Dr. Matt Cordes, associate professor emeritus in the University of Arizona Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, recently led a study about the brown recluse spider venom’s molecular mechanism of action. He says these spiders have their common name (and the dominant U.S. species’ scientific name, Loxosceles reclusa) for a reason.
“They like to hide in wood piles, sheds, things like that,” Dr. Cordes said in a news release. “They prefer dark, covered spaces. Recluse spiders are actually quite common and easy to find if you look for them.”
Related recluse species occur in in west Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, where the Arizona recluse (L. arizonica) is the most common. The news release rounds up five things that the average person might not know about brown recluses specifically. As a professional, how will you score?
1. They only bite when trapped
“There is this myth that they’re aggressive spiders, but they really are not,” Dr. Cordes said. “They generally have a worse reputation than they deserve.”
The spiders typically only bite when they are trapped, between clothing and skin, for example.
2. About 80 percent of people don’t realize they’ve been bitten
Dr. Cordes said most people who get bitten never know it: “Your average bite either has no effect or causes some kind of fairly mild irritation. It’s the maybe 10 percent or 20 percent of cases where you get something that’s necrotic, and then some even smaller fraction of those develop into something that’s really a spreading necrotic lesion.”
When that happens, however, the tissue damage can get extensive, requiring skin grafts and leaving lasting scars.
3. Bites are often misdiagnosed
According to Dr. Cordes, bacterial skin infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are prone to being misdiagnosed as recluse bites.
“MRSA produces a sore that presents somewhat like a recluse spider lesion,” he said. “One of the differences is that the recluse lesions don’t really ooze pus the same way MRSA does. Doctors who are familiar with these types of lesions are more likely to make a correct diagnosis, but sometimes it’s hard to tell.”
Dr. Cordes said a correct diagnosis is more likely if following a perceived bite, a spider is found. Location is an important tip-off as well.
“If someone believes they were bitten, and they live outside the range where recluses occur, it’s a red flag,” he explained. “You almost certainly have a misdiagnosis.”
4. Unique venom works like a ‘molecular lawnmower’
Unlike the venom in most spider species, which primarily acts as a neurotoxin that interferes with nerve function, the venom of spiders in the recluse family, known as Sicariids, is very effective at destroying tissue.
While bites from other spiders may cause necrotic lesions, too, the potential of severe, widespread tissue damage is the recluse’s “calling card,” according to Dr. Cordes. Scientist have known for a while that recluse venom contains toxins that disrupt cell membranes, but the precise mechanisms of action have not been well understood. In their recent paper, Dr. Cordes and his research team reported their success catching the toxin “in the act.” Using a technique called X-ray crystallography, the researchers resolved the atomic structure of the molecule, an enzyme known as Phospholipase D, and its active site interacting with the lipid molecules that form the building blocks of cell membranes.
“We believe a likely mode of operation for this thing is to attach itself to a cell and chew up its lipid molecules,” Dr. Cordes said. “These enzymes are what we call processive: They don’t just bite off one molecule’s head and then go away again. More likely, they move from molecule to molecule, mowing them all down, in a lawnmower-like fashion.”
The recluse’s “lawnmower” toxin can account for as much as half the dry weight of the spider’s venom, according to Dr. Cordes. Add the fact it acts a catalyst, unaffected by its destructive activity, and that means each toxin molecule can do a lot of damage. This may help explain the sometimes-extensive tissue defects that result from a bite. During this process, the toxin turns the cell’s lipids into a product that, until this study, was not known to be found in nature, the researchers report.
“It makes a highly unusual, ring-shaped product called cyclic ceramide phosphate,” Dr. Cordes said. “The interesting thing about that is that almost nothing is known about it, other than the fact it’s unique to the venom of recluse spiders.”
While all spiders carry genes encoding for the same enzyme family, they don’t use them in their venom, but for some other unknown purpose in their bodies. Only recluses express these genes in their venom glands, where they make up the bulk of the venom, Dr. Cordes said.
“It appears they kind of took it and ran with it,” he said. “In an interesting evolutionary twist, these phospholipases are also found in the venom of a scorpion species found in the deserts of Iran, and getting stung can cause a medically dangerous reaction, resulting in a necrotic wound similar to that of a recluse bite.”
5. Don’t rely on the ‘fiddle’ alone for identification
Another common name for brown recluse is the fiddleback spider, but the telltale sign of a violin shape on its cephalothorax (the combined head and middle portion of its body) is not as cut-and-dry as it seems. According to Dr. Greta Binford, an arachnologist and professor of biology at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore., who is the paper’s second author, the violin shape can be less prominent depending on the spider’s sex or life stage. In addition, there are other spider species that have a violin-like pattern.
“Brown recluses are often confused with a whole range of other spiders,” she said in the news release. “To identify a brown recluse beyond doubt, two things need to be present: the violin shape and three pairs of eyes. Most other spiders have eight eyes. Sicariids are the only family whose members have six.”
There’s growing public awareness and concern around ticks and tick-borne diseases in the United States in recent months, and alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) has been one of the biggest drivers of that attention. Alpha-gal, which is short for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, is a molecule found naturally in mammals (except humans), as well as in the saliva of certain ticks.
In some individuals, tick bites can sometimes trigger an immune system response that leads to AGS, causing allergic reactions after eating red meat or consuming dairy products. Lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) are considered the primary vector, but reports indicate there have been some AGS cases associated with other tick species.
As awareness of AGS and other tickborne illnesses continues to grow, pest management professionals (PMPs) remain at the front lines to help reduce tick exposure and protect public health. When tick activity peaks this season, remember these five tips:
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when treating tick-prone areas. Long sleeves, long pants, gloves, boots and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered repellents can help reduce exposure while working in dense vegetation and wooded edges. Perform routine tick checks throughout the day and after completing applications.
Focus inspections on areas that support tick hosts such as rodents, raccoons, deer, and other small mammals. Identify and address harborage areas such as wood piles, dense brush, ground cover and fence lines where wildlife activity is common.
Improve the environment to make properties less favorable for ticks. Recommend trimming overgrown vegetation, clearing brush, reducing leaf litter and increasing sunlight and airflow in shaded areas where moisture persists.
Apply residual insecticides strategically to high-risk tick zones. Concentrate treatments around ornamental vegetation, shrubs, tree lines, fence rows, tall grass and ecotones, which is where maintained turf meets wooded or natural areas.
Approach tick management education for both customers and employees as an ongoing process. Combining habitat modification, wildlife management and targeted residual applications provides more consistent, long-term suppression.
BASF
By Desiree Straubinger, BCE, CP-FS, Technical Services Representative
Desiree Straubinger, BCE, CP-FS
Flea and tick infestations remain a constant hurdle for pest control specialists, requiring both skill and well-planned approaches. To effectively handle these pests, start with a comprehensive inspection, pinpointing trouble spots like pet bedding, carpets, upholstered furniture and outdoor spaces where animals, including wildlife and stray pets, may roam or shelter in crawlspaces.
Implement integrated pest management (IPM) methods, blending targeted chemical applications with environmental changes to break breeding cycles. Once hotspots are identified, customers should apply physical measures indoors, such as vacuuming and washing pet bedding. Outdoors, they should consistently mow the lawn and trim vegetation to decrease shaded, damp conditions. They also should clear away leaf litter, tall grass and organic debris to reduce breeding grounds. Encourage customers to maintain ongoing prevention, including routine pet care.
Select treatment products specifically designed for fleas and ticks and rotate active ingredients to lower the risk of resistance. For indoor chemical control, pay special attention to cracks, crevices and baseboards, using residual sprays and insect growth regulators (IGRs) for lasting results. Outdoor control should target shady areas where fleas and ticks thrive.
By merging technical expertise with client education, PMPs can provide dependable, long-term solutions for flea and tick infestations.
MGK
By Anna Hansen, Technical Services Support Specialist
Anna Hansen
The foundation of superior service and treatment of any pest is customer communication. Cooperation from the customer is necessary for any successful treatment — whether it’s exclusion work for treating fall invaders, sanitation for cockroach infestations, or prep and exclusionary work for flea and tick treatments.
It’s essential that customers understand the type of conditions that make their property friendly to fleas and ticks. Explain how a neatly mowed lawn and trimmed property perimeter can deter ticks from inhabiting the area. If the property butts up to a natural environment, like a forest or prairie, suggest they put deer fencing up to keep host animals from entering the property. Also, explain how keeping areas clear of brush and debris can deter animals that carry fleas and ticks from creating dens and burrows on the property.
Additionally, make sure to communicate your expectations for prep prior to treatment. Be detailed in your description of your expectations. Also, manage your customers’ expectations following treatment and make sure they understand re-entry standards for the products you’re using.
Nisus
By Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE, National Director of Technical Services
Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE
Fleas and ticks are more than just annoying pests. They can spread disease, trigger allergic reactions, and quickly become difficult to control once established indoors.
An IPM approach starts with reducing the conditions that allow them to thrive. Wildlife such as rodents, raccoons, stray cats and opossums often introduce fleas and ticks into yards and crawlspaces, so exclusion and habitat reduction are critical first steps. Keep grass trimmed, remove debris and seal entry points around the home.
Inside, mechanical interventions like frequent vacuuming play a major role in control by removing eggs, larvae and adult fleas hiding deep in carpets, furniture and cracks. Discard vacuum bags immediately after cleaning. Use contact sprays as appropriate to target active adult fleas and developing larvae in areas where pets rest or where wildlife activity has occurred. Combining sanitation, exclusion and targeted treatments provides long-term relief while reducing future infestations.
Neogen
By Andrew Fisher, BCE, PHE, Business Unit Specialist
Andrew Fisher, BCE, PHE
Flea management programs often focus on areas where pets rest, but don’t overlook floor-wall junctions and other protected harborages. After being deposited by the host, flea eggs readily fall from fur and accumulate in cracks, crevices and carpet edges, beneath furniture and along baseboards. These areas provide the sheltered microhabitats that developing larvae require.
Unlike adult fleas, larvae are negatively phototactic, meaning they avoid light and migrate into protected locations where they feed on organic debris and dried blood excreted by adult fleas. Floor-wall junctions frequently collect dust, hair and other organic material that support larval development.
During inspections, pay particular attention to carpet tack strips, gaps beneath baseboards, furniture edges and inaccessible perimeter areas. Treatment plans should account for these locations rather than focus solely on open floor surfaces. Thorough vacuuming and targeted applications to identified harborage areas can improve contact with immature stages and help reduce the likelihood of persistent infestations and follow-up service calls.
Ensystex
By Stephen Vanias, ACE, Technical Director
Stephen Vanias, ACE
Here’s a good way to get your technicians’ attention: Let them know the average American spends 15 to 20 minutes sitting on the toilet every day. While most people spend their idle moments mindlessly doomscrolling, they often are missing a prime opportunity to do a health check — and it has nothing to do with what’s coming out, but rather, what’s trying to dig in.
One of the best opportunities to perform a tick check is while sitting on the toilet. You don’t even need to put your phone away; just switch on the flashlight and start checking those personal cracks and crevices. Bathroom lighting is generally good. You have privacy and, more importantly, fantastic sight lines to parts of your body that often are overlooked but are prime real estate for ticks: the back of your knees, waistbands, armpits and other places where clothing tends to bunch up or have elastic bands.
I first learned of this strategy from a talk by Dr. Thomas “The TickGuy” Mather, director of the University of Rhode Island’s (URI’s) Center for Vector-Borne Disease. It might sound silly, but this is a serious public health initiative. URI even produces official, waterproof toilet check cards with actual-sized tick images. Learn more online at web.uri.edu/tickencounter.
Knowing and understanding tick biology, modes of vector transmission, and exposure times is critically important when dealing with ticks. Time always is of the essence, but it is even more important when mitigating the risk of tick-borne conditions that are quickly triggered by salivary components, such as Alpha-gal syndrome, vs. those that harbor in the midgut, such as Lyme disease, which typically requires over 24 hours of attached feeding for transmission.
Rockwell Labs
Nick Godfroid, BCE, Technical Specialist
Nick Godfroid
Although fleas and ticks are not closely related, they do share basic behaviors that can be used to control troublesome populations. Both prefer areas protected from sunlight with plenty of cover to hide in and around. Like many arthropods, they also like humid conditions. This makes piles of dead leaves and brush, as well as unkempt shrubs and overgrown grass, key areas to target for treatment. By focusing on shaded, plant-covered areas rather than open, mowed lawns, you can improve the efficiency of granular and spray applications.
Because overgrown areas can be difficult for contact-kill-only sprays to fully penetrate, using botanical granules or sprays is an effective way to increase repellency and lethality deep within these spaces. Botanical products with vapor-phase effects in particular can reach into dense cover, helping to flush out, repel and kill fleas and ticks that would otherwise remain protected.
Zoëcon
By Mel Whitson, Director of Sales and Marketing, Pest Control
Mel Whitson
Summer temperatures and humidity bring an expected increase in tick and flea activity. PMPs should implement a proactive strategy to prevent infestations and protect clients and their pets from potential disease transmission.
Ticks are hitchhikers that can infest outdoor areas. They quest, or cling to vegetation, waiting to latch onto passing animals and people. Ticks are especially active in wooded areas, tall grass, leaf litter and spots near water. Their prolonged feeding behaviors make them excellent vectors for diseases such as Lyme disease.
Aside from using insecticidal solutions, educate clients about maintenance practices to help reduce tick populations: Remove leaf litter, mow the lawn frequently and clear tall grass and brush.
Fleas also present potential health risks, transmitting murine typhus to humans and causing hair loss and skin damage to pets. Target areas where pets spend the most time, such as on bedding, toys, furniture and carpet. Fleas spread quickly, making it very important to vacuum all target areas before treatment and every day for one week or every two days for two weeks after treatment.
Syngenta
By Lisa Eppler, Technical Services Manager
Dr. Lisa Eppler
Fleas and ticks can test the patience of even the most experienced technician. When pets, wildlife and outdoor harborages are involved, it sometimes feels like these pests have more backup than we do. The good news? Successful treatment usually starts well before any application is needed.
Start with an inspection. A thorough inspection and client interview are essential. Ask where pets spend their time and look for likely flea and tick harborages indoors and outdoors. Often, fleas and ticks are exactly where you would expect them to be — right where pets like to nap!
Prepare the environment. Preparation makes a big difference. Indoors, recommend that clients vacuum, clean pet resting areas and wash pet bedding. Outdoors, recommend they reduce clutter like debris piles, firewood stacks and pet bowls. Mowing grass and improving airflow also can help treatments reach their target areas.
Target the right spots. Focus on shaded areas, pet resting sites and transition zones between landscaped and natural areas where fleas and ticks thrive.
Use the right tools. A combination of an adulticide and an IGR can be effective, for example. Always follow product label instructions.
Communicate. Set clear expectations with clients, because flea and tick control works best when everyone is on the same team.
AMGUARD
By Jason Schmidt, Director, Technology and Innovation
Jason Schmidt
Tick activity often is assumed rather than measured. That is understandable because customers usually call after a bite, pet exposure or concern about tick-borne disease risk. At the same time, ticks are easy to underestimate because large portions of a property may appear visually inactive.
During tick surveillance work years ago, one technique we used was placing a small piece of dry ice in the middle of a white drag cloth and simply waiting. As carbon dioxide dispersed from the dry ice, questing ticks would begin emerging from previously “lifeless” surrounding leaf litter and vegetation and move toward the sheet. Areas separated by only a few feet could produce dramatically different activity.
That experience reinforced how uneven tick pressure really is. Ticks often are concentrated in shaded, humid microhabitats and along host travel corridors, while nearby open areas contribute comparatively little activity.
On many properties, the difference between low and high tick pressure, and between average and highly effective control, may be only a few shaded feet.
Arkion Life Sciences
By Andrew Shipp, Gulf Coast Regional Sales Manager
Andrew Shipp
Residential IPM programs succeed through strategy, not reliance on any single tool. When treating lawns for ticks, integrating an all-natural, essential oil-based pesticide into rotation with synthetic options is a smart move.
Alternating applications prevents resistance by disrupting tick adaptation, keeping populations off-balance and your treatments effective longer. These botanicals also excel as a proactive deterrent, establishing an aromatic barrier that makes lawns less hospitable to wandering ticks before they take hold.
Gentle on beneficials, pets and the environment, they break down over time while complementing cultural practices like mowing and perimeter management. Clients appreciate the balanced approach that protects both efficacy and reputation.
Incorporate naturals wisely: Rotate for resistance management and deploy as deterrents for superior, sustainable tick control.
So, the next time you’re plotting tick defense, remember: The sharpest tool in the IPM shed isn’t always the loudest. Sometimes it’s the one that smells like cinnamon and common sense.
PestWest
By Dr. Stuart “Doc” Mitchell, BCE, MPH, Technical Director
Dr. Stuart Mitchell, BCE
I am a cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, and this is how I feed on thee:
I do not fly. In carpets, bedding and shaded resting places I wait, until I sense warmth, movement, vibration and the carbon dioxide of a passing cat or dog nearby.
Then I leap, my enlarged hind legs and resilin-rich structures spring me upward into fur, where my genal and pronotal ctenidia — comb-like spines upon my head and thorax — help me move through hair and hold to my host with care.
Now I seek the skin. My antennae and sensory bristles help me thread the coat until my piercing-sucking mouthparts meet the surface below. My laciniae pierce the skin, and channels formed by my mouthparts draw the blood that soon will flow.
Within minutes, I am feeding. The blood within my midgut sustains my life and, if I am female, helps turn each meal into eggs in time. Your companion animal is not simply my host; it is the living engine that drives my next generation anew.
To provide rescue, breaking the flea’s full cycle through and through, it takes the PMP, the veterinarian and the pet owner, too.
RECENT INNOVATIONS: Protection from bed bugs is ever evolving. From schools and daycares to airplane seats and courthouses, bed bugs rapidly spread, posing threats of skin irritation and allergic reactions. Bed bug prevention starts with early detection, stopping infestation at the root.
While at first glance, bed bugs share similar features to other insects, their musty-sweet odor and rust-colored stains on bedding and furniture are sure signs of an infestation. Known for their ability to easily get from one place to another, bed bug infestations quickly can develop without the right control strategy.
Zenprox EC from Zoëcon Professional Products offers a powerful solution for PMPs to effectively control bed bugs. Using the nonrepellent active ingredient etofenprox, this solution suppresses bed bug eggs from hatching and provides residual control.
Zenprox EC easily can be mixed with water and, in accordance with the label, be applied with most application equipment. This solution is one of the few labels approved for broadcast treatment indoors, making it ideal for treating large surface areas and hard-to-reach spaces throughout infested areas.
To prevent reinfestations and eliminate insect populations, use Zenprox EC as a tank-mix partner with Gentrol IGR or Precor IGR. For continued residual control, Gentrol IGR Concentrate uses the IGR (S)-hydroprene to effectively break the insects’ life cycles and provide 120 days of control.
PREDICTIONS: An increase in both urbanization and infrastructure is driving demand for PMP services. This pressure not only requires more attention from technicians but also requires educating more clients, both residential and commercial. While awareness of bed bugs is growing, so is travel frequency. Taking proactive measures to ensure effective bed bug control is critical.
Which emerging pests are you seeing more of today?
Dr. Mohammed El Damir
Dr. Mohammed El Damir, BCE, Adam’s Pest Control
“In Minnesota, we’re seeing more bat bug cases associated with active bat infestations in attics, reinforcing the importance of addressing the bat issue before treating the insects. We’ve also seen increases in odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile) activity and rodent activity, particularly deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), in and around structures, where exclusion is critical for long-term control. These trends highlight the importance of accurate identification and a strong integrated pest management approach focused on biology, inspection and exclusion.”
Scarlett Nolen
Scarlett Nolen, Truly Nolen Pest Control
“Weather remains one of the biggest drivers of pest behavior, and this year has brought unusual weather patterns across much of the country. With El Niño influencing conditions, many markets could experience increased pest activity, making vigilance more important than ever. We’re also seeing the continued expansion of Formosan termite (Coptotermes formosanus) populations into new markets. Accurate identification is critical to selecting the right treatment. If you’re ever unsure, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion from a colleague. Never assume a particular species isn’t present simply because it hasn’t been common in your area historically. Pest distributions continue to evolve, and new introductions can occur at any time.”
Dan Baldwin
Dan Baldwin, MPH, BCE, REHS/RS, FRSPH, Hawx Pest Control
“A more pressing matter is a change in the distribution of existing pest species because of weather and climate changes. There are, of course, emerging and expanding pests — spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) comes to mind — but the majority of pest prevention operations are more likely to deal with pests that have been traditionally more common in adjacent areas, particularly when looking at higher latitudes or moving away from coastal regions.”
Doug Foster
Doug Foster, Burt’s Termite & Pest Control
“The most disturbing trend is the increased calls and sightings of Lone Star ticks (Amblyomma americanum). While the others are just a nuisance, ticks represent a genuine health threat to both humans and pets. The possibility of contracting alpha-gal syndrome, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) and Rocky Mountain spotted fever has led more clients to reach out with questions and concerns about how to protect themselves.”
Designed for pest management professionals (PMPs), food manufacturing personnel, quality assurance specialists and urban entomologists, the two-day event combines classroom instruction with intensive hands-on training to provide attendees with practical tools for managing pests that threaten stored commodities, food processing facilities and grain storage operations.
Addressing a critical industry need
SPP present unique challenges for food manufacturers, processors, warehouses, grain storage facilities and PMPs. Insects capable of infesting flour, grain, cereals, spices, pet food and other stored commodities can cause substantial economic losses, compromise food safety and jeopardize regulatory compliance.
Recognizing the growing need for advanced training in this specialty area, UPMTC has assembled a lineup of industry experts to deliver a comprehensive educational experience focused on pest identification, monitoring, prevention and control.
Day 1: Expert-led classroom instruction
The workshop begins at the OSU Botanical Garden Horticulture Center with a full day of educational sessions covering the latest developments in SPP management. The day kicks off with a presentation by Dr. Ravi Jadeja, OSU professor and extension specialist in food safety, who will discuss the fundamentals of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and best practices for maintaining audit-compliant integrated pest management programs in food facilities.
Throughout the morning and afternoon, attendees will hear from leading authorities on some of the industry’s most pressing topics:
Mark Sheperdigian, BCE, chief science officer of Madison Heights, Mich.-based Rose Pest Solutions, will present strategies for identifying and controlling dermestid beetles, a persistent challenge in many food and storage environments.
James Miller, ACE, director of global sales for Trécé and current president of industry fraternity Pi Chi Omega, will explore methods for optimizing SPP monitoring programs through data-driven approaches and effective trap deployment.
Independent Industry Consultant Jeff Weier, BCE, will examine the relationships among mold, fungi and the diverse organisms that thrive in these environments.
Dr. Alison Gerken, a research quantitative ecologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, will share current research insights from the agency’s Manhattan, Kan.-based research programs.
Eric Myers, ACE, global IPM manager for ADM, will conclude the day with a practical industry perspective on pest risks, detection methods and control strategies within modern food manufacturing facilities.
Day 2: Learning in action
While the first day focuses on foundational knowledge and industry trends, the second day shifts toward applied learning at OSU’s renowned Stored Product Research and Education Center (SPREC).
The day begins with station assignments coordinated by Patricia Hottel, BCE, PCQI, Midwest technical director for Orkin Pest Control and a PMP Hall of Famer (Class of 2024), before participants rotate through a series of interactive field-training exercises designed to reinforce classroom concepts.
Flour mill inspection techniques
At the first station, Jeremy Southgate, ACE-I, technical support auditor with Abell Pest Management, will guide attendees through flour mill inspections and assessments. Participants will learn practical inspection procedures, evaluation techniques and tools commonly used to identify pest risk areas within milling environments.
Pest identification challenge
Accurate identification remains one of the cornerstones of successful pest management. During the “Pest ID Showdown,” Tom Mueller will challenge participants to identify a variety of SPP, helping them improve diagnostic skills essential for selecting effective management strategies.
Advanced monitoring and mating disruption
James Miller will lead a session on calculating pheromone mating-disruption dispenser requirements and proper placement strategies. This increasingly important approach offers facilities additional options for reducing pest populations while enhancing IPM programs.
Commodity fumigation innovations
Stored commodity protection requires specialized knowledge, and William Woodhouse, ACE, PHE, research and development manager for Cardinal Professional Products, will demonstrate advances in commodity fumigation. Participants will learn about carbon dioxide applications, fumigant detection technologies and grain-bin recirculation systems that improve treatment effectiveness and safety.
A powerful safety message
One of the workshop’s most impactful demonstrations will take place during lunch with Dr. Carol Jones, retired professor of SPP engineering at OSU. In a presentation titled “Seconds Matter: Grain Bin Fumigation Safety and Engulfment Demonstration,” Dr. Jones will address one of the most serious hazards facing agricultural and grain-industry workers. The demonstration emphasizes how quickly accidents can occur and reinforces the importance of proper safety procedures when working around grain storage systems and fumigation operations.
Connecting research, industry and practice
What sets the UPMTC Advanced SPP Management Workshop apart is its ability to bring together experts from academia, government research, manufacturing, consulting and professional pest management. Participants will gain exposure to the latest scientific discoveries, regulatory requirements, field-tested management practices and emerging technologies, all within a collaborative learning environment.
By combining classroom education with hands-on demonstration, the workshop ensures attendees leave with practical knowledge they can immediately apply within food-processing facilities, warehouses, grain storage operations and commercial pest management programs. Learn more and register today at UPMTC.org or click on the QR code above.
RECENT INNOVATIONS:Rockwell’s newest development in bed bug control is the addition of Aprehend to its professional product portfolio, following our 2025 acquisition of the product from ConidioTec. Combined with CimeXa Insecticide Dust, PMPs have access to two highly differentiated technologies that work together to confidently deliver highly effective, resistance-management-focused bed bug control with reduced labor and simplified service protocols.
CimeXa Insecticide Dust
CimeXa can be dusted into cracks, crevices, wall voids, furniture voids, box springs and other protected harborages where bed bugs hide and travel, as well as brushed into mattress and upholstery seams and carpet edges. It can last for years if undisturbed.
Aprehend offers an entirely different approach, using the naturally occurring fungal biopesticide Beauveria bassiana. It is applied in narrow bands where bed bugs travel between harborages and hosts, infecting bed bugs as they cross barriers. Exposed bed bugs then transfer fungal spores to other bed bugs within harborages, to control hidden populations that may not contact treatments directly. Barriers keep killing for up to 90 days.
Together, Aprehend and CimeXa offer a revolution in bed bug service. Instead of tearing apart rooms searching for every hidden harborage, technicians apply strategic residual barriers where bed bugs must travel to feed. This significantly reduces labor time and treatment disruption for customers.
PREDICTIONS: Neither resistance nor bed bugs is going away. Using Rockwell’s Aprehend and CimeXa protocol for both treatment and prevention will usher in a new era in bed bug management built around efficacy, resistance management, safety and operational efficiency.
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when treating tick-prone areas. Long sleeves, long pants, gloves, boots and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered repellents can help reduce exposure while working in dense vegetation and wooded edges. Perform routine tick checks throughout the day and after completing applications. 
