Catchmaster Pestimonial – Sentry Pest Solutions
In this edition of our Catchmaster Pestimonial series, an Illinois PMP provides environmentally sensitive mosquito control service to a client base devoted to “green” principles.
A More Natural Approach to Pest Control
Daniel Genty, owner of Sentry Pest Solutions, a one-man pest control operation serving the upscale communities of Homer Glen and New Lenox, Ill., a pastoral region 40 miles west of Chicago, had a specific vision for his business when he opened the doors in 2019.
“I wanted to bring a safer, more natural approach to pest control,” he said. “A lot of customers out here are affluent and they’re concerned about the environment. They don’t mind spending a few extra dollars for an IPM program or all-natural products that will protect the environment.”
The Village of Homer Glen is so committed to preserving its unique rural character and pursuing a “green vision” that its official website features the tagline, “Community and Nature … in Harmony.” The 23-square-mile village, which 25,000 people proudly call home, features ample green space, along with numerous wetlands and floodplains, attractive habitats for mosquito breeding, which can be a major problem for residents throughout the spring and summer.
Solutions for Accounts that Require Special Attention
“Last year I had a number of problem properties requiring special attention since they backed up to wetlands or forested areas with heavy mosquito pressure,” Genty observed. “These were absolute nightmare jobs,” he added, with residents and pets being eaten alive by mosquitoes when they ventured outside in the early evening.
Despite the detrimental impact on the quality of life of community members, residents still demanded an environmentally sensitive approach to their mosquito problems. “These were dream customers you don’t want to lose, so I was honest with them,” Genty said. “I told them I have this new product (Final FeedTM from Catchmaster®) and I don’t know how well it will work, but if you’re willing to give it a try I’ll do the best I can to solve your problem.”
Genty, 39, learned about Final Feed Mosquito Bait from his Catchmaster sales representative, but he had never tried the product until last summer. Final Feed features a proprietary, dual-action formula that includes natural fruit juices that attract hungry mosquitoes, combined with a lethal dose of microencapsulated garlic (0.4%).
Genty was intrigued by the product because it is classified as a 25b minimum-risk pesticide by the EPA, an important attribute for his environmentally conscious customer base. Backed by peer-reviewed published science, Final Feed is applied to non-flowering plants and mosquito resting sites as a residual spray, using their feeding behavior against them.
Captain Stan (aka the Mosquito Man) & Final Feed
“Both male and female mosquitoes require multiple sugar meals each day for energy and survival,” observes Dr. Stan Cope, vice president of technical products and services for AP&G, manufacturer of the Catchmaster line of products. “They acquire these sugar meals from plants.”
The unique, non-toxic formulation suppresses blood feeding and collapses mosquito populations by more than 90% in two to three weeks. “The exact mode of action is unknown, but after ingestion, the majority of the mosquitoes die within one or two days,” Cope said. “Further, after ingesting the garlic, female mosquitoes lose their appetite for blood,” resulting in a dramatic decline in biting activity, critical to the success of any mosquito management program.
Mosquito Problems
In Genty’s first “problem account,” a single-family home in close proximity to a landscape business with two large ponds, mosquito pressure was high, making it difficult for the homeowners to venture outside after dusk. Genty treated the property with Final Feed, spraying non-flowering plants with the bait. Upon calling the homeowner three days later, “She said her family was in the backyard the day after the treatment and they didn’t get bitten once,” according to Genty, and the treatment lasted 60 days.
A second property, which bordered a nearby tree line, proved equally as problematic. “There were some woods and a pretty decent-sized creek that went through the property,” Genty recalls, “but Final Feed performed the same. The customer was thrilled with the results.”
Genty acknowledges the product has a slight garlic odor, “but it’s not a bad smell and I haven’t received any complaints from customers.” It comes packaged in four pouches per case and has a shelf life of two years. No special storage requirements are necessary.
“I’ve been very pleased with the product and am looking forward to using it again this coming mosquito season,” Genty said.
Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services. He is proud to be a part of this Catchmaster Pestimonial. Learn more about him here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/stan-cope-phd/
From Technician to Owner
Daniel Genty, owner of Sentry Pest Solutions, didn’t intend to pursue a career in the pest control industry. He started working in the industrial engineering field, before an unexpected layoff prompted him to consider other career options.
“A gentleman who provided pest control services to my mom’s work said his company was hiring technicians,” Genty recalls. “I applied for a job, was hired, and absolutely fell in love with the industry. What I liked about the industry is my customers were happy to see the bug guy because I was actually solving peoples’ problems.”
After being called back to his engineering job, Genty began to miss his daily interactions with customers in the field, finding himself increasingly bored sitting at a desk in front of a computer all day. “I realized I missed it,” he said, so Genty did the necessary research and secured the required certifications to launch Sentry Pest Solutions in 2019.
“I’ve been working on my own a year now and absolutely love it!”
Catchmaster Pestimonial – Additional Resources
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Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/
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