ONLINE EXTRA: Bait Placement Tips for Restaurants and Food Handling Establishments from Bayer ES

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – On the heels of this year’s National Restaurant Association show in Chicago, Bayer Environmental Science offers a series of “Backed by Bayer Baiting Tips” to help pest management professionals enhance their service to restaurants and food handling establishments.

“Members of the restaurant industry understand the importance of pest control, but they expect PMPs to treat their establishments as quickly and discreetly as possible,” says Gordon Morrison, Maxforce® Market Manager. “One of the most effective means for controlling even the most finicky cockroaches is a combination approach of bait gel, such as Maxforce FC Select, and strategically placed cockroach bait stations.”

When tackling a roach infestation inside a restaurant, Bayer ES recommends PMPs to consider the following.

 Dishwashing station:

• Bait stations do not adhere well to greasy, dirty or wet surfaces. Clean or dry a small area to ensure the station will stick.
• Place bait stations under shelves, in corners, under and behind wash stations.
• Apply gel in cracks and crevices behind faucets, under tabletops and around drainage basins below the soffit.

Pot and pan storage area:

• Residual food odors on pots and pans can often attract roaches. Use both bait stations and gel on and around storage racks for effective control.
• Apply gel in cracks and crevices under shelves and bakers’ racks.
• Place bait stations under pot and pan racks or affix them to the undersides of shelves.

Mop room:

• Apply gel in cracks and crevices on floor tiles and along water basins.
• Thorough crack and crevice gel treatment of this area is recommended because roaches often harbor in tight spaces behind soap dispensers and between faucet handles and the wall.

Food storage areas:

• Apply gel in cracks and crevices in bakers’ racks.
• Place bait stations under storage racks and to the underside of shelves
• Bait stations and gel must not come into contact with food products.

Food preparation areas:

• Removing competing food sources and making recommendations in writing to ensure proper sanitation levels will help maximize control.
• Place bait stations in corners, where shelves meet the walls, and behind kitchen appliances.
• Use a crack and crevice gel treatment where fume-hood exhaust ducts, electrical conduits and hanging shelf suspension wires meet the ceiling.

Miscellaneous food handling placements

• Place bait stations under stationary pallets and attach to the inside edges of rolling carts, where the stations will not be seen.
• Apply gel in cracks and crevices around doorframes, steel corners, freestanding sinks, and in tile cracks.
• Bait stations and crack and crevice gel applications can also be used in silverware prep stations, ensuring roach control without contaminating clean napkins, silverware and dishes.
• Apply gel in cracks and crevices around wall fixtures, including paper towel dispensers, soap dispensers, signs and bulletin boards.
• Both bait stations and gels can be used in cold room storage areas. But never apply bait to surfaces where the temperature exceeds 130 degrees Fahrenheit, as the gel may run.
• Whenever possible, place stations adjacent to walls and flush in corners for effective control. Avoid placing stations upside down. Only do so when right side up or vertical placement is not possible.
• Apply four to six placements per 100 sq. ft. of the total horizontal surface area – including the total area of shelves, pot and pan racks and floor space. Use the higher rate (six) when roach populations are high. Don’t scrimp. A few extra placements are less expensive than a call back.
• Sealing cracks and crevices will reduce roach hiding places, making future control efforts easier and less time-consuming.
• Be sure to use crack and crevice treatments around ceiling fixtures, fume hood pipes and hanging shelf suspension wires.
• Use sticky traps and baits in food delivery and storage areas to monitor and control roaches that may be brought in with vendors’ incoming goods.