Q&A With Liphatech's Ted Bruesch

Editor’s note: PMPs often service commercial accounts where rodent control programs are routinely audited by third parties. More often than not, these accounts also dictate the need to work very closely with the customer’s internal team to ensure the programs pass audits with flying colors – especially when faced with a rodent infestation. In addition, environmental conditions can be tough on rodent bait at audited accounts and others. Sound like a challenge?  It is, which is why PCT caught up with Liphatech National Technical Support Manager Ted Bruesch for some advice on servicing these accounts. Bruesch also provided some insights about the company’s newest product, Generation Blue Max, which was introduced earlier this year.

PCT: What types of accounts involve third-party audits/inspections?

Bruesch: These are primarily commercial accounts of which a high percentage are in food process, manufacturing and distribution environments.

PCT: What Liphatech formulations are best suited for audited accounts?

Bruesch: What’s needed is a highly durable block rodenticide, like Generation™ BlueMax, which can be secured in a tamper-resistant bait station.

PCT: Why is this formulation best suited for these accounts?

Bruesch: Our research shows that PMPs and their commercial customers are concerned about rodenticides and their ability to “hold up” under tough climatic conditions found in food environments and other sensitive accounts. 

Aside from the desire to ensure overall safety and quality, the concern is driven by that fact that these accounts are audited.  Moldy baits are unacceptable to auditors, which leads to costly point deductions.  Bait that crumbles inside the station and scatters outside the station is equally unacceptable.  Block rodenticides also need a high melting point because melted bait isn’t tolerated.  In short, these kinds of problems can cost a PMP an account.

With this in mind, we developed Generation BlueMax, which is highly durable bait specifically formulated to provide maximum protection against bait crumbling, scatter, melt, and mold in commercial accounts where humid, moist or hot environments are encountered and/or third-party audits are the norm. 

This built-in durability also minimizes the need to replace bait under extreme climatic conditions, which saves PMPs and their customers both time and money.

PCT: Can you offer advice for dealing with an infestation in an audited account?

Bruesch: It demands an aggressive approach. You need to think of an elimination program as a seek-and-destroy mission. Simply ratcheting up prevention practices isn’t enough because if there’s an infestation, the rodents have already overcome a building’s defenses.

PCT: So what’s the difference between prevention and elimination practices?

Bruesch:  Prevention is a continual defensive process designed to protect against rodent intrusion. Elimination is an offensive campaign in which the rodents are identified, located and eradicated. You are literally going on the attack.

PCT: An elimination program involves “going on the attack,” as you put it.  How so?

Bruesch: You’re taking the fight to the enemy. Without getting too detailed, there are five basic concepts to follow. These include understanding the behavior of the targeted pest; knowing the variety of control options available and how to use them; using techniques and materials that best fit the situation; using enough material to do the job right; and of course, managing risks.

PCT: What about these risks? Can you elaborate on how to manage them?
 
Bruesch: The first thing to remember is that all rodent control methods carry risk. When working with rodenticides in sensitive accounts, the main issues is product contamination, which can occur from a variety of sources, including rodents moving the material around, air currents, vibrations and even human tampering.

And this gets back to the reason we developed BlueMax. We designed it to deliver block strength and maximum protection in these situations.  To accomplish this, BlueMax is made with food-grade grains that are specifically formulated to ensure block durability and density for less bait crumbs and scatter. It also contains an optimum paraffin content to guard against crumbling and bait melt in humid, moist, or hot environments. Additionally, it also incorporates new preservatives that protect against mold.

What’s also important to note is that BlueMax incorporates the active ingredient difethialone, a single-feed anticoagulant. Difethialone is a unique compound that requires a low rate (25 ppm) of active ingredient, making BlueMax less detectable by rodents. 

An added measure of protection against bait scatter comes from bait stations that hold bait securely inside and are designed to prevent access by unauthorized parties.

PCT: How do PMPs, or their customers, know whether an infestation problem is solved?

Bruesch: Signs of success include an absence of droppings, bags are no longer chewed, bait is no longer consumed and employees are no longer seeing rodents. But, when success occurs, it’s not time to quit. Instead, it’s time to move back to the prevention mode to keep the infestation from recurring.