[Annual Fly Control Issue] Hitting Them Where It Hurts

In years past the burden of small fly control was often put squarely in the lap of the client. A client’s sanitation protocols, or lack thereof, were reviewed and pest professionals regularly wrote their recommendations about improving sanitation practices in the comments section of their report.

But were pest management professionals really able to improve the sanitation conditions and in the process eliminate a small fly issue in an account? Ten years ago the answer would have been maybe but today it is a resounding yes.

The InVade line of bio sanitation products (see related story on page 68), developed by Rockwell Labs, provides PMPs a solution to address sanitation problems in commercial accounts. “Small flies burst onto the scene in the early 2000s in the Northeast and became a major headache for PMPs and their commercial clients,” says Cisse Spragins, president and founder of Rockwell Labs. “As we studied the problem we determined that sanitation was a key piece to the puzzle of solving small fly infestations.”

Spragins says a commonly held assumption was that drains were the sole source of small fly infestations. As Rockwell delved into their research they discovered infestations easily can develop in any crack and crevice or void where moisture and organic debris builds up.

The result of Rockwell’s efforts led to the development of an extensive sanitation protocol built around the firm’s InVade product line. InVade products are not pesticides, they are sanitation products that allow PMPs to get organic matter eating microbes into drains, cracks, crevices and voids where organic build-up collects.

“Fogging was a common treatment option for flies but it only killed the adult flies and did not address the root cause of the problem — the harborage and nesting sites,” says Spragins. “The flies could reproduce overnight and it led to callbacks.”

InVade probiotic cleaners use natural, soil-derived microbes to digest organic matter — grease, carbohydrates, proteins and cellulose — and eliminate odors. The flexibility allows PMPs to affordably deliver foam treatments to all areas of a commercial kitchen — drains, cracks and crevices, and under machinery, beverage taps and feed lines, and baseboards.

To kill small flies, pest professionals can add BorActin insecticide powder to their foam applications. Using BorActin will not interfere with the microbes’ cleaning process. BorActin applied as a dust is ideal for “mystery voids” in accounts, including under slabs, and void areas in counters and food-prep areas. The BorActin literally turns the scum into a toxic bait for small flies and cockroaches.

Heart of the Matter. When it comes to fly infestations, clients usually want something done immediately to remedy the problem. But it takes peeling back layers of the proverbial onion to get to the real issue in most cases — poor sanitation.

“Adult flies are a symptom of a problem and knocking them down with foggers or other products addresses the end result but not the cause,” says Scott Robbins, technical director for Action Pest Control in Evansville, Ind., whose company has successfully incorporated the InVade line into its commercial programs.

Explaining the root cause of the issue to the client, how you are attacking the cause and how you are improving their sanitation practices, is important.

To help raise the level of their clients’ sanitation standards, Action Pest Control points them to the mop bucket, which is found in virtually every maintenance closet, as the path to success.

Action recommends commercial clients add Rockwell Labs InVade Mop Clean to the water in the bucket during their regular cleaning efforts. When used consistently the product reduces the amount of grease build-up on floors and eliminates foul odors that come as a result of moisture and organic matter collecting in drains.

“Once a client uses it on a regular basis and sees the results, they become believers,” says Robbins. “It is an easy product to incorporate into their sanitation protocols, and that ease-of-use is important in gaining adoption with clients.”

The adoption process is especially challenging in fast food outlets where managers are focused on issues besides pest control. Typically they have limited purchasing power and budget constraints, and won’t readily add services or products that add expense. “The nice thing about Mop Clean is that it is not an additional product they have to buy but is a replacement for their current cleaner,” says Robbins. “And once they see the results and see how it makes their job easier they get on board.”
 

A Sales Advantage.

Expanding their toolbox with the InVade product line also has given Action Pest Control an advantage when selling to clients.

Robbins says bio sanitation cleaning applications are less restrictive in food service and processing facilities and that he doesn’t have to schedule technicians for costly after-hours service calls.

“We can do a targeted service in the morning while food preparation is being done and not have to send a technician out at 2:00 a.m. like we did in the past,” says Robbins. “It is less costly to a client and can be done with minimum aggravation.”

Another product that gives pest professionals a competitive advantage and saves time in the field is the ready-to-use InVade Hot Spot aerosol can.

“Time is money and the Hot Spot gives our technicians the ability to make an immediate application should they identify a trouble area in the account without having to set up a foamer,” says Robbins.

Spragins says bio sanitation practices will continue to grow in importance as regulations associated with the Food Safety Modernization Act tighten audit requirements for food processors. This presents an opportunity for companies to expand their service offerings to commercial clients and establish a deeper partnership.

“Flies are a public health pest and a threat to food safety,” says Spragins. “Helping to address one of the root causes of small fly infestations by incorporating best management practices for sanitation is a win-win for pest professionals and their clients.”

The author is a partner of B Communications. Email him at jfenner@giemedia.com.