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.
