Pest Control Insulation: TAP Hatchmaster

PHOTO: PEST CONTROL INSULATION

The versatile, lightweight and durable Hatchmaster Attic Entrance Cover is a must for every TAP Pest Control Insulation job. Did you know that an uninsulated 5-square-foot attic access loses an R-10 on the entire attic? The Hatchmaster is a great solution during the installation to keep the home free from dust and complete the insulation job by covering up the attic entrance. It also reduces heat loss and allows easy access to the attic year-round, with easy-to-zip access. The Hatchmaster Attic Entrance Cover installs with a staple gun in less than five minutes. Get free standard ground shipping on full case orders. Features include:

• Made of 5/16-inch double bubble reflective insulation
• Features an R-value of 15.2
• Case Quantity = 4 or 8 Hatchmaster Attic Stairway Covers
• Available in a variety of sizes to fit any folding stairway

 About Pest Control Insulation

Pest Control Insulation (PCI) is a Lula, Ga.-based distribution company focused on blended, customized insulation products, accessories and equipment for sale to the pest control industry. As the manufacturer of TAP insulation, PCI’s national customer base includes some of the largest pest control services companies in the country. In 2023, PCI generated approximately $24 million of revenue.

TAPinsulation.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/22/pest-control-insulation-tap-hatchmaster/
Sacramento CA

UF/IFAS unveils termite risk with interactive distribution map

SCREENSHOT: UF/IFAS

Just in time for Termite Awareness Week on March 3-9, 2024, scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have developed ways to show termite infestation risk in the Sunshine State with an online interactive termite distribution map.

This tool helps residents, property owners and pest management professionals (PMPs) know risks of infestations and how to limit that risk through proactive science-based approaches.

“We are entering a new norm in terms of potential termite damage because the termite problem is changing in Florida,” said Dr. Thomas Chouvenc, an associate professor of urban entomology at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. Dr. Chouvenc specializes in termite biology and pest control. “Florida’s year-round, warm climate has allowed several invasive termite species to thrive and cause structural damage to our homes and property, while some species are now having a concerning impact on our urban tree canopy.”

Florida is host to 20 termite species, although not all of them pose a threat. Certain invasive termite species specifically impact specific regions in the state. That is why it is critical for Florida PMPs to stay informed about these species, and know how to properly find and fight them.

Through the accumulation of more than 6,500 termite samples over the years, the map provides instant access to a general location where each termite species is known to be established. This gives Florida residents, pest control companies and UF/IFAS Extension agents a way to determine the termite risk at any given location within the state. A companion resource to the online termite distribution map and Extension Ask IFAS document provides detailed information on termite prevention and control.

“While termites are often noticed during their swarming activity, colonies are actually always active and it is important to be proactive year-round in Florida to reduce the potential for damage to your home and trees and save money in the long run,” said Dr. Chouvenc.

Dr. Chouvenc conducts research from his laboratory at the Fort Lauderdale REC. There he works with thousands of colonies of more than 25 million termites. At the same center is Dr. Rudolph Scheffrahn, professor and curator of the UF Termite Collection, which includes over 41,000 colony samples from around the world.

Together, they work to conduct termite research and provide resources to the pest control industry and the public. Particularly during spring, they come across and respond to an abundance of misinformation that rears its head throughout communities about the species and treatments.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/21/uf-ifas-unveils-termite-risk-with-interactive-distribution-map/
Sacramento CA

Aspire integrates with ServiceTitan Marketing Pro

Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company and software provider for commercial landscaping businesses, integrated with ServiceTitan Marketing Pro.

With this all-in-one marketing automation tool, contractors can leverage customer data and boost their business with more calls, booked jobs and higher customer spend. This integration follows significant investments ServiceTitan has made into the Aspire platform, empowering more contractors in the landscape and commercial cleaning industries with the tools they need to be successful.

“In the competitive industries we serve, an effective marketing strategy is critical for contractors looking to amplify their presence and grow their business,” Mark Tipton, CEO of Aspire Software, said in the news release. “We’ve already seen the benefits Marketing Pro has brought ServiceTitan’s customers when it comes to more calls, booked jobs and higher customer spend. It’s time that contractors in the landscape and commercial cleaning industries also have access to this powerful, marketing automation solution that allows our customers to target audiences more effectively and efficiently.”

Marketing Pro empowers contractors to:

• Leverage Aspire data to increase revenue – Target the right customer at the right time. Create specific audiences based on customer data like unsold estimates or expiring memberships.
• Streamline initiatives – Manage and send email and direct mail campaigns from a centralized platform.
• Maximize marketing budget – Optimize ad campaigns and get visibility into true ROI by tying campaign performance to actual jobs and revenue.

About Aspire Software

Chesterfield, Mo.-based Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company, offers business management software for landscape, commercial cleaning, snow and ice, and construction companies. Aspire’s cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution is designed to help field service companies manage, create and execute against their business opportunities and challenges. Aspire is also meant to help contractors change the way they manage their business to enable them to provide better service, improve margins, and increase

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/21/aspire-integrates-with-servicetitan-marketing-pro/
Sacramento CA

Don’t let bed bugs mess with your head

Dr. Nina Jenkins

Bed bugs mess with your clients’ heads. There is a broad spectrum of human reactions to bed bug infestations, from those who appear to be utterly oblivious to the problem to those whose response is to throw out all their furniture and scrub the house clean three times a day.

The oblivious clients tend to have the most extreme infestations. Still, the ones at the other end of the spectrum can cause even bigger headaches. Often, these clients have had several treatments from other companies and remain convinced the bed bugs are still present. Don’t get drawn into treating these accounts until you have verified live bed bug activity. Bites are insufficient evidence, and you will likely get continual callbacks because none of the products in your truck can treat delusory parasitosis! Set bed bug monitors and return two weeks later to determine whether treatment is required.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/21/dont-let-bed-bugs-mess-with-your-head/
Sacramento CA

Aprehend: Post-Treatment Door Hangers

IMAGE: APREHEND

Successful bed bug treatment requires client cooperation, both before treatment and after. This handy Aprehend post-treatment door hanger helps to set customer expectations and reduce callbacks. Fewer callbacks means more profit.

The “Keys to a Successful Treatment” door hanger is free to Aprehend professionals. Available in English, Spanish and French, it can be used as a post-treatment door hanger or a leave-behind,; it can also be used as a pre-treatment instructional tool. It details customer do’s and don’ts following your service, and helps to communicate behaviors they need to avoid for optimal success.

Most callbacks are attributed to client error. Often unknowingly, client behaviors counteract professional pest management treatments. For example, using over-the-counter sprays post-treatment, failing to regularly launder bedding, or not maintaining normal sleep routines. The door hanger illustrates easy and common suggestions for success. They’re especially helpful in multi-unit housing, long-term-care facilities, and hospitality (slide it under the door for anonymity, if necessary). There’s a space for the technician to indicate the re-entry time, assisting with documentation requirements.

ConidioTec offers other free perks for Aprehend professionals, too — enjoy homeowner referrals via the Aprehend Professional Locator map, Aprehend e-brochures customized with your logo and contact information, non-branded printed brochures, and more. ConidioTec also offers free live zoom training for your team, which can be customized to meet your needs. Or, watch the training series at your convenience on the Aprehend Channel on YouTube. Contact orders@conidiotec.com for more information.

About ConidioTec

ConidioTec is a privately held company based in Centre Hall, Pa. Its initial product, Aprehend, was launched in 2017 based on technology licensed from Pennsylvania State University. Aprehend is now sold throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Aprehend.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/21/conidiotec-free-perk-for-aprehend-professionals/
Sacramento CA

What are you leaving behind?

Burt’s Termite & Pest Control’s in-house “stain board” helps technicians understand materials residue. PHOTO: DOUG FOSTER

You just left your last pest control account. Besides dead bugs and your service invoice, what did you leave behind? All too often, because of the product choice, we’ve left an unsightly visible residue or stain in our client’s home or business. Manufacturers have made huge improvements in products over the years, yet challenges still exist.

Just as your doctor should know the products he prescribes, we as pest management professionals (PMPs) should also know our products and how to use them most effectively. That’s how we gain respect and positive attention. If any trade lends itself to being a craftsman, pest control is it!

Solution for the solutions

Does it have an odor? Will it leave a strain or a streak, or mar the surface of the furniture? We came up with a test plot we creatively call the “stain board.” We use it to check products and what (if any) visible residue they leave on a dark surface such as furniture, exterior siding and yes, dare I say it, baseboards. It has helped us make better purchasing decisions and better choices when on-site.

The Impact of Water Quality on Pesticide Performance

The stain board, like most ideas, was born out of a problem. At least once or twice a year, we would get “the call” about a residue or spotting at someone’s house, business or rental property. The question is always the same: Is it safe and can we wash it off? We review our board each year during our Spring Training meeting, and several times throughout the year, especially when we introduce a new product into our arsenal. We want to give our technicians as much information as possible to make good product choices in the field. Remember, “a mistake repeated more than once is a decision.”

At the same time, the quality of water that you mix with your concentrate can also affect your control results. Research by Dr. Fred Whitford at Purdue University reveals how water chemistry impacts pesticide performance. His extension bulletin, “The Impact of Water Quality on Pesticide Performance (PPP-86)” should be read by every PMP and lawn care operator (LCO). It can be downloaded as a PDF at Extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ppp/ppp-86.pdf.

Other ‘leave-behinds’

While we’re on the topic of leave-behinds that don’t include marketing materials: Do you start your day with fresh product in your compressed air and backpack sprayer, or is it left over from yesterday or the weekend? How would you feel being served a salad from your favorite restaurant that has been sitting in the refrigerator for two days?

It’s imperative to know what you are leaving behind. Your professionalism and reputation depend on it.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/20/what-are-you-leaving-behind/
Sacramento CA

Avian Enterprises: Avian Fog Force TR Bird Repellent

PHOTO: AVIAN ENTERPRISES

Avian Fog Force TR offers pest management professionals an exclusive, timed-release aerosol bird repellent that is specifically designed for areas such as outdoor dining spaces, patios, swimming pools, workshops, storage sheds and other semi-enclosed areas. The active ingredient, methyl anthranilate (MA), is a proven and non-toxic repellent that, when coupled with its battery-operated time release dispenser, delivers an intermittent, invisible, vapor-like mist that provides at minimum 30 days of bird control with each canister if set at the most frequent mist setting. Registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Avian Fog Force TR is a bio-pesticide that controls unwanted birds by delivering a mist that irritates birds’ pain centers, teaching the birds to avoid the area after exposure. The timed release misting system can be programmed to operate only during the hours of bird activity, constantly reinforcing the repellent effect. One Avian Fog Force TR unit is able to control more than 35,000 cubic feet of space.

About Avian Enterprises

The Sylvan Lake, Mich.-based company was begun as a result of helping a client for its existing business. As its website explains:

In 2008, a Chicago area waste transfer station with a terrible bird problem called us at our affiliate company, Stone Soap Company, for help. The situation was so bad that employees had to wear raincoats and rain hats to protect themselves from bird droppings.

After many months of research and testing, we developed a revolutionary liquid bird repellent formula that, when sprayed or fogged, solved the bird problem. The birds were successfully driven away from the waste transfer station with no harm to the birds, the environment or the station personnel. We began to explore the potential for a repellent that would successfully repel birds without causing them harm. The formula was tested and refined and in 2009 we submitted Avian Control to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for registration. We received our registration in mid-2010.

AvianControl.com

 

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/02/20/avian-enterprises-avian-fog-force-tr-bird-repellent/
Sacramento CA