Monthly Archives

September 2019

Rodent Trapping Tip – Big Ed’s Trapping Tips

By | Rodents, Tips & Inspirations, Trapping Tips | No Comments

In the first installment of our 2019 rodent trapping tip series, Big Ed shares one tip with many benefits for utilizing plastic snap traps like our Easy Set snap traps.

Rodent Trapping Tip – Anchor your snap traps to increase catch rates. 

When rodents first interact with newly installed traps they often approach and investigate the device from the back and side.  As a result, they may inadvertently avoid the deadly trigger.  They often push and slide the trap around while inspecting the new item in their environment.  Therefore,  setting it off without a capture.  Another benefit of anchoring your trap is that it optimizes and directs the force generated by the system to maximize killing power.  When a snap trap is triggered, energy can be lost as the device reacts.  Focusing this energy allows the trap to dispatch the pest in a quick and humane manner.

Rodent Trapping Tip - Easy Set

Additional Resources

Catchmaster® Easy-Set™ snap traps have been optimized with feedback from the field, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/easy-set-mouse-snap-traps/

Learn more about Big Ed here: https://catchmaster.com/introducing-big-ed-and-his-trapping-tips/

If you liked this rodent trapping tip, get more in your in-box by signing up for our newsletter here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Learn more about rodents from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/rodents-101/

 

Spotted Lanternfly Control Services 101

By | Insects, spotted lanternfly, Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

Spotted lanternfly control 101

As a pest pro, spotted lanternfly control services can benefit your bottom line.  If you live in the northeastern part of the United States you have likely heard of the pest.  As a result,  you may be getting calls from concerned home and business owners. For instance, this invasive species has already caused twenty-two counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to go into quarantine.  It has been spotted in New York to the north and states as far south as Virginia. The pest poses a significant threat to our agriculture including grapes, apples, hops and hardwood industries.

spotted lanternfly map

If you are on the fence about offering spotted lanternfly control services, or have an interest but don’t know where to start, then this article is for you.  As the threat grows, your role as a pest professional will be more important than ever. Let’s take a closer look at getting started in spotted lanternfly control.

4 Tips to get you started in spotted lanternfly control

  1. Not familiar with tree-banding, no problem! Tree-banding creates an effective insect barrier – and you’ll be happy to know that you do not need to obtain any special licenses to offer tree-banding services for the spotted lanternfly.  Not sure how to tree-band?  Fortunately, we have you covered with detailed instructions in our Tree-Banding 101 one-pager. The process is very straightforward and simple.
  2. Market to those diamonds in your own backyard. If you live in a geographical area already impacted by the spotted lanternfly then you have a great base of customers to draw upon. Employ your usual marketing channels to notify customers of the threat and your additional service offering. We recommend both monitoring and control service options. Fortunately, tree-banding will allow you to do both.
  3. Become a part of the solution. Use digital channels to get the word out in your service area.  For example, you can utilize social media posts, e-mail blasts and dedicated portions of your website to educate the public about the importance of monitoring for the spotted lanternfly. Our Social Media Resource Library has lots of educational content free for your use.  As a result, you can help educate the public on the spotted lanternfly. For example, you could offer your expertise to your community through local newspapers and radio stations.  These organizations are often looking for local experts.
  4. Consider a free service in exchange for some advertising. Perhaps there is a local park in a downtown area or a sports field that gets lots of traffic in your service area. Consider offering free tree-banding to a select area of your town in exchange for some simple signage warning the public to be on the look out for the spotted lanternfly.  Get your brand out by placing yard signs in the area offering your services to monitor or control the pest.

how to spot a spotted lanternfly invasion

Act now!

Unfortunately, the spotted lanternfly will likely be a concern for some time to come.  Fortunately, is the time to get in the game and own your local market for tree-banding services.  By deploying some (or all!) of the tips above you can be well-positioned to grow your business.

Additional Resources

Learn more from Penn State University here: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-for-homeowners

Learn more about tree-banding with our Catchmaster® TB-1 glue here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/tree-banding-glue/

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster® brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

 

Catchmaster Pestimonial – Diox Pest Control

By | Insects, Mosquitoes, Pestimonials | No Comments

In this Catchmaster Pestimonial we examine how our Ovi-Catch™ Mosquito Trap helped Mike Robertson from Diox Pest Control with sensitive accounts.

mosquitoes at dusk

Ovi-Catch Helped Save This Pest Professional’s Two Largest Accounts

Mike Robertson is owner and CEO of Diox Pest Control. Prior to owning his own firm, Mike spent 17 years in the pest management industry working different aspects of the business from pest management technician to quality assurance manager in California, Washington and Hawaii. Mike recently shared with us his current struggle with controlling mosquitoes in two large resort accounts with sensitive water areas that contained wildlife, prohibiting his ability to use chemicals for control.

“Mosquitoes are a great add-on service offering for pest professionals. They are typically not a part of a general pest control contract and therefore an important and profitable addition for a pest management firm. Two of my current accounts are high-end resorts. Although they were happy with our general pest control, we struggled to get a true reduction in mosquitoes. These clients are located very close to areas where mosquitoes are reported as being infected with Zika & West Nile Virus so it’s beyond being a nuisance, mosquito control here is also about public health protection.”

catchmaster pestimonial

Catchmater Pestimonial: Ovi-Catch Mosquito Trap

“When I learned about Ovi-Catch I liked the concept and and decided to give them a try. After having Ovi-Catch out for two months, the clients are extremely happy with the control we’ve gained over mosquitoes. In just two months, they’ve hardly noticed mosquitoes in otherwise problem areas. I immediately decided to put out more throughout the rest of the property.”

Mike was thrilled with the results, “I’ve caught too many mosquitoes to count.” He went on to explain that his finding is the closer to the proximity of the standing water that you place the unit the higher the number of mosquitoes you’ll see on the glue board. Mike also began placing the units near areas where high mosquito populations were typically reported, usually within 20 feet of a breeding source to get the most control.

ovi-catch mosquito trap

We asked Mike how the units fit into the resort surroundings and he shared: “Besides being very effective, I really like that the buckets blend into the landscape. It’s a different approach to mosquito control. I can see a lot of opportunity with Ovi-Catch in the future and I’m planning to expand this to new properties as an alternative means of mosquito control. Ovi-Catch saved two of my largest accounts, totaling $50-$60k per year. I’m very happy I found this product.”

Additional Resources

Learn more about Ovi-Catch™ Mosquito Trap here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/ovi-catch-ago-mosquito-trap/

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster® brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Mosquito Season 2019 – September Update

By | blog, Insects, Mosquitoes | No Comments

In this mosquito season 2019 update, our Captain Stan (aka the Mosquito Man) shares some updates with fall approaching.  Although the season is changing, that doesn’t mean mosquitoes aren’t still a threat.

Is Mosquito Season Winding Down? Don’t be Fooled


The end of summer generally means cooler temperatures, and cooler temperatures mean fewer mosquitos, right?  Well, maybe.  There may be fewer mosquitoes but the disease threat, particularly in 2019, is still significant and all precautions to avoid mosquito bites should be practiced until the first hard freeze in your region.

Examples, you say?  Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, or EEE, has already killed four people in Massachusetts and it has been found in mosquitoes over a wide area of the state (also in some neighboring states).  There have also been several fatal cases in horses in Michigan.  West Nile virus has been very active throughout the country this year and in warmer areas, transmission to humans could continue into October or even November.  Finally, the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti, responsible for spreading Zika virus, chikungunya, yellow fever and dengue) continues to spread throughout California.

Mosquitoes bite; they want your blood,
And they care not that they aren’t loved;
They’re nature’s scourge, so stay awake;
Protect yourself – make no mistake.

(Ok, I know that I lack an impressive iambic pentameter……)

When not dabbling in poetry, our Captain Stan (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services.  Learn more about Stan here:  https://catchmaster.com/introducing-captain-stan-the-mosquito-man/

Additional Resources

For help with mosquito season 2019 & beyond, discover Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/product/final-feed-mosquito-bait/

Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/

How to Spot a Spotted Lanternfly Infestation

By | blog, Insects, spotted lanternfly, Tips & Inspirations, Trapping Tips | No Comments

If you are unfamiliar with the spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), it’s a good idea to get acquainted with this sap-feeding insect before it’s too late.  Your trees and produce may already be at risk.

Spotted lanternfly background

First spotted in the United States in 2014, the invasive pest was originally discovered in Pennsylvania and has since spread rapidly.  It is known to feed on vines, shrubs, fruit trees, hardwoods, grapevines, and over 70 other species of trees. Infestations are often accidental but can occur seemingly overnight when eggs are transported by landscapers or homeowners doing yardwork. Egg masses and other life stages can also be found on a variety of other outdoor items including vehicles, patio furniture, swing sets, and more. For that reason, it’s very easy for them to spread quickly when humans move anything bearing the eggs.

So, how do you spot an infestation of the spotted lanternfly? The following can help as you check for egg masses on trees and items stored outside.

Identification & Life Cycle

If you hear of an infestation in your area, it’s a good idea to look for eggs all over your property.  They can be anywhere – not just on trees. The spotted lanternfly has one generation every year. Adult females lay eggs in September and continue until early December. Early detection is key as the eggs can survive the winter months and hatch in early spring.

spotted lanternfly eggs

Resembling mud, the pod-like egg masses are usually gray or off-white and will crack and darken over time.

spotted lanternfly nymphs

The eggs hatch in the spring and the nymphs immediately begin feeding. They are recognized as small black nymphs with white spots.

spotted lanternfly instars

The spotted lanternfly completes four life stages, also known as instars, before maturing into adults. The first three instar nymphs are black with white markings while the fourth instar nymphs are reddish-orange with white markings.

spotted lanternfly adults

Mostly seen in late summer and fall, adult nymphs have wings and are about an inch long and a half inch wide. They have gray forewings with black spots and hindwings that can be red, white and black striped.

Tree-Banding for the spotted lanternfly

If you are concerned about populations of the spotted lanternfly in your area, consider working with a pest professional who can perform tree-banding. Tree-banding creates a physical barrier on tree trunks that consist of a wrap and glue. The process allows homeowners to monitor trees proactively for the spotted lanternfly. Click here to learn more.

Additional Resources

Learn more from Penn State University here: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-for-homeowners

Learn more about tree-banding with our Catchmaster® TB-1 glue here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/tree-banding-glue/

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster® brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/