A review of mosquito news and product information from industry suppliers.
August 2016
Editor’s note: Suppliers and PMPs, if you have a mosquito control product or service you’d like to have highlighted in an upcoming issue, please send a press release and a high-resolution photo to jdorsch@giemedia.com.
AMVAC Environmental Products offers a range of solutions for pest management professionals involved in mosquito control.
The firm says NUVAN Prostrips and NUVAN Prostrips+ provide a slow DDVP vapor release for continuous and long-lasting control and are ideal for difficult-to-reach areas occupied by people for less than four hours per day such as storage areas, catch basins, garages and other places mosquitoes are found. WISDOM TC Flowable may be applied as a barrier spray for the perimeter and to ornamental plants, trees and shrubs to control resting adult mosquitoes.
Summit B.t.i. Briquets are ideal for larval development sites around the home or business, and are an easy-to-apply biological product that can be used before or after larvae develop in all areas where mosquitoes are found, AMVAC reports.
DeltaGard Insecticide, a wide-area space spray Bayer registered last year for use by mosquito abatement specialists, is now available for use by pest professionals. (Editor’s note: DeltaGard is registered in all states [including Puerto Rico] with the exception of California.)
DeltaGard is one of the newest technologies on the market and earned a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduced-risk classification for wide-area mosquito control, Bayer says.
DeltaGard is an ultra-low volume (ULV) solution that outperforms comparable products at lower application rates while providing the superior efficacy PMPs need to help control mosquito pressure in environments where people live, work and play, the company reports.
“More and more, pest professionals are finding themselves at the front lines of addressing public health concerns, like vector-borne diseases carried by mosquitoes,” said Ray Daniels, head of marketing for Professional Pest Management and Vector Control. “And we are proud to offer proven mosquito solutions like DeltaGard, as well as Suspend PolyZone, that PMPs can trust when delivering this important service to their customers.”
The spread of Zika virus from South America to North America this summer is prompting additional interest in HVAC industry air curtains by commercial building managers in the most vulnerable fields, such as health-care, hospitality and education. “We have started receiving questions regarding Zika virus and using air curtains to prevent mosquitoes from entering buildings,” said Miranda Berner, marketing manager, Berner International.
Confirming the public’s Zika virus concern is Orkin, which began fielding mosquito service calls in early April instead of the typical time in late May, according to Ron Harrison, Orkin’s director of technical services. Orkin provides a mosquito-specific service consisting of larvacide and adult mosquito treatments, but also has recommended air curtains as a supplemental flying insect deterrent for decades.
Air curtains (sometimes referred to as air doors), which are typically specified by engineers and installed by PMPs, HVAC or electrical contractors for occupant comfort and energy savings, provide a steady, engineered airstream across an opened doorway, making it nearly impenetrable by flying insects. For decades food-processing and pharmaceutical manufacturers have used air curtains against flying insects, such as house flies, for sanitary reasons. Now the mosquito and the Zika virus scare has given them a renewed purpose besides house fly control, Berner says.
As pest control operations look to add mosquito control to their suite of service offerings, it’s important to know the best way for private operators to complement public mosquito abatement efforts.
Barrier treatments target the areas not typically included during a routine municipal mosquito fogging or larviciding treatment program, according to Central Life Sciences. Targeting traditional barrier sites can provide an extra level of control to a mosquito abatement district’s existing Integrated Mosquito Management program. Barrier treatments offer both kill and repellency of mosquitoes where they rest on vegetation surrounding a property. By treating the female’s resting place and egg-laying areas, pest management professionals can kill the adult mosquitoes and the eggs, helping to end the repeating mosquito life cycle in the area.
PMPs have seen a growing demand for an additional level of protection at their customers’ homes or businesses, Central Life Sciences says. This can include requests for mosquito treatments ahead of a special event, or routine applications for customers seeking continued control. A typical barrier treatment starts with a spray application for quick knockdown of mosquitoes with an adulticide such as Lambda 9.7 CS or Mavrik Perimeter. Natural, 25(b) options are available — including Essentria IC-3 Insect Concentrate — and may be preferred for sensitive use areas or customers. The second component of a barrier treatment focuses on longer-term control through the use of IGR technology for extended residual control, such as Altosid Pro-G. Retreating accounts within 14 to 21 days will help provide continual protection from mosquitoes.
It’s no surprise homeowners across the nation are becoming more concerned about mosquito-borne diseases such as the Zika virus. MGK says it is a valued partner to help pest management professionals deliver peace of mind through effective, reliable mosquito control solutions.
NyGuard IGR is accepted by the EPA as an effective tool in the fight against Aedes mosquitoes, which are known to transmit diseases, including the Zika virus. When applied to contained water according to label use directions, NyGuard IGR can prevent the development of adult Aedes mosquitoes. Add NyGuard IGR to your mosquito protocol to prevent Aedes mosquito larvae from becoming breeding, biting adults.
MGK says it has a broad portfolio of products that are effective against the Aedes mosquito in any situation.
Maruyama presents the MM300 and MM181 — the firm’s two new commercial backpack misters/blowers. Maruyama CER engines power these misters and they are 100 percent Japanese, the company reports.
The MM300 has a displacement power of 30.1 cubic centimeters, tank capacity of 3.9 gallons/15 liters and a weight of 15.65 pounds. The MM181 has a displacement of 64.7 cubic centimeters, tank capacity of 3.4 gallons/13 liters and a weight of 24.5 pounds, which are comfortable and dependable, the manufacturer says.
Maruyama says both of these misters/blowers are effective for mosquito control as ULV foggers, with Maruyama’s ULV-FFB, forward-facing fogger attachment. This fogger produces sub-25 micron droplets for long hang times. These backpack foggers are versatile and can get to areas where big skid sprayers cannot go, the company reports.
MistAway Systems, a leading manufacturer of mosquito misting systems, recently introduced iMistAway, a technology that wirelessly connects its misting control units to the internet. iMistAway allows MistAway’s dealers to monitor their customers’ misting systems through a web browser or smartphone, enabling activities like monitoring the volume of insecticide remaining in the unit and checking for error conditions without the cost of a service trip.
The solution includes an app that a dealer can load onto a homeowner’s smartphone. The app is customized with the dealer’s name and logo and will allow the homeowner to see their system’s status or use their smartphone to trigger or stop a mist.
MistAway dealers are able to reduce operating costs while providing a superior level of service to their customers, the firm says.
The Larvanator ALD-365 is a patent-pending automatic larvicide dispensing device that works year-round to eliminate mosquito larvae in catch basins, french drains, drainage systems and other places that hold standing water. It’s a major breakthrough in integrated mosquito management for both homeowners and municipalities, the firm says. It’s ideal for use in residential yard spaces, as well as parks, playgrounds, common areas, school grounds and municipal storm drain infrastructure. It eliminates larvae growth where it’s installed, which reduces adults, Mosquito Max says. The product is a good alternative in situations where the source cannot be eliminated, but instead treated. When PMPs identify and treat the breeding sources close to the desired protection areas, results are greatly improved, the firm adds. The twist-off fastening knob is quickly installed with the supplied cable tie to the underside of the catch basin cover. The dispenser itself easily twists on and off the fastening knob, which allows for quick service. Once manually activated it automatically dispenses an insect growth regulator into the catch basin every 30 days, which treats up to 3.5 gallons of water. It runs on one 9-volt battery, and only needs service once per year. The constant presence of larvicide kills mosquito larvae, preventing them from becoming adult mosquitoes.
Rockwell Labs Ltd offers a comprehensive mosquito control guide that covers the steps needed for successful mosquito treatments around structures. The guide is available online at www.rockwelllabs.com under “Resources” or in print from a Rockwell Labs representative. The online version features a handy mosquito ID chart.
Rockwell Labs offers a range of products for conventional treatments, as well as sensitive areas and green services. LambdaStar UltraCap 9.7 percent is a long residual microencapsulated formula of lambda-cyhalothrin for conventional mosquito barrier treatments around structures. Rockwell Labs’ EcoVia product range provides powerful solutions for green services and sensitive areas, such as around water. EcoVia EC is an emulsifiable concentrate that provides fast knockdown and residual repellency. The formulation features superior mixing and a lower use rate, and can be sprayed up to the water’s edge, and fogged over water. EcoVia EC also can be tank-mixed with LambdaStar at 1-ounce per gallon to increase the knockdown speed and extend the residual activity, as compared to either product used alone. EcoVia G granular insecticide is excellent for treating landscaped areas around patios and under decks, as well as yard treatment to provide relief for outdoor activities. EcoVia WD can be applied as a dust or a wettable powder, and is excellent for areas where moisture collects to prevent breeding and resting in those areas. For indoor standing water, such as in basements, EcoVia IB Bloks will help prevent those areas from becoming breeding sites.
The SecureChoice Mosquito Assurance Program from Syngenta provides pest management professionals the opportunity to grow their customer base and generate additional revenue with a unique 60-day treatment cycle. Unlike other services that offer 21-day or 30-day mosquito control, the SecureChoice Mosquito Assurance Program provides control for up to 60 days, Syngenta reports.
With the combination of Demand CS insecticide and Archer Insect Growth Regulator, this treatment can help free up technicians’ time and reduce mosquito populations around customers’ homes or properties for nearly three times as long, the manufacturer says. Demand CS provides immediate and residual control of mosquitoes, while Archer interrupts the reproduction cycle of mosquitoes. The Demand CS + Archer Multipak, which contains two quarts of Demand CS and five pints of Archer, is a cost-effective solution that can be used as part of the program.
PMPs can participate in the program by purchasing Demand CS and Archer between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, 2016 (“Program Period”), and by making applications by Nov. 30, 2016. Demand CS, Archer and the Multipak also count as qualifying purchases for the 2016 PestPartners 365 Program, which offers yearlong rebate savings for PMPs who qualified by April 30, 2016.
Rentokil North America Announces Multi-Year Contract With CDC
Rentokil North America, and its pest control companies Rentokil Steritech, Ehrlich, Presto-X and Western Exterminator, have been awarded a contract by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a vector control program to help control the species of mosquitoes that carry Zika virus. The requirements of the program are to provide pest control services for the term of two years, subject to government review. The anticipated period of performance runs June 3, 2016, through June 2, 2018.
The species of mosquito likely to carry Zika virus (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) are container-breeding mosquitoes that prefer to live in and around human dwellings. Rentokil North America will employ their network of more than 4,000 pest experts and technicians alongside their multifaceted team of technical resources to systematically target affected or high-risk areas. Additionally, a key component of the contract includes support services that entail community outreach, surveillance and inspection, and planning support for the distribution of materials and educational information.
“We’re pleased that the CDC has chosen to partner with us to support the fight against the spread of this very serious virus,” said John Myers, CEO of Rentokil North America. “Our business is focused on protecting people and enhancing lives and our involvement allows us to provide the areas affected most with our world-class service to protect those at risk from the dangers of this disease.”
Mosquito and Zika Awareness Toolkit from PPMA
Zika virus continues to receive both national and local media attention as cases are being reported across the country and as mosquito season kicks into gear.
The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) put together materials to help its contributors in their media and consumer communications regarding Zika virus and mosquito control. Materials that are available for download at www.ppmamainframe.org include:
Q&A on Zika virus and mosquitoes
Customizable press release on mosquito control
Infographic depicting common mosquito breeding grounds around the home
Infographic of recommended insect repellent ingredients
PDF of “Communicating to the Public About Mosquitoes” webinar
Photos of Asian tiger mosquitoes
Link to a how-to video on applying insect repellent
Link to Dr. Jorge Parada’s article on what consumers need to know about Zika virus
Zika Map Released by CDC
On July 27, the CDC Arboviral Disease Branch released an updated Zika map (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/united-states.html). The map includes provisional data reported to ArboNET for Jan. 1, 2015 to July 27, 2016. Findings include:
(*Sexually transmitted cases are not reported for areas with local mosquito-borne transmission of Zika because it is not possible to determine if infection occurred due to mosquito-borne or sexual transmission.) — Source: CDC.gov
