TUCSON, Ariz. – Truly Nolen Pest Control recently announced the promotion of Charles Turner to manager of the company’s Port Richey (Fla.) service office at 7031-B State Road 52, Bayonet Point. 

Turner joined the company in October 2017 as a manager-in-training. Prior to joining Truly Nolen, Turner worked in the flea market industry for 15 years as an operations manager. He has a bachelor’s in business administration from Flagler College and a master’s in business administration from National-Louis University.

Some of Turner’s responsibilities include helping the service office continue to maintain visibility with the local Port Richey community as well as instilling the company’s core values throughout his team. “The most exciting part of my new position is getting to see the difference that we make in the lives of each customer,” said Turner. “I enjoy the sense of teamwork and pride we have together in Port Richey.”

Tim Phillips, district manager, Central Florida Truly Nolen, added, “Charlie showed during his short time as a Manager-in-Training that he is a fast learner of our industry and company processes. He has a passion for doing the right thing, has great people skills, and is a team builder who we are proud to have as part of our district.”

It’s a challenging morning. It took too long to get the kids off to school, and now you’re running late for a treatment at a new customer’s home. You open the door of your truck and notice something odd — where are your backpack sprayers? That’s when you notice scratch marks around the truck’s door locks. Did someone break in? Has your equipment been stolen? 

More and more pest control operators are reporting theft of their valuable mobile equipment. This equipment disappears from vehicles, trailers, sheds and other storage facilities. Not only is it expensive to replace but its loss can leave you in a difficult position as you gather the right tools for a new job.

In particular, PCOs may be exposed to the threat of theft if they use heating equipment, power sprayers, foamers, backpack sprayers and truck mounted sprayers. 

In the field and at your headquarters, there are several steps you can take to protect your equipment. Don’t underestimate the power of simply locking vehicles, trailers and sheds. Fence in storage facilities and install security equipment like cameras and motion sensor flood lights. 

A determined thief may still prevail over your security measures, which is why it is important to prepare for potential loss of equipment. That means labeling tools and equipment whenever you can. You should also consider keeping meticulous records of all equipment, recording product serial numbers or other identifiers.

This is also where insurance can help. Considering the professional and financial value of your specialized tools, you need the right coverage to help you recover from this kind of loss. Inland marine coverage will help you cover the expense of lost and stolen equipment.

For more on what specialized insurance can do for you, visit PCOpro on the web at http://brownyard.com/insurance-programs/pest-control-insurance/.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — While ants continue to be California’s most frequently reported pest problem, the state is experiencing a significant upward trend in reports of rodent and bed bug infestations, according to a survey released by the Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC).

The findings are contained in “What’s Bugging California Survey, 2018,” the first annual industry survey of the state’s licensed pest control operators.

Just over half (51.25%) of the respondents said the most rapidly growing reason for commercial and residential customer calls were to eliminate infestations of rat and other rodents. The second fastest growing problem was for bed bugs (25.62%), according to the survey.

“The results confirmed what we have been hearing anecdotally for the past year – that rodents are thriving and becoming more difficult to control throughout the state,” said Chris Reardon, PCOC’s executive director. “Our customers are also reporting greater problems with bed bugs.”

The survey results were taken from responses of 160 representatives from major pest control companies located in every region of California, said Reardon.

According to the survey, the following represent California’s Top 6 Problematic Pests for consumers and businesses:

1.Ants 
2.Rats & Rodents 
3.Wasps & Hornets 
4.Cockroaches 
5.Bed Bugs 
6.Spiders

Reardon noted that controlling these and other pests is essential to protecting public health because they can spread a wide range of diseases, including salmonella, West Nile and Zika viruses, bubonic plague and other fatal illnesses.

“The ability to effectively manage pests is a key advantage that differentiates our society from Third World countries,” he said. “Our industry believes access to pest control should be a fundamental right for Californians, who need to be able to protect their families, homes and businesses.”

“California’s pest control professionals are among the most heavily trained and regulated in the United States,” Reardon said. “Because of this, PCOC members employ a wide range of integrated pest management strategies that incorporate both chemical and non-chemical approaches. The industry goal is to minimize pesticides while still maximizing pest eradication.”

The B3X Exclusion Strips are specifically designed for use with metal roofs and exclusively sold by WCS. They provide the same protection as the original B3X strips, but their wedge shape makes them ideal for metal roofs. As with the original strips, they can be used for the exclusion of birds, bats, insects, and more. The "compression anchor technology" is constructed of reticulated polyurethane material allows installation without adhesives or tools. Each box contains 24 two-foot strips, for a total of 48 linear feet.