Ant Symposium Attracts Leading PCOs, Researchers

Ants are numerous, diverse and often require creative thinking to control, said PCOs and research entomologists who discussed these and other topics at the Zeneca Professional Products Ant Workshop in May. The symposium was the fourth in a series of technical workshops sponsored by Zeneca on a biannual basis that serve as a forum for the industry to discuss various topics of concern. Previous workshops focused on the termite control market, perimeter pest control treatments and the issue of termiticides and foam. This year’s symposium, held May 11-13 in San Antonio, Texas, focused on ants, which by all accounts have become the country’s top structural pest.

“I think we gathered the cream of the crop in the pest control community with representation from across the country. We also had most of the key researchers involved in ant research in the United States at the meeting,” said Dr. Bill McClellan, technical business lead, Zeneca Professional Products.

More than 100 PCOs, technical directors and researchers explored a host of issues during the three-day meeting, including conducive conditions, control techniques, problematic ant species and what consumers expect from ant control. The workshop, designed to encourage discussion and the exchange of ideas, featured several roundtable sessions, as well as hands-on training concerning ant identification and control. Buddy Camors, business director for Zeneca, said the series of workshops are just one more example of the company’s desire to get closer to the marketplace. “Listen, learn and lead. That’s our vision statement,” he said. “We want to work together for the betterment of the industry.”