Open Letter To Pest Management Customers

I would like to thank you for your business. I put food on my table, clothes on my back, and a roof over my head when you hire me for your pest control needs. I enjoy all of the conversations about anything and everything. I am here to help you, so let us embrace this partnership.

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I am experienced. I have a lot of training. I am fully certified. I will apply IPM principles before pesticides. I understand Modes Of Action and the IRAC chart. I am great at inspecting. I can identify insects, rodents, birds, and wildlife.

I can tell when your pest control devices are, or are not, working correctly. I know when you have moved them out of place between services, and then quickly put them back when you see me coming. I know when you use them for a door stop. I know what forklift damage looks like.

I know when you have left a door open for an extended period of time. I can tell when windows are open, without screens. I know if your sanitation isn’t up to par. I can tell you if processing machinery isn’t working. Yes, you have pest control machinery in your food plant.

I see you scratching your head. “What is she talking about?”

You hired me to prevent, eradicate, remedy, eliminate, exterminate, exclude, remove, get rid of your pests. I will be happy to do just that. I absolutely love to help. BUT – You, my dear customer, you MUST do your part. Back to the 1st paragraph… this is a partnership.

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Now, let me explain.

Multi catch traps, Insect Light Traps, Pheromones, Bait Stations work best when they are clean, in proper placement, and not damaged. They are placed according to facility needs, audit standards, and my experience.

Using multi catch devices as a door stop will damage them. It bends the lid, tray, and counterweight. Such damage will make it unusable. It definitely won’t keep a mouse in it’s confines. When they are kicked, pushed, or swept out of place, it takes away from the proper placement at the wall/floor junction. Mice, for the most part, scurry along that line of sight, and now you’ve lost a useful device.

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Doors are meant to be used. I get that, but I am still going to scold you for excessive, unnecessary opening. All pests want in. Be mindful of this fact. It’s not just mice. Don’t extend the invitation to squirrels, raccoons, birds, or the pet that truck drivers bring with them.

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Your ILTs will tell me how much a door has been open. They are useful in keeping insects out of the main body of the facility. If the number of insects increases compared to previous services, I will inspect to find out why.

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Pheromones are great monitoring tools for many pests. When windows are open, they should have screens in place. Without screens, other pests can come in. These pests may be inadvertently attracted to a pheromone. This could cause me to think there is another pest issue beside the one at hand. I wouldn’t want to get false information and start a treatment process for something that isn’t necessary.

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There are various insects that will alert me to sanitation concerns. Some of them include cockroaches, flies, warehouse beetles, and ants. If I see any of these insects, I will be in the hunt for trash, debris, or rotten organic material. I will look for the obvious in trash cans, storage rooms, and under sink cabinets near drains. I will ask for permission to inspect any closed machinery or equipment that would likely harbor such insects. I will ask to see your Master Sanitation Schedule log and help you adjust it if needed.

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Are you still wondering how equipment is considered to be part of the pest management program? Any part of a grain cleaning process will shake out some insects. An entoleter is a cone-shaped machine that uses heat and centrifugal force as a kill step to fragment insects. Sifters will separate product and trash, including the random insect from the final product zone. Don’t put any of these in “by-pass” mode.

So, my Dear Customer, help me, help you. Join me in making our partnership a great one, that will last a very long time. We really are on the same team.