LabelSDS.com continues to revolutionize the way that pest management professionals (PMPs) manage and distribute their product label and SDS (safety data sheet) books to technicians and their commercial clients.
LabelSDS.com offers an easy way to keep all your company’s label and SDS books updated and organized. Update all your Labelbooks with just a click of a button from your computer or smartphone. Easily add and delete products to all your Labelbooks without asking your technicians to bring them into the office. Never worry about having to print Labelbooks or update flash drives for your commercial accounts; with LabelSDS.com it is all digital and easily managed from your computer or smartphone.
LabelSDS.com also keeps you in the know with industry changes like Envu acquiring Bayer and FMC. With these acquisitions, the product formulations stay the same, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reference numbers change. This is important, because it will require you to have the correct label and SDS for these products with the corresponding EPA numbers.
About LabelSDS.com
LabelSDS.com is a web-based program with more than 20,000 product labels and safety data sheets (SDS) specific to the pest and turf industries. You can create your own company label and SDS “digital book” with the products your company uses. Easily add and delete products from your list. Don’t see the product you are looking for? With LabelSDS.com, you can submit a product request, and the team will add the product for you. All your employees can access, download, print, email and text your company’s labels and SDS from their computer, tablet or smartphone. Best of all, your company’s labels and SDS update automatically whenever there is a revision. LabelSDS.com is designed to be an easy and affordable way to access and manage your company’s labels and SDS.
Recent research reveals a major new discovery about bats: the mammals most likely originated in Europe around 65 million years ago. Previously, bats were believed to have originated in Asia, Africa or North America.
The publication Natureshared the findings on Sept. 23 in an article titled “Reference genomes and fossils revise bat family phylogeny and biogeography.”
News outlets worldwide covered the news, calling it a “landmark study” that solved a mystery going back millions of years. One fifth of all living mammals are bats, and more than 1,500 species can be found throughout the world. In the United States, certain species are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The discovery was a team effort on a global scale. The Bat1Kconsortium, consisting of 137 researchers from 64 countries, collaborated to combine genomic and fossil evidence that revealed the new origin story. They now believe bats traveled from Europe to Africa and then made their way to Asia, the Americas and Australia.
The team of researchers used a single evolutionary model that incorporated fossil and living species to identify the oldest group of fossil bats while incorporating genomic evidence to determine when and where bats first originated, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Scientists from the Bronx, N.Y.-based organization were among the researchers who contributed to the study.
WCS said the team assembled the largest collection of high-quality bat genomes to date. It covers 103 species and representing each of the currently recognized 21 bat families. Researchers combined them with 44 fossil bats from across the globe to reconstruct bats’ evolutionary history. Samples were collected over decades from bats across the world, including representatives of some of the rarest and most unusual bat families, found in the most remote locations.
The genomic resource also gives scientists an evolutionary framework that will allow them to investigate the genes behind bats’ resistance to disease and longevity. This work eventually could inform research into human aging, immunity and disease resistance.
In addition to pinpointing where bats originated, the fossil evidence shed light on when echolocation and flight evolved. The research suggests these two traits were established near the time bats originated.
Since 1934, Program Brokerage Corp. (PBC) has been the go-to insurance partner for pest management professionals nationwide. As the official endorsed broker of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the firm brings industry-leading expertise and tailor-made coverage to keep your business safe and thriving.
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About PBC
Program Brokerage Corporation (PBC) is a powerful market resource known for its wide range of offerings and capabilities. The New York City-based firm is also a partner for carriers reaching out to the commercial insurance buyer in innovative, cost-effective ways and has pioneered an innovative approach to Purchasing Group Insurance buying, which has won popular acclaim.
International pest management services firm Anticimex has acquired Environmental Pest Management (EPM), established in 2003 and based in Columbus, Ohio. EPM’s residential base is central Ohio, but its commercial accounts coverage includes Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana.
This strategic acquisition marks Anticimex’s entry into the Midwest pest control market. Paul Giannamore and Franco Villanueva-Meyer of The Potomac Co. acted as exclusive financial advisors to EPM in the transaction. Terms were not disclosed.
“We are thrilled to welcome EPM to the Anticimex family,” Sean Steves, president of Anticimex North America, said in a news release. “The Midwest has been an attractive market to Anticimex since Anticimex entered North America, and partnering with the Carpenter family was a great cultural fit.”
EPM founder and CEO Jason Carpenter noted in the news release that “we’re excited for our team members and the opportunities that come along with a partnership like this. Anticimex and EPM have similar core values, which is why we felt Anticimex was the right partner to continue growing the business in this new, exciting chapter of the EPM journey.”
About Anticimex
Founded in Sweden in 1934, Anticimex operates in 22 countries worldwide with more than 12,000 employees. In the United States, Anticimex has a presence in 26 states through 18 brands.
Company president and owner Paul Alley, ACE, CWCO, noted in a news release that Adams, a graduate of State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, “brings a fresh, modern perspective to the company’s marketing, brand development and customer engagement efforts. She will lead marketing strategy as Pestmaster Hudson Valley continues to grow throughout the region.”
“We’ve always believed we’re a customer-service company that happens to be in the pest control business,” Alley added.
“Marketing today is about more than getting someone to pick up the phone,” said Adams. “It’s about creating an experience that starts before the customer ever contacts us and continues long after the technician leaves.”
President and Owner Paul Alley said Adams’ appointment reflects the company’s continued investment in growth and the customer experience.
“Riley brings a fresh perspective to our organization, and that’s exactly what we were looking for,” said Alley.
About Pestmaster Services of the Hudson Valley
Founded in 1999, Pestmaster Services of the Hudson Valley is a locally owned, full-service pest and wildlife management company serving residential, commercial, institutional and government customers throughout the Hudson Valley.
The latest offering from Envu, the Envu Pump Kit (EPK), is designed to streamline and simplify what has long been a complicated pretreatment process. Totality Wood Treatment and the EPK work together as a one-step solution.
Totality wood treatment delivers quick, even distribution and long-lasting protection against termites and other wood-destroying insects (WDI), all from a single application. It applies evenly even in cold temperatures; there’s no need for warm water or same-day application. Plus, once it’s down, it holds up to moisture rather than washing away.
The EPK is a closed transfer system that provides easy setup, accurate mixing and reduced waste. When paired with Totality wood treatment, the EPK unit streamlines the process — which typically involves hauling and connecting separate tools, diluting by hand, mixing product and intensive rinsing equipment between uses — into one single, accurate application.
The result is a pretreatment process that trades complexity for consistency, giving pest management professionals a way to reduce labor on every job while still delivering the long-term protection their customers expect with one application, one system and less hassle.
About Envu
Envu was founded in 2022, a company built on years of environmental science experience, for the sole purpose of advancing healthy environments for everyone, everywhere. Envu offers dedicated services in: Professional Pest Management, Forestry, Ornamentals, Golf, Industrial Vegetation Management, Lawn & Landscape, Mosquito Management, and Range & Pasture. Envu collaborates with customers to design innovative solutions that meet their requirements today and well into the future. The Envu portfolio consists of over 250 trusted and well-known brands. The company employs more than 1,000 people, operates in 100 countries, and has four global innovation hubs.
There’s a hearty list of non-native and invasive pest species that pest management professionals (PMPs) are tasked to manage, and one in particular has become quite the problem in recent years. The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, or SLF) has continued to spread from its original detection in Pennsylvania across the Mid-Atlantic and into parts of the Midwest and Southeast. Threatening vineyards, orchards, hardwoods and numerous ornamental plants, SLF has become a routine headache for PMPs in many quarantine counties.
Even if SLF hasn’t reached your service territory yet, it’s worth keeping on your radar as its range continues to expand.
Successful SLF programs rely on an integrated pest management (IPM) approach that combines inspection, monitoring, vegetation management, destruction of egg masses and insecticide applications when needed. Train applicators to recognize all life stages, especially the distinctive mud-like egg masses found on trees, vehicles, pallets and other outdoor surfaces. Prioritize inspections around preferred host plants such as tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), grapevines, maples and other susceptible ornamentals.
When chemical control is warranted, combining contact and systemic insecticides can provide both immediate knockdown and longer-term suppression. Treatment timing is critical, however. Early-season management targeting newly hatched nymphs often is more effective than waiting until large adult populations become established later in the summer. Because adults are highly mobile, customers also should understand that reinfestation from surrounding areas is common and that multiple treatments may be necessary during periods of heavy pressure.
Finally, stay up to date with your state’s extension service and regulatory agencies, as quarantine requirements and management recommendations continue to evolve.
BASF
Desiree Straubinger, BCE, CP-FS
By Desiree Straubinger, BCE, CP-FS, Technical Services Representative
Invasive species continue to challenge pest management across the U.S., with insects like SLF and emerald ash borers (Agrilus planipennis, or EAB) among the most significant threats. SLF, now established in multiple states, damages trees by feeding on sap and promoting mold growth. Meanwhile, EAB has spread to much of the country, killing millions of ash trees and reshaping urban and natural landscapes.
Early detection is key. Routine inspections, accurate identification and monitoring high-risk items like firewood and outdoor equipment can help limit spread. Incorporating IPM strategies — combining mechanical, cultural and chemical controls — supports more effective, long-term results.
Client communication is equally critical. Educate customers on how invasives spread, especially by hitchhiking on vehicles, firewood and outdoor items. Encourage simple actions such as inspecting and cleaning belongings before moving them and avoiding the transport of firewood. Clear, practical guidance helps clients become active partners in prevention.
To stay informed, rely on resources like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS.usda.gov), state extension services, and the National Invasive Species Information Center (InvasiveSpeciesInfo.gov) for updates and best practices. Ongoing education ensures everyone is prepared to respond to evolving invasive threats.
Nisus
By Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE, National Director of Technical Services
Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE
Invasive pests and insecticide-resistant cockroaches may seem like unrelated problems, but they often follow the same biological playbook.
Consider the Turkestan cockroach (Periplaneta lateralis). Introduced into the United States only a few decades ago, it possesses biological traits that have allowed it to adapt quickly, reproduce rapidly and establish populations across many regions of the country. Today, Turkestan cockroaches are displacing American (P. americana) and Oriental (Blatta orientalis) cockroach species in many habitats because of these adaptations.
Insecticide resistance develops along a similar pathway. Within a cockroach population, a few individuals naturally possess genetic traits that help them survive an insecticide application. Those survivors reproduce, passing those advantageous genes to future generations until resistant populations become increasingly common.
Whether preventing the spread of an invasive species like the Turkestan cockroach or delaying resistance in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica), early intervention is critical. Eliminating new introductions and integrating multiple control strategies reduce the opportunity for advantageous traits to establish or spread. Using products with multiple modes of action or applying multiple products that have different modes of action can help circumvent the advantageous traits that are making eradication difficult. Whether it’s an invasive species or insecticide resistance, today’s survivors become tomorrow’s population.
Envu
Matt Remmen
By Matt Remmen, Senior Technical Services Manager
Asian needle ants (Brachyponera chinensis) are an invasive species spreading throughout the eastern U.S. They can be challenging to detect because they often nest in hidden locations such as mulch, leaf litter, landscape timbers and beneath stones. One unique trait is their tandem-carrying behavior: Workers may transport nestmates to food resources rather than forming the obvious foraging trails seen with many other ant species.
When inspecting a property, spend extra time checking shaded, moist areas and watch individual foragers closely. Tracing their movement back to harborage sites can reveal satellite nests and help improve overall management outcomes.
Rockwell Labs
Nick Godfroid
By Nick Godfroid, BCE, Technical Specialist
While Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) may come to mind as more memorable invasive species, the invasions that influence PMPs the most tend to be slightly different variations of pests with which we’re already familiar. For instance, in the southeastern United States, many PMPs currently are dealing with Asian needle ants. This invasive species can go unnoticed by the untrained eye because it easily can be misidentified and grouped with “little black sugar ants.”
They definitely aren’t like the locals, though. They forage differently, scout and trail differently, and have a painful sting. An observant PMP can identify these ants and treat them appropriately.
Asian needle ants are highly carnivorous and prefer protein baits. An abamectin ant gel with protein is a great choice, applied where foragers are active, or an imidacloprid granular bait with high protein content.
Get to know your local species, learn which imposters may be present in your territory and keep a keen eye out for anything new. Who knows? You may stop the next ecological invasion yourself!
J.T. Eaton
Isabelle Lucero
By Isabelle Lucero, Education and Compliance Officer
The Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is an invasive species that has the potential to harm livestock, companion animals and even humans.
This species was first officially detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, the Asian longhorned tick has become established in the United States, spreading to many eastern states. These ticks have the ability to multiply rapidly by a process called parthenogenesis, where females can reproduce without the need for males.
Although Asian longhorned ticks primarily are threats to U.S. livestock through the transmission of serious diseases, they are known to spread diseases to humans outside of the United States.
Prevention is essential to managing this invasive tick, as well as most other tick species:
1. Establish a tick prevention treatment program for livestock and companion animals to kill ticks before they can transmit disease.
2. Make sure any potential tick habitat is reduced by cutting grasses short and reducing brush and woody debris around pastures and lawns.
3. Control for tick hosts, like rodents, that transport ticks onto pasture or residential land. There are many tools available in this regard, including combination tick and rodent bait.
Arkion Life Sciences
BJ Harrington
By BJ Harrington, Sales and Marketing Director
Tick control is getting harder, especially with invasive species becoming more prevalent and resistance becoming more of a concern.
One of the most practical ways PMPs can fight this is by rotating a natural pesticide into their program. Natural options such as essential-oil blends, botanical oils or microbial products typically act through different pathways than most conventional treatments. Alternating a natural pesticide with a standard pesticide every few applications or seasons can break a continuous evolution that builds resistance.
Use the natural product on lower-pressure properties, as a follow-up after a chemical application, or in sensitive areas where a reduced synthetic load is preferred. Monitor tick activity with sampling and adjust the rotation if control rates decline.
This simple rotation extends the useful life of chemical tools, lowers overall active-ingredient use and helps keep treatments effective longer.
Syngenta
By Lisa Eppler, Technical Services Manager
Dr. Lisa Eppler
Invasive pests have been spreading across the United States, including EAB, brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) and Asian long-horned beetles (Anoplophora glabripennis). In particular, the recent spread of SLF across multiple states is a good example of how quickly invasive species can become established, creating unexpected and significant challenges.
Here are five areas of importance to help you stay ahead of these pests:
Inspections. Keep an eye out for pests that seem unusual for the area. Sometimes an invasive species is discovered simply because something didn’t look quite right.
Watch lists. Many states and universities regularly publish lists of invasive pests. Staying familiar with these species helps you recognize potential problems early.
Documentation. If you suspect you’ve found an invasive species, take clear photos, collect specimens and report through the proper channels to help specialists confirm the identification.
Reporting. Clients often are the first to notice something new. Encouraging them to report unusual insects might lead to early detection.
Treatment. Invasive pests generally are drawn to feeding on plants, so a systemic adulticide often is an ideal control method.
When it comes to invasive species, early action can make the difference between a manageable problem and the next headline pest.
Inspections. Keep an eye out for pests that seem unusual for the area. Sometimes an invasive species is discovered simply because something didn’t look quite right.