europe, BASF now also advances to a strong position in rodent and insect control solutions for professional pest managers. The Sorex Group has an excellent reputation in the fast-growing general insect control segment and unrivalled expertise in the area of rodenticides. The company has approximately 200 employees and recorded net sales of EUR 72 million in 2007, primarily in the US and Europe. Sorex Group’s portfolio and customer focus together with BASF’s worldwide presence will help to grow the pest control business on a global level. Its formulation capabilities together with BASF’s insecticides portfolio will enable BASF to develop tailor-made solutions for professional pest control. Whitmire products in the US include a broad range of aerosol insecticides for general

insect control, baiting systems for control of ants, cockroaches and termites as well as numerous dilutable insecticide formulations. Their strong position in pyrethrum-based insecticides and their Mother Earth® line of insect control products will give BASF a strong foothold in the fast-growing general insect control market. These product lines will be highly complementary to BASF’s Termidor® termiticide/insecticide and Phantom® termiticide-insecticide product lines. Sorex’s strong position in the European market is based on the innovative technologies, especially in rodent control, hence broadening BASF’s offerings to professional pest control operators. For more information about BASF pest control, please visit www.pestcontrol.basf.us.

Phantom and Termidor are registered trademarks of BASF. © 2009 BASF Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

A d v e r t o r i A l

Springtails

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We’re ready to deliver.’’John Bolanos, Vice President, Univar USA PP&S

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