Focus on New Technology: Fast Food

The old adage of "You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink" could be updated for the pest control industry. "You can try to get a termite to a monitoring station, but you can’t count on a hit" accurately describes the frustrations expressed by some pest management professionals regarding this popular control option.

While unquestionably effective, monitoring and bait stations are slower acting than traditional "trench and treat" liquid termiticide applications, prompting a number of manufacturers to develop new technology in recent years to speed up the process. One of those companies is FMC Corporation.

"We believe the faster you can gain control of a termite population using termite baits, regardless of which system you choose, the better off the industry is going to be," says Amy Gabrielian, marketing manager and software solutions business manager of FMC Corp. in Philadelphia. "That’s why I would hate to see the loss of a significant ‘green’ alternative (baits) to the industry should fast-acting termiticides (i.e., non-repellents) replace baits as a control option of choice."

Kim Watson, global development manager of FMC, mirrors Gabrielian’s concerns about baiting. "At FMC, our mission is to be a ‘solutions provider’ for PMPs. We identified the fact that there was an issue with baiting, which was speed to control, and we’ve developed a product to address that need."

The product FMC has developed is called Summon® preferred food source. It is highly attractive to termites, resulting in more rapid feeding. "We’ve generated research in the laboratory and in the field that indicates termites prefer Summon up to eight times more than any other food source, but at the end of the day what PMPs are interested in is our data around structures," comments Dr. Jim Ballard, FMC technical manager. "Fortunately, we’re getting the same kind of responses in the lab and in the field. We’ve experienced eight-to-one hit rates with Summon versus not using Summon."

HOW IT WORKS. Summon is a proprietary food source that is more readily accepted by the most common species of subterranean termites that feed on softwoods (Reticulitermes and Coptotermes) in the United States. Research is still being conducted with other termite species from around the world, with the goal of distributing Summon globally.

Summon has proven effective in any soil type in any part of the U.S., according to Ballard. Since it is not an attractant, it will not draw termites to structures. Termites find Summon through their natural foraging behavior. As termites locate the stations containing Summon and begin feeding, they "summon" their nest mates to the location. Consequently, more termites remain with the station, eventually progressing to the wood monitor or bait housed inside the station.

FMC conducted focus groups last year to determine the formulation that would work best for PCOs. "We presented the PCOs with a number of formulation options, including a pellet, loose powder, a disc, and the product in a tea bag type filter. Overwhelmingly, the PMPs chose the disc," states Gabrielian. "The reason PMPs preferred the disc is they felt it offered better handling characteristics than the other formulations. They also believed it offered some inventory control benefits. In addition, they liked the ‘dose packaging’ qualities of the formulation."

For pest management professionals using the FirstLine Termite Defense System, Summon is pre-packed in the Smartdisc™ Locator & Monitoring Stations. No extra steps are needed. Pest management professionals using other termite bait systems can also enjoy the benefits of Summon. At the site, the pest management professional removes the wooden monitor from the plastic station. He or she inserts the Summon disc, replaces the wooden monitor and monitors according to directions. Once a hit has been registered, the pest management professional removes the infested monitor from the ground and inserts the bait. "We would prefer that PMPs use Summon in conjunction with the FirstLine Termite Defense System, but it is designed to be used in all brands of monitoring stations," Ballard says. "It will enhance any baiting program."

PRODUCT BENEFITS. The initial benefit of using Summon for baiting and monitoring stations is the reduced time for "hits" to occur. Traditional baiting can involve more frequent visits by the PCO, thus driving up labor costs. But with Summon, a pest management professional can get control faster, since the termites have proven to feed longer, and there is more rapid distribution of the toxicant throughout the termite population. The overall effect is that Summon reduces the time between initial installation and control.

The success of baiting with Summon can also lead to increased profits and goodwill with new and existing customers, according to FMC. "Everyone has a percentage of monitors that aren’t being hit, so Summon helps to reduce that number dramatically," says Dr. Ballard. "The last thing you want is someone questioning your termite service because it’s been two years and you have yet to have a hit on any of your stations."

In addition, since Summon is not a pesticide but a preferred food source, there are no safety issues or handling restrictions associated with the product.

ADDITIONAL INFO. Since the technology is so new, FMC has been corresponding with industry influencers and university personnel nationwide. "We want to give them a feel for how the product can be used effectively to help control termites in a wide range of environments," Gabrielian says. "These people are important sources of information for the industry."

FMC will also support its efforts with a new brochure aimed at pest management professionals and a consumer handout designed to answer frequently asked questions about Summon. Additional information can be obtained on the FMC Web site (www.fmc-apgspec.com) or by contacting the company’s Customer Satisfaction Center at 800/321-FMC.

Dr. Ballard sums up his experience: "This has been a challenging project because it’s brand new technology. It’s a unique product and we are excited to be the first to bring it to market."