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Intelligent Pest Management Archives - Catchmaster Pro

Oct 21
0
Post-Flood Pest Prevention

Post-Flood Pest Prevention

By | Tips & Inspirations, Uncategorized | No Comments

Post-Flood Pest Prevention Importance

Post-flood pest prevention takes on increased urgency as weather patterns fluctuate.  For example, summer 2021 ended in historic flooding as Tropical Storm Ida traveled a path from New Orleans up through New York state. Those in the wake of the storm experienced staggering rainfall amounts exceeding 10 inches in many parts of New Jersey and over 3 inches of rain per hour in Manhattan. The aftereffects of this historic rain event were felt from mold growth to increased pest infestations.  Additionally, the rain displaced rodent populations. As the region works to clean-up the aftermath, new pest problems are arising. Here are the most common pest infestations following storm damaged areas and what you can do about them.

Top 3 Post-Flood Pests & Treatment Options

1. Flies

Flies often increase after flooding. High winds and driving rains knock down garbage cans and spread debris across. For instance, as crews work to clean-up, downed trees, garbage and vegetative debris along with increased moisture attracts pests to these affected areas. Clean up trash and debris as quickly as possible after a storm. For increased fly popuations check out our flying insect jars and traps for use around your home, business and property.

2. Mosquitoes

As a result of increased water, mosquito populations can rise after a storm. Female mosquitoes need stagnant water to lay their eggs and the opportunity presents itself when excess rains hit an area. Floodwater mosquitoes typically lay their eggs in the soil just above the natural waterline. Eggs can lay dormant for years without hatching. Unfortunately, as floodwaters wash through an area that water can help those eggs hatch in masses causing large populations of mosquitoes in the weeks that follow. Fortunately, Catchmaster has a full line of mosquito traps for use in residential areas to control mosquito populations. Significantly reduce mosquito populations with our easy-to-use traps that cover up to an acre of property at a time.

3. Rodents

Rodent carcasses are washing up on New York City beaches as countless rodents in New York drown due to flooding rains. Displaced rodents rose from their underground shelters while others climbed vertically into living areas. If you are discovering a new found rodent presence in or around your property consider Catchmaster traps and glueboards to monitor, trap and capture mice and rats on your property before they take residence.

Post-Flood Pest Prevention - Mosquito Breeding Sites

Remember to take extra precautions with pests after a flood moves through your area. Just as humans are affected by high rain levels so are pest and rodent populations.

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

Post-Flood Pest Prevention – Additional Resources

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/

Jun 27
4

Tips for Reducing Mosquito Callbacks

By | Mosquitoes, Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

Learn how to maximize your  time in the field with these tips for reducing mosquito callbacks.

Callbacks and retreatments for your mosquito service can be costly, time-consuming, and usually result in unhappy customers or the service being cancelled.  Here are a few tips to help you avoid them.

Tips for Reducing Mosquito Callbacks

Top 14 Tips for Reducing Mosquito Callbacks

  1. The number one reason for callbacks, in my experience, is improper or a lack of inspections on each visit.
  2. Do the proper math on the treatment area and apply the correct amount of product.
  3. Use the highest label rate allowed for the first treatment of the season.
  4. Use the proper application technique to get maximum penetration and product on underside of vegetation and other resting places (under decks, sheds, etc.).
  5. Vegetation grows quickly in summer. Be sure to target NEW vegetation on each service.
  6. Rotate chemicals with different modes of action to avoid resistance.
  7. Many times the breeding sites are on adjacent properties. If you suspect this:
    • Offer a free inspection to the neighbors.
    • Incorporate traps in your service to intercept egg-laying females coming onto your customers’ property.
    • Ask your customer to speak with the neighbors about your service.
  8. Keep vegetation trimmed to impact CAPT Stan’s Big Four where mosquitoes hang out: shade, moisture, cool, out of wind.
  9. Set/manage customer expectations.  We aren’t very good at this as an industry.  If you advertise ‘eradication’ or ‘no more mosquitoes’, you will have callbacks.    I prefer the phrase ‘nuisance reduction’.
  10. Recommend floor fans and use of repellents in between services (CDC has a great website on the latter – Insect Repellents Help Prevent Malaria and Other Diseases Spread by Mosquitoes (cdc.gov)
  11. Verify with customers where in the yard they are being bitten and what time of day. This will provide clues as to what species you are dealing with.
  12. Check for cryptic breeding sites such as plant drainage saucers, piles of leaves, corrugated attachments for downspouts, clogged gutters, etc.
  13. Change outdoor lighting scheme to sodium vapor. Many species of mosquitoes are highly attracted to ‘regular’ light.
  14. If a problem persists, try and get the mosquitoes identified. This can be done by your Chief Science Officer (if you have one), technical specialist, a local mosquito abatement district, or an entomologist at a local university.

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

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

Jun 16
3

Catchmaster Pestimonial – Savage Mole Trap & Rottler Pest Solutions

By | Rodents | No Comments

In this Catchmaster Pestimonial for the Savage Mole Trap learn how Jay Everitt, Technical Director at Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions for the past 27 years, uses the Catchmaster Savage Mole Trap to keep his customers happy and his callbacks to a minimum.

Savage Mole Trap

Savage Mole Trap – Keeping Moles at Bay

Mole control is important to the customers of Rottler Pest Solutions based in St.Louis, MO. The Rottler team uses lots of tools to manage this damaging pest. “Moles are one of the more challenging pests. They can require a lot of return visits and cost us a lot of money in callbacks if they are not managed properly from the start,” Jay Everitt, Technical Director, commented.

Rottler includes mole control as part of their General Pest program in order to offer full service to their customers. They use a combination of tools including baits, traps and repellents for moles.

When Everitt noticed his team wasn’t having the same success with the mole trap they were currently using he was eager to try a new trap introduced to him by Liz Turner, AP&G South Central Regional Manager. Everitt commented, “I appreciate Liz providing new options to me and making me aware of new technology that Catchmaster brings to market. This particular product was very timely and has been very successful for us so far.”

High Capture Rates

Everitt shared that his team was getting a high capture rate right from the start. They placed four traps and captured four moles.  Next, they placed eight more traps and again captured eight moles. He sees the design of the trap as a game changer. The Rottler team needed something robust and the Savage Mole Trap delivered. The Rottler team liked the adjustable trigger plate and the metal construction.  And when you step on it to set it it clears the scissors of the trap.  The lack of this feature had been a challenge with other products.

If the high capture rate with the Catchmaster Savage Mole Trap continues, Everitt believes it will be worth it to change over completely to this product. “The very high capture rate we are seeing makes the Savage trap 3-4 times more effective than others we have tried on the market. It is proving to be effective and worth the cost and savings we are seeing on callbacks,” said Everitt.

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

Additional Resources

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/

Apr 14
0

Pest-Free Lawn Maintenance Tips

By | Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

As we prepare for each season, pest-free lawn maintenance tips can not only keep your lawn looking the best they can also keep the pests away. Overwintering pests such as stink bugs, Asian lady beetles, rodents, boxelder bugs and more sense the change in seasons and begin looking for a place to spend the different seasons.  Buildings like homes, offices, sheds and garages offer the food, water and shelter needed.

Pest-Free Lawn Maintenance - Mosquito Facts

As the weather turns it is a perfect time to take basic fall maintenance steps around your home to avoid indoor pests during the fall and winter months.

4 Tips for Pest-Free Lawn Maintenance

  1. Perform a thorough law clean-up. Rake and remove leaves from your lawn and home perimeter, weed your gardens, remove dead plantings and pick up debris in the yard. Ensure the perimeter of the home is free from leaf debris that would attract pests.
  2. Trim trees. Branches that extend to the home from trees or even shrubs offer a super highway for pests to enter your home. Keep branches and shrubs trimmed and away from your home on the ground level as well as the roof level.
  3. Store firewood away from the house. Firewood attracts and offers shelter for rodents and pests like termites. It is recommended that you store firewood at least 30 feet away from your home.
  4. Inspect the home perimeter & perform simple exclusion and maintenance. Seal cracks and crevices around the home’s exterior. Replace weather strips on doors as they wear out. If window air conditioning units are in place be sure to promptly remove when the weather cools. Inspect the attic for openings and seal with copper mesh and/or caulking.

Keeping the exterior perimeter of the home clear from tree limbs, plantings and leaf litter will make it a less likely choice for pests and rodents to find their way indoors.

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

Additional Resources

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/

Apr 05
1

Reasons for Concern with Invasive Mosquitoes

By | Mosquitoes | No Comments

With spring here, there continue to be reasons for concern with invasive mosquitoes. An invasive species may be defined as a living organism, including but not limited to plants, parasites, pathogens, fungi, and animals (including insects) that is nonnative to an ecosystem and begins to spread out or expand its range from the original site of introduction.  Additionally, the species must have the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or human health.

Reasons for Concern with Invasive Mosquitoes - Map

Invasive mosquito species have been in the news lately.  The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), first discovered in Texas in 1985, has now spread to over 1,300 counties in 40 states in the U.S.  More recently in Florida (2020), the mosquito Aedes scapularis was found to be well-established in two southern counties.

From a public health and quality of life perspective, there are significant reasons to be concerned about invasive mosquito species including:

4 Reasons for Concern with Invasive Mosquitoes

  • Increased Annoyance. Some of these species, especially the Asian tiger mosquito, are very aggressive biters during the daytime and they can quickly ruin outdoor activities.
  • Introduction Of New Pathogens. Although not highly likely, there is the possibility that a mosquito carrying a virus or other pathogen could make its way to the U.S. via airplane, ship, or other mode of transportation.  This has happened several times with malaria.
  • Endemic Disease Cycles. As invasive mosquito species establish and their population numbers increase, it is possible, and in some cases probable, that they will become involved in the endemic (regularly found) disease cycles in the U.S. such as West Nile virus.
  • Geographic Expansion. Many invasive species are easily transported during human activity, primarily due to the drought-resistant eggs they produce.  Accordingly, we will undoubtedly see these mosquitoes continue to expand their range.

Invasive Mosquitoes  – Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

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

Feb 11
3

Neglected Tropical Diseases

By | Mosquitoes | No Comments

Neglected tropical diseases, some of which are insect-borne, affect approximately 1.7 billion people and remain a threat, even with resources being reallocated to fight the current pandemic.  This group of diseases, known collectively by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘Neglected Tropical Diseases’, or NTDs, can cause terrible suffering around the globe. Fortunately, some of them can be prevented or cured.

Neglected Tropical Diseases - Graph

Neglected Tropical Diseases

The NTDs include Chagas disease, leprosy, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), yaws, trachoma, filariasis/elephantiasis, intestinal worms, dengue, chikungunya, onchocerciasis, Guinea worm disease, schistosomiasis, scabies, schistosomiasis, snakebite envenoming, and a few others.  About half of the NTDs are transmitted by insect bites, especially mosquitoes.

5 Highlights of Dangerous Insect-Borne Diseases

  • The number of people impacted dropped from 2.0 billion in 2010 to 1.7 billion in 2017.
  • These diseases blind, disable, and disfigure people, keeping children out of school and adults out of work so the economic burden is stifling.
  • NTDs are found primarily in poorer populations in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Africa, Asia, and South America.
  • Since a WHO ‘roadmap to eradication’ was developed in 2012, 42 countries have eliminated at least one NTD.
  • It is the goal of WHO to have a 90% reduction in people requiring treatment for NTDs in the next 10 years. This is to be done by providing safe and available drugs, and through aggressive vector control.

It is easy to forget that billions of people in the world are still impacted by diseases, many of them vector-borne, and that somewhere between 750,000 and 1 million people still die from malaria every year.  And as world travel continues to increase at an astounding rate, the risk of infection and disease goes up!

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

Neglected Tropical Diseases – Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

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

Jan 25
1

Resources to Improve Your Mosquito Service

By | Mosquitoes, Pest Business, Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

The mosquito business can be tough, fortunately there are resources to improve your mosquito service.  As you gear up for the mosquito season, I draw your attention to what are likely untapped resources for your company – professional mosquito control organizations (PMCOs) and mosquito abatement districts (MADs), which are usually funded by various taxes.

Resources to Improve Your Mosquito Service

Resources to Improve Your Mosquito Service - Map

Mosquito Abatement Districts

The responsibility for public mosquito control in the United States resides in different organizations, depending on state and county policies.  It may be the state health department, a county public works facility or other.  But what I am specifically referring to here are the MADs.  As you might expect, they are more numerous in some states than others; for example, Florida alone has about 60!  I strongly urge you to find out if there is a MAD in your areas of operation.  If so, give them a call and ask to visit.  They are very proud of what they do, and you can learn a great deal from them.  One piece of valuable information will be where they treat and DON’T treat = business opportunities for you!

Professional Mosquito Control Organizations

Also, many states have mosquito control associations, and there are also several regional ones that cover several states.  In addition, there is the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), which has around 1,400 members in over 50 countries.  See www.mosquito.org for more information.  Membership for you or your company (as a sustaining member) in one or more of these will bring many benefits including access to newsletters, up-to-date information on mosquito control products, tremendous networking opportunities, training events, workshops, annual meetings, etc.  If you really want to learn and practice Integrated Mosquito Management, this is a great place to start.

If CAPT Stan can facilitate any of this for you, especially the MAD visits, please contact me.  I would be happy to provide you with an email introduction.  I am standing by to assist.  scope@catchmaster.com or 551.689.8073.

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

Resources to Improve Your Mosquito Service – Additional Links

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

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

Dec 21
0

Things We Love About Pest Control

By | Pest Business | No Comments

Now, more than ever, we have more things to love about pest control. Every industry has something special, something unique. Pest professionals likely never dreamed they would land here and, at the same time, cannot imagine leaving. Pest pros are passionate about what they do and their community. So, what makes the industry so attractive that people don’t want to leave? Here are four things we love about the pest management industry.

Things We Love About Pest Control - IPM

Four things we love about pest control

  • The People –From hard-working technicians to entrepreneurs to some of the largest chemical companies in the world, the folks you encounter in pest management are truly diverse and from every walk of life. It is an extremely hard-working group that makes the experience in this industry worthwhile. Once you are in you truly feel like you are a part of a community. Annual meetings offer great opportunities to rekindle lifelong friendships and learn more from folks of different regions and differing perspectives. People are so often willing to share their experience and knowledge, oftentimes even with their competitors.
  • The Democracy of Design – okay, we are biased on this one because we are creative folks who love the unique logo designs in the industry. Whether one-truck solo operators or larger regional and national chains, the different logos throughout the industry are as varied as the people. There are over 20,000 pest control organizations in the US, each with a design to match. We truly believe in the more the merrier.
  • The Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Industry – The “American Dream” has been realized by so many in the pest management industry:
    • Pest control technicians who rose up the ranks of national firms then grew their wings to launch their own successful regional company
    • Family-owned and operated manufacturing firms spanning over several generations with grandparents and grandchildren working side by side
    • Consultants who later in life take their industry experience and offer it back to the industry.
  • An Essential Industry – Pest professionals are incredibly important to the communities they serve. Professional pest management services protect public health, people’s homes and family and businesses reputations. Perhaps part of the love and draw of this industry is working for the greater good.

Easy to love

As the saying goes, love what you do and you will never work a day in your life. We believe that is why so many people have found success in the pest management industry, as it is an easy career to love.

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

Things we love about pest control – additional resources

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/

 

Oct 15
0

Mosquito Service Certification

By | Mosquitoes, Pest Business, Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

With down time in the winter months, now is a great time to focus on your mosquito service certification. Are you or one of your ambitious staff members looking for a winter project?  The National Pest Management Association (NPMA), through the QualityPro program, has made available Public Health certifications targeting mosquito and rodent services.  Additional certifications for bed bugs, stinging and biting insects, and wildlife are in development.

Mosquito Service Certification - US Map

QualityPro Certification – Background

To create these certifications, QualityPro brought in the ‘Pros From Dover’ including folks from NPMA, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, the American Mosquito Control Association, the Entomological Society of America, the National Environmental Health Association, a vector control district, and five pest control companies!

Before applying for the Public Health certifications, a company must first earn QualityPro accreditation and be in good standing.  The package of materials and information that must be submitted is substantial and will likely take a few months to compile so be ready.  Upon submission, QualityPro will review the package and either accept it or suggest modifications to improve it.  All materials submitted will be treated as confidential and proprietary.

Getting your mosquito service a national certification is a major differentiator for your company and will instill greater confidence in current and future customers.  To learn more about the program and requirements, visit:

https://www.npmaqualitypro.org/available-credentials/qualitypro-public-health/

Good luck and be sure to address all the requirements!

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

Mosquito Service Certification – Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

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

 

 

Oct 02
0

Press Release: Catchmaster Acquires the Vector Line of Fly Lights

By | Press Releases | No Comments

BASF divests its global Vector® light fly trap portfolio to AP&G Co, Inc./Catchmaster

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, October 1, 2020 BASF announced the divestiture of its entire global Vector® insect light fly trap business to AP&G, Co., Inc.  Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed.

The Vector insect light fly trap business had been part of BASF’s Agricultural Products, Professional & Specialty Solutions division. The division’s portfolio includes a wide range of niche customer segments such as urban and rural pest control, professional vegetation management, public health and other specialty markets.

“We are thrilled to add the Vector® brand to the Catchmaster® portfolio,” said Jonathan Frisch, Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “The Vector brand is iconic in the Pest Control Industry and combining their innovative insect light traps with trusted Catchmaster glue boards allows us to further our goal of providing intelligent pest solutions to pest management professionals.”

“This decision to divest the Vector® light business to AP&G will ensure our focus is on our key brands and advances our global product portfolio strategy,” said Ron Kehler, Vice President of the Agricultural Product Professional & Specialty Solutions division.

About AP&G Co., Inc.

AP&G Co., Inc. is a leading manufacturer of Intelligent Pest Management solutions headquartered in Bayonne, NJ. Utilizing a science-based approach, we create high-quality products for rodent, insect & mosquito management. Our roots go back to the early 1950s starting with the production of specialty adhesives. AP&G Co., Inc. introduced the Catchmaster® brand in 1977 to deliver Intelligent Pest Management solutions to pest management professionals worldwide. For more information on AP&G Co., Inc. and Catchmaster® please visit www.catchmasterpro.com.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 20,000 employees in North America and had sales of $19.7 billion in 2018. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.