[September News]

DHS provides additional details on anti-terrorism standards for PCOs

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association has had further communications with Department of Homeland Security officials, who have indicated that it is not necessary for a PCO to submit a Top-screen if he or she possesses more than a placarded quantity of aluminum or magnesium phosphide, provided that the PCO never transports more than a placarded amount.

Under DHS’ Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, PCOs would need to submit a Top-screen to DHS if they possess an amount of aluminum and/or
magnesium phosphide greater than an amount that would require a DOT placard. For example, licensed pest control operators possessing less than 21 kilograms (46.3 pounds) of metal phosphide products manufactured or distributed by Degesch America or Pestcon Systems are exempt from submitting a Top-screen.

NPMA’s specific question was, “The amount of aluminum or magnesium phosphide that may be transported without a placard is 21 kilos. If a facility stores more than 21 kilos, but never transports more than 21 kilos of either chemical, would the facility be required to submit a Top-screen?” To that DHS responded: “No (unless we ask in writing based on some new threat data or something).”

For information, contact Bob Rosenberg or Gene Harrington at 800/678-6722.

PCOs can redeem PestPartners points for PestWorld registration

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Syngenta PestPartners rewards program members can redeem their PestPartners points for a full registration to NPMA’s PestWorld Convention and Exhibition next month.

This reward option is the latest choice for members of the PestPartners loyalty program, which rewards pest management professional members with points for purchasing Syngenta pest control products. 

Visit www.pestpartners.com to enroll or learn more about the program.

Rentokil stops pests ‘meddling’ with the Beijing Olympics

LONDON — Rentokil was appointed by the Beijing Government to support the pest control strategy for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Rentokil deployed 150 of its technicians to join a 400-strong Beijing Pest Control Emergency Support Team to help Beijing service up to 30,000 households and 7,000 restaurants in the local area during the event to minimize the risk of pest outbreaks during the Olympics.

In North America, Ehrlich, Presto-X and Watch-All are all part of the Rentokil family of brands.

Rentokil was appointed by the Beijing government to help develop and implement a pest control program to control and minimize pest outbreaks during the games. The program is specifically designed for large-scale events that attract lots of visitors and, potentially, pests. As part of the program, Rentokil developed a series of special training courses for the Beijing Pest Management Association (BPMA). Rentokil also was involved in training 900 local pest control technicians in how to deal with infestations at large- scale events.

The main part of the pest control management program involved Rentokil technicians carrying out daily pest inspections and treatments on the Olympic training and games venues from August on to keep pest infestations to a minimum. Rentokil also carried out a full sweep of all 100 Olympic sites as part of its ongoing pest surveillance during the games.

Rentokil’s other activities included:

• Launching a specially designed wind curtain for the control of flying insects to stop them entering the main indoor venues in Beijing
• Dealing with pests during the peak breeding season for cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and rodents as part of the Beijing Pest Control Emergency Support Team
• Deploying more than 150 Rentokil pest control technicians to provide daily inspections and treatments of locations where necessary
• Overseeing pest control monitoring for local health authorities in Beijing
• Developing the first technical manual for pest control ever produced for a large-scale event in China
• Evaluating more than 800 technicians and assisting in the development of a series of pest control technician training courses for the Beijing Pest Management Association as part of its role as the only foreign pest control company to be one of the master training instructors

“We (were) delighted to be working in partnership with Beijing to deliver a pest-free Olympic Games. The Olympic Games is the largest event in our sporting calendar and we have made sure that there is a small army of our pest control technicians on standby to help the games run smoothly in what is a very busy time for the Beijing health authorities,” said William Kong, managing director of Rentokil in China. “There are several lessons that any city which is planning to host a major event could learn from Beijing’s outstanding commitment to pest management. Long-term planning and training are essential, combined with local expertise, a flexible workforce and commitments from all parties to work in partnership with the local authorities involved in pest control.”

Rentokil was to use its latest technology available to support the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games including PestNetOnline, a new online pest control reporting system, and Radar, a mousetrap that employs innovative technology to deal with pests in a humane and eco-friendly way.

University of Florida Web cams give glimpse into daily lives of ants and termites

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The daily adventures of live termite and ant colonies now are available on two Web cameras at the University of Florida, giving viewers an inside look at what happens when these pests invade a home.

The Web cams watch the colonies around the clock and are meant for consumers, pest control operators, students and science teachers, and anyone else who wants to learn more about these common household pests, said Phil Koehler, an entomologist with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

UF entomology students also monitor the ant and termite habitats and blog about the activity for Web site visitors, said Koehler, who manages the colonies. “The powerful Web cams look directly into the ant and termite colonies, and every 10 minutes the cameras zoom in for an up-close and personal tour of each colony, showing the insects foraging and eating,” he said.
The ant colony, which contains about 3,000 insects, is in a small “movie set” that measures 18 by 24 inches to simulate a typical home setting, he said. The termite colony, which contains about 300 insects, is in soil behind a 9-inch-square glass plate.

Koehler said the Web cam shows how these termites build underground tunnels in search of food for their nest. When damaging a home, subterranean termites usually have two or three entry points. The camera shows where the termites are entering a house under a deck, he said.

The Ant Institute (www.AntInstitute.com) and Termite Institute (www.TermiteInstitute.com) Web cams, which became operational in March and receive several hundred hits daily, are a joint venture between UF and BASF.

“The underlying philosophy for the Web sites is that informed consumers are more likely to make smart choices about the best way to protect their homes or structures from ants or termites,” Koehler said.

EnviroPest recovering from devastating tornado

WINDSOR, Colo. — A large tornado skipped through several northern Colorado towns in May, destroying dozens of homes, flipping tractor-trailers and freight rail cars, and killing at least one person.

The National Weather Service said the tornado touched down just before noon near Platteville, Colo., about 50 miles north of Denver. During the next hour, it moved north past several towns along a 35-mile-long track toward Wyoming.

The office of Windsor, Colo.-based EnviroPest was among the structures in the tornado’s path. EnviroPest Owner Richard Dykstra told The Associated Press that he was in the building with six other people when it began to hail and the roof began to slide off the building. “We had about 90 seconds, but we managed to get into the basement,” Dykstra said.

Dykstra also took several photos in the aftermath of the storm, which can be viewed at http://picasaweb.google.com/MarcsiMac/WindsorTornadoDestruction. — Brad Harbison

12th annual fumigation school benefits UCR’s urban entomology fund

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. — Target Specialty Products hosted its 12th annual fumigation school in cooperation with Dow AgroSciences and the University of California-Riverside. The event took place at the University of California-Riverside in February.

More than 50 fumigators attended the two-day course. The first day included classroom instruction on termite biology, properties of fumigants, proper measurement of structures, inspection techniques and regulatory issues.  

The second day included instruction on Vikane dosage calculations and monitoring followed by a whole-house fumigation. Lee Whitmore and Larry Perez of Beneficial Exterminating facilitated the demonstration. Presenters demonstrated each phase of the fumigation process from the inspection to the release of the fumigant.

“We are pleased to donate $3,000, the proceeds from the meeting, to UCR’s Urban Entomology Endowed Research Fund,” said Target’s Fumigation Business Manager Dean Osborn.

In the 12-year history of the event, Target has donated the event proceeds, totaling more than $27,000, to the University of California-Riverside Urban Entomology Endowed Research Fund.

Nine to 20 individual fire ant queens started U.S. fire ant population

MOBILE, Ala. — The current U.S. population of red imported fire ants — which infest millions of acres across the Southern states — can be traced back to nine to 20 queens in Mobile, Ala.

That’s according to a genetic study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) entomologist D. DeWayne Shoemaker and University of Georgia entomologist Kenneth G. Ross. The results are reported in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, Biological Sciences.

The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), native to South America, is a major invasive pest insect and is considered by the World Conservation Unit to be among the top 100 worst invasive alien species.

In their study, the scientists found that those original nine to 20 red imported fire ant queens stowed away on a boat, presumably each with their worker force, and began populating the United States in the mid-1930s. These ants spread outward from the purported initial landing spot in Mobile.

Pinpointing the number of queens needed to account for the genetic diversity in the current population allows researchers to better develop biologically-based management practices, predict the invasive potential of the species, and make inferences about the ecological and evolutionary processes.

Because of the red imported fire ant’s status as a major pest, an enormous amount of research has been conducted on the basic biology of the species during the past 40 years, making it one of the better known invasive organisms.
Individuals from two populations in South America and six populations across the southern United States were collected for genetic analysis. Data collected substantiate the theory that there is a close genetic resemblance of ants collected near Mobile to a hypothetical, reconstructed ancestral population. However, the data also raise the possibility of a secondary introduction at a location 60 miles west of Mobile.

Further genetic analysis will improve knowledge of the reproductive biology, population demographics, genetics and invasive history of red imported fire ants, which may assist in controlling them. — ARS News Service

NPMA releases fall issue of the Pest Gazette

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has released the fall issue of the Pest Gazette, a four-page newsletter that highlights seasonal pests, for PCOs to distribute to their customers. This educational publication reinforces to the consumer the importance of hiring a pest professional.

The color Pest Gazette includes photos, in-depth descriptions and tips for keeping pests away from a home. Exclusively available to members of NPMA, the Pest Gazette can be customized to include a company’s logo, contact information, Web site and even a company-specific article — giving the appearance that this newsletter was printed by you, for your customers.

To take advantage of this cost-effective communication tool and increase your business presence, order the fall issue of the Pest Gazette by visiting www.npmapestworld.org/store/pest-gazette.asp. For more information about the Pest Gazette contact NPMA at npma@pestworld.org or 703/352-6762.

Copesan announces the addition of new partners

MENOMENEE FALLS, Wis. — Copesan has added two new Partners. American Pest Management of Takoma Park, Md., and The Bug Man of Benton, Ark., have joined the 70-plus Partners already servicing Copesan clients across North America.

American Pest Management was founded in 1925 and has three locations servicing clients in Maryland and Virginia. One of American’s accounts is the White House. American also performs IPM training for all the American embassies around the world. American Pest Management has earned the designation of QualityPro from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). In May 2008, American Pest Management was ranked by PCT magazine as the 71st largest company in the pest management industry.

The Bug Man is a family-owned and -operated company founded in 1982. The Bug Man has three locations throughout Arkansas. A total of 30 service technicians serve the company’s extensive client base. The Bug Man has earned the designation of QualityPro from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

B&G Equipment Company launches new Web site

JACKSON, Ga. — B&G Equipment Co. has unveiled its new Web site at www.bgequip.com. Visitors will immediately appreciate the updated look along with clean, easy-to-navigate pages. B&G’s divisions are displayed on the home page to point visitors to their particular area of interest.

The pest control page includes a “what’s new” link that quickly directs visitors to newly introduced products. A promotional link on the same page points pest management professionals to special offers. B&G’s four main pest control product sectors are set up with photo links for easy navigation to areas of interest.

Tru-Green’s Erica Santella named chair of FPMA’s Green Industries Task Force

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Pest Management Association President Tim Hulett, Hulett Environmental Services, named Erica Santella, technical manager of TruGreen in Florida, to the position of chair of the newly formed Green Industries Task Force.

“The high percentage of FPMA members in the green industries makes this task force a vital addition to the regulatory and legislative functions of the association,” Hulett said. FPMA Government Affairs Chair D.R. Sapp added, “Erica’s dedicated service and expertise make her the natural choice for this important position.”

Charges of the committee include:

• Gathering, organizing and disseminating information on local fertilizer ordinances and responding to their introduction at a local level
• Creating a clearinghouse for local fertilizer ordinances for reference by FPMA members
• Working with the Department of Environmental Protection, IFAS and the FPMA Education Committee on the development of best management practices training for use by the association and its members
• Communicating with the Government Affairs Committee and acting as an informational resource for the ongoing effort to pass statewide fertilizer legislation
• Building coalitions of industry groups in pursuing the causes of the association and its members in the green industries

“I appreciate the confidence of the FPMA leadership and look forward to working with them and the members of the task force for the betterment of lawn care professionals and their related groups,” Santella said.

Methyl bromide alternatives conference takes place in November in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. — Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach presents its annual conference Nov. 11-14 in Orlando, Fla.

The conference aims to support the gathering of data on potential alternatives to methyl bromide for future evaluation and prioritization; enhance technology transfer processes needed to economically and commercially implement methyl bromide alternatives; enhance scientific information and data exchange regarding current research on methyl bromide alternatives and emissions reduction; have interdisciplinary scientific exchange on methyl bromide alternatives and related issues; and develop and distribute conference proceedings as an information source on state-of-the-art methyl bromide alternatives for use by researchers, users of methyl bromide, legislators, government policy officials and all other interested parties.

For more information or to register, visit www.mbao.org.

FMC announces Melamed Riley Advertising as
agency of record

PHILADELPHIA — FMC Professional Solutions announced in June it has selected Melamed Riley Advertising of Cleveland to handle marketing communications for its pest control, lawn and golf brands.

Melamed Riley Advertising will support a number of FMC brands with strategic brand planning, creative, and media planning and buying.

“We have a very strong marketing team and we are excited to focus on continuing to grow our product portfolio with our new agency partner,” said Karen Westcott, marketing manager for FMC Professional Solutions. “Melamed Riley brings enthusiasm, creativity and a comprehensive understanding of the industries in which we work.”

Additionally, DeMask Marketing, Batavia, Ill., has been retained to oversee public relations for FMC Professional Solutions. Both companies will provide support to the FMC-owned portals, www.fmcprosolutions.com and www.fmcezlearn.com.

Delaware Pest Control Association to celebrate 50th anniversary next year

NEWARK, Del. — The Delaware Pest Control Association will celebrate its 50th anniversary in February 2009 at its Short Course, Feb. 18-19.
The Delaware Short Course trains pest professionals from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Pennsylvania with the most up-to-date information in the pest control industry. Next year’s speakers include:

• Greg Baumann, NPMA
• Jeff Tucker, Entomology Associates
• Bobby Corrigan, RMC Pest Management Consulting
• Jeffrey O’Neill, Central Life Sciences
• Dr. Phil Koehler, University of Florida

Insect Inquirer blog brings bugs to center stage

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — With a goal of providing weekly updates about insects to its Web site visitors, Truly Nolen of America has started a weekly blog that will serve as a teaching tool while allowing users to share their own insect adventures.

The blog, called “The Insect Inquirer,” serves as the voice for Barry “The Bug Guy” Murray, Truly Nolen’s national spokesperson. Murray brings an informative and entertaining perspective to consumers’ pest problems in the 21st century. He’s been swarmed and stung by killer bees, cooked and eaten insects and demonstrated what termites can do to a house during his more than 500 TV appearances.

“During my 20 years in the pest control industry, it has never been more apparent that if one person has a question about a particular insect problem, many others are looking for answers,” he said. “It is my hope that our blog will become an additional source of information about insects in the world while providing a fun look at our industry.”

Nolen teamed with DAS Group, a media company specializing in Web development, to create the blog, which includes previous columns written by Murray and allows users to comment on Murray’s postings.

“Education of the public about pests has always been a key part of our overall message,” said Murray. “We decided to add this blog as a way for us to keep people informed on everything from what’s new with the industry to providing tips that may help people who are having a particular insect problem.”

To see Murray’s blog, visit www.trulynolen.com/blog.

17 countries represented in Rome at Europest

ROME — More than 140 delegates representing 17 countries from across Europe gathered in Rome in April at the inaugural Europest event organized by CEPA, Europe’s pest management industry association.

A selection of international speakers addressed key management issues facing the pest control industry, including how the global pest control market is developing.

Rod Parker from AIS in London set the tone by examining the total non-crop market for pesticides.

According to market research, this sector has grown at product level from $6.45 billion in 1992 to $20 billion in 2006, or 57 percent in value terms of the crop protection market. Some 42 percent of this non-crop market falls within the Americas, with insecticides accounting for more than half the global market value. But this sector consists of a very wide variety of uses, such as forestry, consumer and timber — with those markets relevant to PCOs (turf, pest control and mosquito abatement) accounting for just less than 20 percent.

The pest control market within Europe was addressed by Milagros Fernandez de Lezeta from ANECPLA — the Spanish pest control association. In brief, the European pest control market including the service element is worth $3.2 billion, consists of 9,000 pest control companies and employs more than 38,000 people.

Two presentations on emerging markets followed. The first was delivered by California-based Pascal Cai, who represents the China Pest Control Association. Like virtually all Chinese industries, pest control is on an exponential growth curve. China has a population of 1.3 billion (twice that of the entire European Union) and an annual economic growth rate of 10 percent.
The second presentation came from Adam Puscinski, vice president of the Polish Pest Control Association. With that country’s market now liberalized, privately owned, often one-man, pest control companies have rapidly grown. As an association, one of its main objectives now is to provide appropriate training and work toward some form of certification program, a theme echoed throughout Europe.

A prime objective for CEPA is to develop professionalism and training throughout Europe. — Frances McKim, British Pest Control Association

Terminix acquires 19 pest control companies in first six months of 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Terminix acquired 19 pest management companies across nine states during the first six months of 2008.

The acquisitions included:

• ABC Termite & Pest (Baltimore)
• All About Bugs (Ocala, Fla.)
• America’s Bug Busters (Nashville, Tenn.)
• Bugfree Pest Elimination (Corpus Christi, Texas)
• Bug-Goff Exterminating Co. (Pittsburgh)
• Bush Pest Control (Tampa, Fla.)
• Champion Termite and Pest Control (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Excel Pest Control (Buffalo, Mo.)
• Gates and Gates (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
• George’s Termite and Pest Control (Hot Springs, Ark.)
• Lighthouse Pest Control (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Palms Pest Management (Orlando, Fla.)
• Pointe Pest Control (Indianapolis)
• Season’s Termite and Pest Services (Daytona, Fla.)
• Steve-N-Son’s Pest Control (Nashville, Tenn.)
• Termites Plus (Batesville, Ark.)
• The Bug Pros Exterminating (Nashville, Tenn.)
• Total Control Exterminating (Houston)
• Westbay Services (Tampa, Fla.)

“In spite of the fact that our industry is facing some of the most unfavorable market conditions in recent memory, we’ve been able to continue to attract quality pest management professionals that will be major contributors to our organization’s success for years to come,” said Steve Good, senior vice president of business development.

Terminix has acquired 100 pest management companies since the beginning of 2006.

Hicksville, N.Y., team wins 2007 Residex President’s Award

CRANFORD, N.J. — The Residex Hicksville, N.Y., team was recently honored with dinner and an overnight stay in New York City after receiving the inaugural 2007 Residex President’s Award.

Residex created this annual award to recognize the team that lives the company’s vision and mission daily. “The customer remains at the top of our organizational chart,” said Residex President Chris Donaghy. “Our customer comes above all else in the Hicksville Team’s eyes, and they will go to great lengths to take care of customer requests and needs including the sacrifice of their personal time. When you visit our Hicksville location, there is a feeling of real passion for the customer.”

The Residex Hicksville team includes John Paul Zastawekcy, delivery driver; Kitty Lee, sales service manager; Rick Allen, New York State regional manager; and Rich Ramirez, warehouse assistant.

N.C. firm introduces new program to optimize marketing efforts

HIGH POINT, N.C. — To assist companies in their quest for improved marketing results, TMMG has introduced a novel program called MPO (Marketing Performance Optimization). This program was developed in conjunction with Preston International.

The MPO program focuses on the personnel responsible for the company’s marketing function. TMMG used more than 30 years of marketing expertise to develop the 12-month program. Using unique methodology and assessments, participants develop an individual action plan geared at enhancing marketing skills.

MPO addresses dimensions that traditional marketing and strategic planning or creative design services do not. “The benefit of this program is the optimization of the marketing function by improving the individual skill sets of the responsible party,” said Randy Moser, TMMG president. “This program concentrates on the critical dimensions necessary to optimize the day-to-day marketing function.”

The methodology identifies which marketing dimensions/skill set could be enhanced and an action plan is developed to optimize that dimension. Companies previewing the MPO program see the potential impact on the bottom line: profit. A methodical approach to a complex, sometimes abstract business function can speed the implementation and success of a marketing plan.

For more about TMMG, contact Moser at 336/812-9899 or randy.moser@lifezn.net.

PCO News
Orkin recently acquired five pest control companies: PESCO Pest and Termite Control (Brandon, Fla.); Pest Control Specialists (Bay St. Louis, Miss.); All Ohio Fertilizer and Pest Control (Hudson, Ohio); Perminate Pest Control (East Hampstead, N.H.); and Bugs R Us Pest Control (Abilene, Texas).
     
Arab Termite and Pest Control, Indianapolis, won the 2007 Minority Supplier of the Year Award. This annual award is sponsored by the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
     
Maheu & Maheu, Quebec City, Quebec, acquired the pest management division of Veolia Environmental Services, Lombard, Ill.
     
The Building Owners and Managers Association of New Jersey, awarded Cooper Pest Solutions, Lawrenceville, N.J., with The Office Building of the Year Award for the Middle Atlantic Region under 100,000-square-foot category.
     
Led by a team of seven entomologists from Rose Pest Solutions, Troy, Mich., dozens of boys and girls from the Children’s Home of Detroit participated in a day of facts, fun and food at Kensington Metropark for the Seventh Annual Bug Rodeo in July. The children, who ranged in age from 9 to 17, split into teams to collect and examine as many species of insects as they could find. Along the way, the experts from Rose Pest Solutions provided instruction on how to build collections while taking the opportunity to transform the park into an outdoor classroom to teach the children about the insects.

Each team’s collection was scored in categories ranging from largest bug to most species found, with prizes awarded at the end of the day. The Bug Rodeo has always focused on providing children with an educational experience that allows them to explore the outdoors and have fun in the process.

Comings and Goings
AP&G Co. recently made a number of changes and additions to the firm’s sales team. Kevin Keane was named new national sales manager for professional products — North America.

Craig Martelle, AP&G’s former vice president of sales for professional products, has been named vice president/global sales. Martelle will continue to be involved in the U.S. pest management industry but will now be focusing his efforts on growing AP&G’s presence internationally. Martelle will replace Michael Bentivegna, who has been with AP&G for two decades. Robert Stocker, has been named regional sales manager/Western USA.

In addition, AP&G has made other changes and additions to its sales force in the last 18 months, including the following: Jim Baldino has been named sales manager, Mid-Atlantic Region; Ed Dolshun has been named sales manager, Northeast Region and Canada; Walter Mendieta has been named sales manager, Southeast Region; and Andrew Vita has been named sales manager, North Central Region.

Todd Leyse was promoted to president of Adam’s Pest Control, Minneapolis.
Brian Cook has been named a management trainee with Cook’s Pest Control, Decatur, Ala., the company his family has owned and operated for more than 80 years.

Residex, Cranford, N.J., announced that New York State Regional Manager Rick Allen recently passed his qualifying exam to become an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE).

Andy Yant, owner of P.E.S.T., Springfield, Tenn., will serve as president of the Tennessee Pest Control Association, Region III, until June 2009.
Pest Management Systems, Greensboro, N.C., hired Tim Gulledge, as Western regional service adviser.

Michael Jones has joined B&G Chemical and Equipment as sales manager for South Houston.

Forshaw Distribution has hired two new customer sales representatives: David Ruszczyk and Dennis Castle. The company also has promoted Sandy Shrum to the position of Florida regional business manager.

Arrow Environmental Services, Morganville, N.J., named Stewart Lenner president and chief operating officer. Ira Lenner will step down as the firm’s president after 35 years and assume the title of chairman and CEO.