Although ants are annoying, you have to hand it to them for being a persistent part of our lives — and of your businesses. The pest management professionals (PMPs) surveyed for this State of the Ant Market report confirm this trend; compared to last year, 98% of them expect their company’s revenue from ant control services to remain steady or increase this year.

This is just one of the many findings that show how impactful ant control is for our industry. For instance, PMPs ranked carpenter ants and odorous house ants as some of the most challenging species to control, driving home the importance of staying informed about current and future ant market developments.

Syngenta is proud to once again sponsor the 2020 State of the Ant Market report with PCT magazine. On the following pages, you’ll get the latest ant control updates from PMPs around the country, including trends on revenue, callbacks and control methods. We’re certain these results will bring you valuable insights for how to enhance your business’s ant control services.

At Syngenta, we’re committed to helping you achieve your ant control goals. Our proven solutions were developed with your needs in mind to manage ants across a variety of accounts and situations:

• Advion® Ant and Optigard® Ant gel baits, two of the leading ant baits in the industry, are highly palatable to all major ant species — including sweet feeders
• Advion WDG, Demand® CS, Optigard Flex and Tandem® insecticides are residual, sprayable products that can be used for preventive maintenance and large-colony ant control
• NEW: Advion Insect granular bait, which will be launching to the market in the late spring, features a highly attractive bait matrix that is very effective against ants and ideal for areas that can’t be sprayed, like large mulch beds

Ants may be stubborn, but our industry won’t back down from the challenge. We’re privileged to support your mission to provide ant-free environments for your customers.

Eric Paysen

Eric Paysen

Technical Services Manager

Syngenta Professional Pest Management

For more information, visit SyngentaPMP.com.

©2020 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Advion®, Demand®, For Life Uninterrupted™, Optigard®, Tandem® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Syngenta Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368).

Editor’s Note: This article was reprinted with permission from Techletter, a biweekly training letter for professional pest control technicians from Pinto & Associates. To subscribe, visit www.techletter.com.

A bird job, whether residential or commercial, should start with a survey of the site. A survey allows you to identify the pest birds, determine the size of the resident (or visiting) bird population, the birds’ activity patterns, the size of the boundaries of the site being affected, factors attracting the birds to the site and special considerations at the site.

Your company can’t accurately price a bird job without knowing such information and you can’t determine the appropriate control methods without a site survey.

Your pre-job survey might determine that there is not a pest bird problem, or the birds may have moved on by the time you get there. If you do find a problem, you should visit the site for a few days to determine exactly what is going on and how you can best address conditions and normal activity. Seeing the site at different times of day and on different days will give you a range of information. If the weather is bad, extend your survey days.

Keep notes on what you observe at each site visit. If your company doesn’t have a bird survey form, take a copy of this article with you and collect information in each of the categories below, noting the day and time. Make sure you have good binoculars, a map of the site, and a bird ID book or bird identification app. Here are the details for a 10-point pest bird job survey:

1. What is the bird species in question? Some birds are protected by law. Even if your bird job is a single bird nesting on a house, you have to know the answer to this most important question. Once you know the bird’s ID, you can determine its regulatory status and can research its habits for more information. Even though pigeons are not protected by federal laws, some localities protect them.

© goldmanimages | iStock

2. Are other birds besides the pest species using the site? If so, when? The presence of nontarget birds, and sometimes other animals, will affect the type of control you choose, especially if baiting. Some nontargets will feed on corn and mixed grain bird baits. Check on federal, state and local regulations regarding control or protection of all of the birds visiting the site.

3. What is the size of the site affected? How many birds are involved? For example, is the problem limited to one building rooftop or are several buildings involved? A large bird job might mean dealing with several building owners or local authorities.

4. What is attracting the birds to the site?

5. Are the birds residents or migrant birds? Sometimes pest birds are just passing through, pausing for a few days before moving on. Migrating birds may be protected. Surveying for a few days and talking to people in the area can help determine how long the birds have been present. It may be a seasonal, temporary problem that resolves itself.

6. Where are the birds nesting, feeding, roosting and loafing? These may be the most important questions you can answer as they will tell you where to concentrate control measures, especially if baiting or trapping. Pigeons tend to use different sites for different activities and are easier to move out of part-time loafing sites than out of protected sites used for nesting.

7. At what time do the birds arrive at the site and leave the site? If you are using scare tactics or other dispersal techniques, you may want to time them to the birds’ arrival

8. If you get the birds to leave the site, where are they likely to go instead? This can be important from a public relations standpoint if the birds simply move next door.

9. Is the affected site a good candidate for bird exclusion or habitat modification techniques? Would you be able to block the birds from their roosting or nesting sites with structural changes, netting, shock systems, or bird wire or spikes?

10. Could your control methods result in public relations problems for your customer or with the nearby community? If the account is in dense apartment communities or downtown areas, even nonchemical controls can result in complaints from people who feel the birds are being harassed.

When performing bird work in populated sites, keep a low profile, try to visit the site in off hours, and realize that certain control methods, such as shooting or frightening noises, may not be suitable. Educate your customer and any pertinent neighbors about the situation, what you plan to do and what they can expect.

The authors are well-known industry consultants and owners of Pinto & Associates, publishers of Techletter, a biweekly training aid for PMPs. To download a sample issue or subscribe, visit www.techletter.com.

Termites create a significant ecological impact in their habitat (Bourguignon et al. 2015). Besides feeding on dead wood and logs, several species of termites feed on wood from man-made structures, resulting in significant economic damage. Around the world, the economic damage of pest termites exceeds $30 billion per year (Rust and Su 2012). In response to the impact termites have on human habitats, researchers have spent decades learning as much about termite behavior and physiology as possible in order to develop potential control solutions. Recent research suggests the potential to mitigate insect damage by exploiting the basic termite biology (Scharf 2015).

A unique characteristic that distinguishes termites from other animals is their ability to digest lignocellulose — the tough material present in the cell walls of wood. Only worker termites feed on lignocellulosic materials in a termite colony, whereas soldiers defend the colony from foreign invaders and reproductives maintain the population (Roisin 2000, Lainé & Wright 2003).

The guts of termites harbor numerous symbionts — tiny bacteria and other microbes living in a consortium — to help them digest these lignocellulosic materials (Ohkuma 2008, Brune, Scharf & Tartar 2008, Ohkuma 2010). Termites, along with their gut symbionts, produce cellulase enzymes that break down cellulose and increase the digestive ability of the termite. The protist symbionts in termites are reported to contribute to cellulose degradation (Inoue et al. 1997, Inoue et al. 2000). Bacterial symbionts contribute to nitrogen fixation and some bacteria also protect the host against fungal pathogens (Doolittle et al. 2008, Peterson and Scharf 2016). Researchers are constantly examining the relationship between termites and their gut microbes to identify other potential interactions and connections.

In addition to digestion, numerous gut symbionts protect termites from pathogens and other infections (Chouvenc et al. 2013, Peterson and Scharf 2016). Disruption of these microbial communities may impact termite physiology, fitness and survivorship (Rosengaus et al. 2014, Peterson et al. 2015, Sen et al. 2015). These gut symbionts — both bacteria and protists — are shown to be disrupted by antibiotic treatments. Recent research has also shown that the digestive capacity of termites is compromised with antibiotic treatments (Peterson et al. 2015).

WORK IN PROGRESS. While the direct field use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials is not practical from a pest control standpoint, the investigation of these agents as potential synergists is well underway. These scientific insights allow for research on formulations that may include antimicrobial chemicals in addition to an insecticide, or even the development of a novel antimicrobial product specifically aimed at termite control.

For example, the Husseneder lab at Louisiana State University was able to engineer a termite gut bacterium which, when fed to termites, killed the protists that digest lignocellulose (Tikhe et al. 2017). The more we learn about the mutualistic properties between termites and their microbes, the more tools we will have available in our toolkit to limit termite damage to urban structures.

Visit pctonline.com for a list of references.

The authors are both Ph.D. students at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Recently, the manager of a commercial facility reached out to Thorn Pest Solutions for a proposal. The manager told Kevin Thorn he was checking into options — mainly, looking for a lower-priced provider. Thorn hesitated, knowing he couldn’t beat the price this prospect was paying. He doesn’t play that game. But what Thorn didn’t realize until he presented the service plan was that this commercial account was actually looking for value.

“We put together a proposal that included ActiveSense electronic rodent monitoring technology, and our cost was actually higher than what they were paying,” says Thorn, president of the Pleasant Grove, Utah-based pest control firm. “They weren’t going to save money — but they saw the value. It wasn’t the dollars; they just didn’t feel like they were getting much out of the service before.”

After learning about ActiveSense, the decision-maker on the account “didn’t blink,” Thorn says. “They said, ‘Great. We are willing to pay more.’ They were excited about the system.”

Eighty percent of Thorn Pest Solutions’ customer base is commercial, and that includes universities, municipalities, apartment complexes, food-processing plants, restaurants and other hospitality venues. “We are moving into electronic rodent monitoring (ERM) and we are not going to offer anything else,” Thorn says, noting that all new account proposals include the technology. Now, he’s evaluating all existing accounts to determine which ones would most benefit as the company works toward moving completely to ERM.

“It fits our business model perfectly,” Thorn says, noting that the ActiveSense system from Corteva Agriscience can be used in the devices that Thorn Pest Solutions is already placing in facilities. “If we are alerted of activity, we know about it immediately and can deploy a professional — and this rapid response is totally new to the industry.”

Jim Nase, an associate certified entomologist and service manager at Moyer Indoor Outdoor Pest Control in Souderton, Pa., has found great success using Corteva’s ActiveSense in wildlife applications.

In the field, he says he shows customers how the technology works and they are intrigued. And, indoors the ERM sensors help reduce the number of traps and amount of rodenticide required. “Plus, we can monitor areas that are difficult to access, such as electrical areas, pipe chases and above drop ceilings,” Nase adds.

When operations managers across the food industry were asked about dealing with pests, a recent Corteva survey showed that ERM systems like ActiveSense can help them meet pest management needs. Eighty percent of food industry manufacturers indicated in the survey that having access to the latest pest management technology is important. And, 100 percent said that they were “very interested” in ActiveSense.

“ActiveSense elevates a pest management professional from being a trap-checker to a problem solver,” says Ben Schreiber, ActiveSense category lead, Corteva Agriscience. “It creates better working conditions for employees, and it allows professionals to focus on the root cause of pest problems.”

BETTER FOR BUSINESS. Corteva Agriscience is investing in pest control technology and built its ERM “from the ground up,” Schreiber explains, “as opposed to taking an existing type of sensor that maybe wasn’t specific to the pest control industry.”

“We developed ActiveSense to address the needs of the pest management industry,” he says.

Specifically, Schreiber is speaking of the AIR1 sensor’s multiple modes of action, which allows professionals the flexibility to place the sensors in any type of trap. The sensors have two functions: active infrared that emits a beam and measures the reflection of a pest in the trap; and an accelerometer that detects movement.

“This is a rock-solid sensor that can be used in any situation — PMPs really have the flexibility to make the system work for them,” Schreiber says.

For Nase, ActiveSense sensors help him respond immediately when a wildlife trap is activated. Also, because he receives notifications in real time, he knows what type of animal he will be managing before he arrives on-site. “If I get an alert at 1 a.m., it means I collected a skunk, raccoon or possum — a nocturnal animal,” he says, noting that he can arrive prepared.

“A major advantage of the system for wildlife traps is that I can get the animal out quickly, so it is not in the public eye,” Nase says. “Also, I can respond quickly so an animal is not left in the heat or elements for too long,” so there is a humane component as well.

Nase is also experimenting with using AIR1 sensors in “runway devices” so he can determine whether there is pest pressure in a space before setting traps. “We are looking for rodent movement,” he says of indoor accounts. “If you can take a tube that a rodent would go through and place a sensor inside, you can find out if there is rodent activity without baiting and trapping,” he says.

In a food-processing facility, solving the issue quickly is critical because food safety and public health is on the line. “ActiveSense provides you with real-time data to get to the root of the problem and prevent a costly problem,” Schreiber says.

Time savings is another benefit. When ERM sensors are placed in traps, PMPs are more productive during service calls, adds Eric Melass of Killum Pest Control in Lake Jackson, Texas. “If there are multiple traps, technicians know exactly which ones to check so they save time without guesswork,” he says. “They can spend their time doing work that is more valuable to the customer.”

Not to mention, customers appreciate that service calls are productive. “They know we are coming because we are coming to get something,” Melass says of why his residential customers like the technology.

Schreiber has seen the value of ActiveSense play out in real time on a residential site. At one account, during a two-week period, the account was able to cut costs by checking traps remotely. “With ActiveSense, I’m checking traps eight times per second, 24 hours a day,” he says. “I provide better service, peace of mind, and I can send customers an email every day saying there’s no trap activity.”

As Nase noted, wildlife traps have to be checked and cleared frequently — usually within 24 hours of a catch. “Active infrared checks traps all the time,” Schreiber says, noting that more states are approving electronic systems as “checking.”

Beyond pest detection, ERM systems like ActiveSense could help the industry recruit talent. “This type of technology reinvigorates our professionals and will attract people to the industry,” he says. “It’s a step in the right direction to help our professionals see that we are scientists — we are entomologists. We are observational biologists. This is what we spend our time doing; we are not trap-checkers. This is an industry of problem solving.”

Simply put, Thorn says, “The technology brings out the fun in our work.”

The pest management industry has been talking about problem solving and inspection for a long time, Thorn continues. However, actually executing this mindset hasn’t been easy. “In the case of some of these large commercial accounts, a lot of us have had a hard time figuring that out,” he says.

Why? Logistics. Large accounts with hundreds of traps and pressure to prevent infestations have demanded a boots-on-the-ground approach. Traps need to be set and checked — all of the time. “Seventy percent of your time is spent checking traps,” Thorn said.

ERM opens the door for better monitoring and fewer labor-intensive, costly service visits. “We can spend more time inspecting and doing what we’ve been talking about for the last 10 years,” he says. “It’s a no-brainer.”

AN EASY SELL. You can’t put a price tag on peace of mind. “Customers may value that at three times the cost of a service,” Melass reminds his team. For instance, several clients called the company because they suspected a rodent problem. “They heard scratching in the walls — but we weren’t seeing the signs,” Melass says. “They asked, ‘What can you do?’ and I said, ‘We can put this technology in the attic and throughout the house. If we catch something, the system will alert us — and if not, you’ll have peace of mind that there is no problem.’”

Melass says the “wow factor” of this technology is appealing to customers. So far, ActiveSense is selling itself, he said. “Customers understand that they are paying for a service they get results for, where before some felt they were paying us to check traps and we might not catch anything,” he says.

Technicians are talking to customers about ActiveSense, which is how Killum Pest Control sells the service. “They bring up the options and share the new technology and its benefits,” Melass says. “When they ask, ‘Which do you prefer?’ between trap-checking or ActiveSense, 80 to 90 percent are saying the technology sounds great.”

Thorn Pest Solutions is designing its pest control programs with ERM technology in mind. “If there are more than 15 catches in a month, the math works,” Thorn says of the cost to customers. “For the time savings, it is not expensive.”

Thorn is assembling marketing materials and the company is creating educational videos for clients. “Our clients want it — they need it, and our professionals love how it saves time and makes their job better,” Thorn says.

And, there’s plenty of support from Corteva to assist pest management professionals who adopt the system. “PMPs can implement and get comfortable with ActiveSense and expand it to different spaces,” Schreiber says of the business opportunity. “They can be creative with it and build the proper solution for every client they serve.”

The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine.