Category

Rodents

Jan 07
0

Intelligent Pest Management

By | Insects, Mosquitoes, Rodents, Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

AP&G Co., Inc. = Intelligent Pest Management (IPM)

The pillars of our approach are grounded in a multi-step process to dealing with pests.

The 4 Steps of Intelligent Pest Management

  1. Inspection – spend as much time as it takes to do an excellent inspection to get a thorough understanding of the unique situations and problem areas that are present in your account.
  2. Plan – habitat manipulation to remove conducive conditions is critical – making sanitation and exclusion the cornerstones of any IPM plan.  Special consideration needs to be paid to sanitation and structural issues that are creating conducive conditions, attracting pests to your account and allowing them to thrive.  Your IPM Plan must take exact species identification and problem areas identified in your initial inspection consideration to identify the most prudent and effective means of removing the existing infestation.
  3. Execute – mitigate all conducive conditions, incorporate any sanitary or exclusion requirements where necessary and remove remaining pests from your account based on your comprehensive IPM plan.
  4. Monitor – install monitors or schedule repeat visits to evaluate the results of your plan and to identify new or recurring problems.

Working together, each of the steps in Intelligent Pest Management provide a holistic system for protecting your client’s “turf”.

Intelligent Pest Management - 4 Steps

Additional Resources

Learn more about our full line of IPM monitors and other products here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product-line/ 

Get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Dec 19
0

Alternate Baits for Rodents

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

Alternate Bait Options for Rodents

The baits you use to trap rodents can have a significant impact on your catch rate and a thorough knowledge of alternate rodent baits will help.  Fortunately, there are plenty of baits you have at your disposal.  In fact, you may find some surprising ones on the list below.  But, first, some general rodent bait tips.

8 Tips for Using Rodent Baits

  1. Rodents are fickle creatures. Alternate not only the baits you use but also where you place the traps if you are not having success.
  2. When it comes to traps, the more the merrier.  Indeed, placing several traps spread out will increase your likelihood of a catch.
  3. When it comes to bait amount, less is probably more. You should use just enough to fill the bait containers on snap and wooden traps.  This is usually about ½ gram – the size of a kidney bean.  Adding too much bait may actually hurt the performance of the trap.
  4. If you are using a glue trap chances are it is already pre-scented. If you do use baits with glue boards be sure to avoid oily substances like peanut butter that might impact glue performance.
  5. Let the rodents smell the bait, not you. Rodents can smell your scent well after you have touched a trap.  As a result, use gloves when setting a trap.
  6. Leave some bait on the trap before you set it.  Rodents are cautious, baiting before you set the trap will allow them to get used to the trap in their environment.  Once they are accustomed to taking the bait they are far more likely to return once the trap is set.
  7. Stop the rodents before you even have to trap. First, do a thorough inspection of your property and then be sure to seal up any holes like cracks in foundations or gaps in door stops.  An adult mouse only needs a hole the size of a dime to get inside your house.
  8. If baits aren’t working consider creating a “Hansel and Gretel” trail leading up to your trap (props to Joey Starr for the tip!)

Alternate Rodent Baits - Fun Facts

The Not-So-Complete List of Alternate Rodent Baits

Full disclosure – this list is in no way meant to be complete.  Furthermore, different baits work for different people in different locations.  Do you have a bait that isn’t on this list?  Without a doubt, we would love to hear in the contents below.

Protein-based Baits

  1. Peanut butter (consider possible repercussions of this allergen first)
  2. Soy butter (could be an effective alternative to peanut butter, thank you to Chris Morin from Fusion Pest Management for the tip!)
  3. Beef jerky (like Slim Jim), can be cut into smaller parts, remember, you don’t need a lot.  Thanks to Myron Ritter and John Cunningham from Stark Exterminators and Daniel Connelly from Connelly Pest Control for the tip!
  4. Bacon
  5. Seeds
  6. Thin slices of hot dogs or sausage
  7. Nuts (Nuts should only be use sparingly & perhaps should be steered clear of altogether, particularly in areas like food processing plants – thanks to Dale Hodgson for the tip!)
  8. Snails or slugs
  9. Pet food
  10. Rodent droppings
  11. Bacon bits (added by Sean Wineberg)
  12. Provoke professional gel by Bell Labs (added by Matthew Blair – for an extra boost consider Provoke +  chocolate fudge pudding, tip from Manuel Varela)
  13. Beef grease, like the drippings from a steak, good for hard and unusual situations (thanks again to Chris Morin from Fusion Pest Management!)
  14. Granola (submitted by Junior Delacruz)
  15. Cheese (although it may be, according to Jay Lee from Pirate Pest Control “only used to catch cartoon mice” if you are out of alternatives the smellier and softer the better)
  16. Sunflower Seeds (props to Michael James Burks from B6 Pest Supply)
  17. Hot Sauce (thank you to Edward Cosgrove from Hearts Pest Management)
  18. Canned mackarel – works especially well for rats (thank you to Thomas Tripp from Modern Pest Services)
  19. Sardines (shout out to Paul Potts from Potts Pest Control Ocala for the tip!)
  20. Nutella (thank you to Daniel Connelly from Connelly Pest Control)
  21. Mixture of coconut, flour & salt (props to the team at Horizon Pest Control)
  22. Almond butter (thank you to the team at Arsenal Exterminating for sharing!)

Sweet Baits

  1. Marshmallows
  2. Gum Drops
  3. Chocolate
  4. Dried fruit
  5. Berries
  6. Nutella (shout out to Lawrence Plecha from Biotec Pest for the tip, Daniel Connelly from Connelly Pest Control notes it works particularly well for rats)
  7. Honey or molasses
  8. Cereal
  9. Maple syrup
  10. Molasses
  11. Jelly (added by Mark Whorton)
  12. Liquorice jelly sweets with a sprinkling of oats around the trap and a spritz of aniseed oil spray to take away any human scent (awesome tip and instructions added by Hugh Radford from Guardian Pest Control – thanks, Hugh!)
  13. Tootsie rolls (added by Scott Palatnik)
  14. PayDay candy bars (submitted by Michael James Burks from B6 Pest Supply)
  15. Reese’s peanut butter cup
  16. Starburst (last 2 courtesy of Gary Johnson from Buzzkill Pest Control)
  17. Gummy bears (props to Tom Hudson)

One area to consider if you aren’t have any luck with food-based baits – nesting material!  Just as rodents will seek out food for energy they will also seek out materials for home, particularly females.

Nest Material Alternate Rodent Baits

  1. Cotton balls (to “sweeten” the deal add some vanilla extract – thank you to George Mccutchen, Timothy from Assured Environments & Gary Johnson from Buzzkill Pest Control for the tip!)
  2. Shredded paper towels
  3. Fabric scraps
  4. Dental floss
  5. Yarn
  6. Twine
  7. Cardboard
  8. Packaging materials
  9. Straw
  10. Pillow batting
  11. A shiny dime (submitted by Jerry Vallejos)

Don’t Forget to Alternate

Hopefully the first bait you choose gets the job done but, remember, if your chosen bait isn’t working try something else.  There’s a reason there are so many options!

Did we miss your go-to bait?  Let us know in the comments!

Additional Resources – Alternate Rodent Baits

First, get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Next, learn more about our rodent management tools here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/rodent-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Dec 10
2

Holiday Rodent Inspection Tips

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

Don’t give rodents a home for the holidays – arm yourself with some holiday rodent inspection tips.

Holiday decorations, whether you are getting them out or putting them up, provide a great opportunity to check less-traveled spots for signs of rodents.

Why do rodents visit during the holidays?

Rodents invade our areas searching for the same things we do – food, warmth and shelter.  In addition, they prefer undisturbed areas like attics, closets and crawl spaces.  Undoubtedly, your holiday decorations are stored in a similar spot.  Utilize your time in storage to deploy these holiday rodent inspection tips.

Holiday Home Rodent Inspection

4 signs of rodents to look for during the holidays

  1. Droppings – A mice infestation is often accompanied by droppings. Mice droppings are typically one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch long with pointed ends. Larger problems, like Norway rats, have larger droppings with blunt ends.
  2. Strong odors – attics, basements and storage areas have distinct smells. Mice see poorly but use urine to mark their territories and navigate new surroundings. The urine leaves behind an undeniable scent that smells like ammonia.
  3. Gnaw marks – rodent’s teeth never stop growing and they gnaw in order to keep their teeth at a comfortable length. An often-overlooked sign of a rodent infestation is gnaw marks or shavings found on or around baseboards, doors or cardboard storage containers.
  4. Tracks or rub markets – mice do not see well and hug the walls during travel. Eventually they will memorize the route creating a “marked trail”, the result of body oil and dirt being rubbed against walls or baseboards. A strong flashlight may help you to uncover these rodent markings in the attic or basement.

After inspecting your home talk to a pest management professional about year-round monitoring with the Catchmaster® brand.  Monitoring is a sure way to get ahead of pest infestations.  In addition, monitoring is an important part of an integrated pest management program.

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

Additional resources – holiday rodent inspection tips

Get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Learn more about our insect glue boards and monitors here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/insect-traps-monitors/

Get more winter pest tips from the experts at Redfin here: https://www.redfin.com/blog/winter-pest-control-expert-tips

Learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

 

Nov 19
0

Helpful Holiday Pest Prevention for People with Pets

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

Holiday pest prevention may not be top of mind this time of year.  With family visiting, gifts to wrap and meals to cook it is easy to forget protecting your turf from pests.  But pests are persistent, and they would love nothing more than to get in on your holiday feast.

Holiday Pest Prevention - Rodent Destruction

The Importance of Holiday Pest Prevention for your Pets

Not only can pests ruin your meal, they present a health danger to your pets.  Mice alone can bring dangers like salmonella and hantavirus into your home.  Without a doubt, pests can impact you during the holidays and year-round.  Fortunately, there are some easy steps you can take to keep your home pest-free this holiday season.

5 Helpful Tips for Holiday Pest Prevention for people with pets

  1. Deck, and inspect, the halls (and other areas) – pests seek the same things we seek at the holidays – food, warmth and shelter. Did you know an adult mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime?  Inspect your home for any openings like cracks in the foundation or gaps in doorways.  Importantly, if openings are found seal them up.
  2. Say no to the table scraps – not only will the feeding your pet possibly be bad for them, the food waste that is left can attract all sorts of pests.
  3. Check the box(es) – when getting out the decorations, be sure to see if there is any damage to the boxes. If you see any gnaw marks it may be an indication of rodents.  Use glue traps to monitor your attic or other storage space year-round and be sure to check for activity.
  4. Inspect your decorations – if signs of rodents have been detected make sure to double-check all of your electrical decorations – frayed wires could present a danger to pets.
  5. Maintain your outdoor areas – seasonal debris like twigs and leaves can provide harborage to rodents and help draw them close to your home. In addition, pests can find homes in piles of unkempt firewood.

Holiday Pest Prevention - Inspection

Trust the Experts

If you discover a pest problem in your home or on your pet work closely with your veterinarian and pest management professional for a safe solution.

Learn more about Catchmaster® insect glue boards and monitors here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/insect-traps-monitors/

Learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

 

Nov 05
0

Rodent Exclusion Tips

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

Get Proactive Protection with these Rodent Exclusion Tips for the Fall

The temperatures are getting colder, the leaves are out of the trees and the rodents are heading indoors, but, don’t fret, use these rodent exclusion tips to get ready for the season.

According to PestWorld, mice and other rodents invade an estimated 21 million homes in the United States each winter! Don’t be a part of that staggering statistic. Ensure a pest-free living environment via exclusion work.  Exclusion work can prevent insects and rodents from gaining access to your home.

The importance of rodent exclusion work

Did you know that an adult mouse is able to squeeze through a hole the size of a dime? An afternoon of uncovering and sealing entry points into your home can help you to ensure a pest-free living environment all winter long.

Exclusion work simply means sealing and securing all possible points of entry into a building.  Taking this proactive step can easily reduce and even eliminate pest and rodent activity in the home. Exclusion is cost effective and more efficient in the long run. It reduces the need for chemical pesticides or rodenticides.  The result is a safe alternative for both humans and the environment.

Rodent Exclusion Tips - Home Graphic

In order to be through, begin with an inspection of your home from the inside out.

7 areas to check for rodent exclusion work

  1. Cracks and crevices in the foundation
  2. Improperly sealed vents
  3. Attics
  4. Drain pipes
  5. Door sweeps
  6. Window screens
  7. Garage doors

Caulk works well for tiny gaps, however, for openings two inches or more us copper mesh in order to fill-in holes and entry points.  Because of the mesh, Rodents cannot chew through and gain entry.

Once exclusion is performed remember to monitor indoor areas that cannot be fully sealed with glue boards and trays. Being alerted to a pest or rodent problem early can make the infestation much easier to solve.

Take some time to be pro-active this fall by performing exclusion around your home and enjoy a pest and rodent-free winter.

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

Additional resources

Get more rodent tips 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/

Oct 30
0

Keeping Your Home & Pumpkins Safe from Pests this Halloween

By | blog, Insects, Rodents, Tips & Inspirations, Trapping Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments

Halloween pest control can help keep your holiday festive.

Halloween Pest Control - Cota

It’s October, a chill is in the air and homeowners are busy decking their halls with spiders, rats and other creepy crawlers in preparation for Halloween.  It is about the only time of the year that pests are an acceptable décor choice around the home.  Holiday displays aside, here are some tips for keeping the real pests at bay this year.

Spiders – better out than in

Did you know that spiders can actually be a beneficial pest, particularly in your garden? Perhaps not the best news if you suffer from arachnophobia. It’s true though, spiders in your garden play a pivotal role in keeping down the number of plant-killing bugs and may also prevent you from being stung while working in your garden. However, very few of us want to share our homes with these creatures.

Spider pest control tips

  1. To keep spiders out of your home, consider performing some exclusion work, filling cracks and crevices, sealing gaps and openings around the home and replacing door sweeps that may no longer provide a strong seal.
  2. Another great line of defense against indoor spiders is your vacuum cleaner. Suck up any visible spiders and be sure to remove cobwebs around your home as well.
  3. Finally, consider monitoring your home for spiders with our glue traps and boards. Place our glue trays or boards in out of the way areas to find what’s really creeping around your home this fall.

Halloween Pest Control - Rat Facts

Halloween Pest Control – Keeping the Rats at Bay

Much like spiders, rats can enter your home through relatively small cracks and holes. Did you know that a rat can squeeze its body through a hole the size of a quarter? There are a couple of actions you can take to keep rats away. First, fill any holes or gaps you find around the perimeter of your home. Second, keep your plumbing in tip top shape. Like many other pests, rats are drawn to moisture and a leaky pipe can be the water source needed.

Beware the Pumpkin Eaters

Lastly, be careful where you place that seasonal pumpkin. Pumpkins are a huge component of Halloween Pest Control.  Pumpkins left outdoors are a great food source for rats, mice and other rodents and will also draw pests to your home particularly as the pumpkin begins to rot.

Pumpkin pest prevention

  1. Display pumpkins in a cool, dry place to prevent mold and rot from setting in early and attract insects.
  2. You can protect your pumpkins with a simple mixture of bleach and water. Simply spray this mixture on a carved pumpkin each day before Halloween for an easy, effective pest management practice to keep fruit flies and other insects at bay.
  3. To avoid your pumpkin serving as a food source for rodents and squirrels in the area, try coating the pumpkin inside and out with hot pepper sauce.

We hope these tips help you to enjoy the Halloween season where the only pests you see are a part of your seasonal décor.

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

Additional Halloween Pest Control Resources

Looking for more Halloween pest tips?  Gest some mosquito tips from our own Captain Stan (aka the Mosquito Man) here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/halloween-mosquito-prevention/

Learn more about pests at Pest World, the official site of the National Pest Management Association here: http://pestworld.org/

Oct 11
0

Catchmaster Pestimonial – Envirosafe

By | Insects, Pestimonials, Rodents, Uncategorized | No Comments

Catchmaster Pestimonial – Envirosafe

In this edition of our Catchmaster Pestimonial series, Veteran PMP Gary Pietrucha says the Catchmaster® brand listens to its customers, creating a corporate culture that values relationships and drives innovation.

The Value of Relationships

Relationships are important to Gary Pietrucha, owner and president of Envirosafe Pest Management, Itasca, Ill. Upon launching his company in 1988, the veteran PMP knew he wanted to operate a “boutique business” providing high-quality, environmentally sensitive pest control services, but one which also maintained close ties with its customers and employees as it grew.

“From the day I started, I wanted to be directly involved in the business,” he says. “I wanted to be large enough to handle major accounts, but small enough to know what was going on in every facet of the business. I didn’t want to lose track of my customers or employees. I wanted to be that ‘go-to’ person for both of them, and I think I’ve been successful.”

Catchmaster Pestimonial – The Value of Glue Boards

Those are also qualities Pietrucha values in his vendor relationships, which is why he thinks so highly of AP&G, manufacturer of the popular Catchmaster® line of products. Pietrucha says one of the reasons AP&G has been successful for so many years (the company was founded in 1952) is they listen to their customers.

A longtime proponent of glue boards, Pietrucha says he uses these valuable IPM tools in a variety of accounts, from warehouse and distribution centers to food-service facilities.

“Glue boards are an amazing pest control resource,” he says. “Us old-timers remember taking a gallon of bulk glue and making giant glue boards designed to capture large numbers of rodents. They were effective in reducing populations, but they looked unprofessional.”

Thanks to companies like AP&G, however, glue boards have become more sophisticated and increasingly effective over time. Today, the New Jersey-based company offers a comprehensive line of adhesive products, including rat glue boards, mouse glue boards, custom glue boards and glue trays.

“Glue boards are a very simple devices with multiple uses,” Pietrucha observes. “We use them in a variety of different applications and they also offer a number of public health benefits. Rodents not only get stuck on the boards, but the pathogens and parasites that reside on those rodents also get stuck.”

Catch Zone™ Pest Boundary Roll – A Timely Innovation

Catchmaster Pestimonial - Catch Zone

“I also use Catch ZoneTM in a number of accounts,” Pietrucha says. Perfect for clean outs and protecting large, sensitive areas, Catchmaster® Catch ZoneTM comes in 60-foot by 12-inch rolls that can be cut easily to conform to virtually any space, providing a first line of defense against both rodents and insects.

Pietrucha was so impressed with the product that he wondered if it could be adapted to control rats by applying a thicker layer of glue. “I asked Dave Johnson, my sales representative, and he listened,” Pietrucha says, shaking his head in amazement. “I’m small potatoes, just a little pest control guy from Itasca, but they listened to me! They took my comments to heart and helped me out. Now I can level the playing field against rats. I can put this long strip of glue out there and provide very effective rodent control.”

Catchmaster Pestimonial - Pallet Image

Learn more about our Catch Zone™ Pest Boundary Roll here: https://catchmasterpro.com/product/catch-zone-pest-boundary-roll/

Learn more about Envirosafe here: http://www.pestmgmt.com/

Read other stories in our Catchmaster Pestimonial series here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=pestimonial

Special thanks to the team at PCT Magazine for their contributions to this article: https://www.pctonline.com/

Sep 23
0

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/