VIEWPOINT: Rodent Control: Worth The Wait

It is with great pride and affection that we announce the impending publication of Rodent Control: A Practical Guide for Pest Management Professionals by Dr. Robert Corrigan. Like his longtime mentor, Austin Frishman, Corrigan has a special place in the heart of any pest management professional who has had the good fortune to hear him speak at an industry event or travel with him on a service call.

That’s because the man affectionately known as "Bobby" is a "PCO’s PCO," meaning he’s not afraid to spend time in the trenches getting to the root of a customer’s pest problem, no matter how unappealing the environment or how challenging the account. That abiding appreciation for the inherent value of the important public health services provided by the pest control industry is readily apparent when interacting with Corrigan on a face-to-face basis, but his passion for the work becomes even more obvious when reading Rodent Control, a book I’m confident will become an "instant classic" when it is published by GIE Media, the parent company of PCT magazine, this fall.

Nine years in the making, Rodent Control: A Practical Guide for Pest Management Professionals, is just that — a practical guide to the biology, behavior and control of a wide range of economically significant rodents. Both veteran and "rookie" technicians will benefit from Corrigan’s practical insights on a variety of subjects featured in this 350-page, hardcover book — whether it be a discussion of how to inspect for rodents, a primer on how to exclude rats and mice from structures, or an in-depth review of rodenticides and bait stations.

It’s a first-class piece of work that will undoubtedly enhance Corrigan’s already sterling market reputation...and we’re proud to publish it. To order an autographed copy of Rodent Control: A Practical Guide for Pest Management Professionals at the special pre-publication price of only $69.95 (regular price $89.95), please contact PCT Books Manager Lori Skala at 800/456-0707, or visit www.pctonline.com/store/productDetail.asp?CatId=2&SubCatId=5&Id=50

And congratulations, Bobby, on a job well done.

One of the most gratifying aspects of being a trade magazine journalist is breaking a story that has the potential to benefit one’s industry not only economically, but also from a public relations perspective. Unfortunately, such stories don’t come along very often. But thanks to Orkin Pest Control and the University of Florida, such a story appears in this month’s special "Fly Control Supplement" at www.pctonline.com/articles/article.asp?MagID=1&ID=1510&IssueID=144.

In a ground-breaking study funded by Orkin, University of Florida scientists discovered that house flies carry a bacteria that has been linked to meningitis, a startling announcement that has significant public health ramifications for both the medical profession and the pest control industry. We would like to express our appreciation to Frank Meek, technical manager at Orkin Pest Control, for allowing us to publish the article. A "white paper" on the fly study will be released in December when Dr. Jerry Butler, the University of Florida entomologist who led the research, will present his findings to members of the Entomological Society of America. But you read it here first.

The author is publisher of PCT Magazine. He can be reached via e-mail at dmoreland@pctonline.com.