PCOs Learn More About Advion Products at DuPont ProBusiness Exchange

CHICAGO — Pest management professionals from across the U.S., participated in Wednesday’s DuPont ProBusiness Exchange, a two-hour Livecast broadcast to 10 cities.

The Livecast was an opportunity for PCOs to learn about Advion® brand products from DuPont sales representatives, leading pest control researchers and fellow pest management professionals.

Livecast presentations were given by leading university researchers Dr. Dini Miller (Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Va.), Dr. Phil Koehler (University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.) and pest management professionals Phil “Doc Nichols” (Middleton Lawn & Pest Control), Ron Box (Hulett Environmental Services) and Jose Tomeu (Alachua Pest Control). These presentations were broadcast to hotels in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio and Tampa.

Representatives from DuPont and Univar were available at each of the 10 sites to answer questions about Advion brand products and interact with attendees.

At the Chicago satellite site, The Sutton Place Hotel, DuPont Sales Representative Mike Weissman provided an overview of the Advion brand products, which feature the active ingredient indoxacarb. The novel mode of action featured in indoxacarb targets the insect’s nervous system. After ingesting the product, the cockroach’s own internal enzymes change the molecular structure and attributes of indoxacarb into the more potent MetaActive™ compound, resulting in paralysis, followed by death.

Koehler then kicked off the live satellite presentations by reviewing the recent history of cockroach baits, including an examination of bait aversion. Koehler said Advion Gel Bait is a good fit for the structural pest control industry because University of Florida research showed that it is fast-acting and successful in controlling several German cockroach strains.

Box tested Advion Gel Bait at a pair of challenging commercial accounts — a coffee shop-styled restaurant and a fast food establishment at which ice cream was the main attraction. Both of these accounts had severe German cockroach infestations and were experiencing bait failures. Box noted fast acceptance of Advion Gel Bait at both locations. “At our tests, when we made initial applications we had to go in and reapply the baits because of total consumption of baits,” he said. Box also was impressed that Advion was fast-acting, which is important for commercial work.

Nichols talked about the use of Advion Fire Ant Bait for urban fire ant control programs. Nichols recommends the “Texas 2-Step” approach in which a broadcast bait treatment around the structure is followed by a targeted mound bait treatment. Traditionally granular baits are used for the broadcast application and liquid treatments are used for the mounds. Nichols said he used Advion Fire Ant Bait, which is a granular bait, for both the mound and broadcast application. He was able to achieve control in 24 to 48 hours and was also able to realize time savings since no liquid chemicals had to be mixed.

Miller also reviewed the results of laboratory and field evaluations of Advion Cockroach Gel Bait, including its use in challenging public housing accounts in Portsmouth, Va. Applications were made to kitchens and bathrooms, and Advion Cockroach Gel Bait decreased trap catches by 96 percent, according to Miller, providing excellent control in a “severe test for any bait application."