[Termite Market] On The Road Again

Bayer Environmental Science’s development and technical center at Clayton, N.C., is a valuable resource for pest management professionals. It includes a model of a home, partially completed to demonstrate various construction types. There, Bayer technical service and field development specialists can give presentations on how to properly apply termiticides in a wide variety of situations.

But realizing that not every pest management professional is able to travel to Clayton, Bayer has developed a mobile termite control training program. Bayer Mobile University features application equipment, insect specimens, construction materials and examples of termite and other insect damage.

"We’ve fabricated the trailer and customized it just for termite technology and termite training," said Joe Hope, manager of field development and technical service for Bayer. Developed by Bayer’s Research and Development group, Bayer University is a boot camp for pest management professionals to fight termites with information on the latest and greatest technology available.

Mobile University classes encompass the science behind termite behavior, basic construction and proper application of Premise Termite Elimination. "By understanding termite biology, we can more effectively prevent, detect, and control termites. And once someone has seen correct and flawed construction, they can better understand the difficulty and requirements for a solid termite treatment," said Chip Anderson, who provides field development and technical service for Bayer.

Although classes are offered at Bayer’s Clayton Field Station in Clayton, N.C., for those pest management professionals who can’t make the trip, Bayer’s Mobile University will bring the Clayton curriculum to their home turf at state or university training facilities. Equipped with treatment equipment, simulated construction equipment (such as piers, foundation walls, slabs, etc.), examples of termite damage, and safety equipment, the mobile unit is managed by Bayer’s own research and development staff, including Chip Anderson and Dr. John Paige.

"We’re doing this so pest management professionals can use our products safely and efficiently and give them all the information they need," Hope said.

THE CLASS. The Mobile University class begins with an introduction to termite biology so that pest management professionals can understand more about this destructive pest. From there, attendees do some "hands on" work outside, in addition to some work in the laboratory.

Hope says the class talks about building codes and the variety of foundations technicians in the field could encounter (i.e., brick veneer found with floor joists, crawl spaces, various types of garage construction, etc.). In addition, different types of slabs and the appropriate treatment regimes are discussed.

With the introduction of its non-repellent termiticide several years ago, Bayer knew training was needed for the industry. "We have the expertise and we’re sharing things we know best," Hope said. A formalized training program was established in December 2003. The program has a manual and a set course, curriculum, schedule, certification, exam, just like a college course.

"We decided to take it to other states because companies couldn’t bring as many people as they wanted to for training," Hope said. "We wanted to take the training out to the country."

Many of the questions Bayer’s technical services department receives relate to non-repellents vs. repellents, termite baiting and non repellents, Hope says.

Classes range from 20 to 50 attendees. "Sometimes we do just one company, sometimes three or four small companies at once," Hope said.

For more information on Bayer’s Mobile University or to schedule a training session, contact your sales representative.

The author is editor of PCT magazine. She can be reached at jdorsch@giemedia.com.