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The most important objective of the inspection is to determine if there is a pest problem, and, when one is found, the solution will depend on the synergy between inspection and identification; one is worthless without the other. A good inspection and correct identification result in knowledge of the pest, its biology and behavior, and solution of the pest problem. Monitoring of pest populations, the logical extension of inspection procedures, is then provided in order to determine areas of pest activity, population size, and the success of pest management procedures. INSPECTION TOOLS Sticky traps are designed to trap crawling insects, such as cockroaches and occasional invaders, and flying insects, such as flies and stored product pests. Most traps are composed of paper material which can be folded into a tent or box for crawling pests or they are large plastic flat boards, tents or tubes for flying insects with one characteristic in common — at least one surface is coated with an adhesive material. pct-26.jpg Sticky traps help technicians identify insect activity. Some traps are baited with food attractants or contain a pheromone (a chemical used by insects to communicate among species). Traps usually are used in situations where monitoring is conducted over an extended period of time. When they are reused, traps should be dated at the time of placement and every time they are inspected. Other recordings should include the type and number of pests. Traps should be replaced when they become damaged, wet, or full of insects. Lights are used to conduct visual inspections. For ease of handling and maximum brightness, flashlights should be small and have high intensity bulbs. Rechargeable flashlights are usually brighter and more compact but can be used only for short periods of time be fore they must be recharged. Replaceable battery flashlights are bulkier and do not have the intensity of most rechargeable lights, but they do not require recharging. Extra batteries should always be available. pct-27.jpg A good flashlight (“torch” in UK) is essential when conducting a proper inspection. Flushing agents, e.g., pyrethrin aerosol, heat, and air can be used to stimulate cockroaches and other insects to exit deep harborages. These products, which require several minutes to become effective, are of greatest value when there is evidence of insect activity, such as droppings, specks, and body parts, despite the lack of readily visible live insects. Mirrors are essential tools for use in inspection of commercial kitchens and other areas in which line of sight inspections would be difficult or impossible due to the amount of equipment. The best mirror is one that adjusts on the end of a telescoping rod in order to facilitate inspection of areas deep in cabinets and up and behind pipes, splash boards, sinks, etc. Spatulas can be used to remove debris that is obstructing the inspection, to reach deeper into cracks and crevices where insects are often breeding out of sight, and to collect specimens which then con be placed in containers for further identification. Hand lenses, which allow one to make field identifications, should have at least lox magnification power. Magnification devices which have 35X power are available but are cumbersome. Protective equipment varies depending on the account being serviced, the area within the account to be inspected, and the suspected pest problem present in the account. Kneepads, coveralls, boots, bump cap, respirator, goggles, and gloves should be readily available for use by technicians if necessary. For example, kneepads and light-weight rubber gloves are most commonly used during cockroach inspections; coveralls, leather gloves, a bump cap, and goggles or safety glasses are commonly used during termite inspections in a crawlspace. Specimen containers are used to return specimens to the office for further identification. Pill boxes, prescription bottles, and plastic specimen containers with snap lids typically are used to contain specimens. Miscellaneous inspect ion equipment includes ladders, termite detection equipment, e.g., probes for sounding wood, moisture meters for detecting above-ground activity, methane gas detectors, electronic sound detection devices, a stethoscope, and a lighted scope for examining wall voids, and a UV-light for detecting rodent urine. INSPECTION PROCEDURES Successful solutions to difficult pest management problems often require changes in human habits. Tough problems might necessitate performing an inspection at night or crawling into a tight crawl space or hot attic. Unwillingness to perform these less-than-desirable tasks quite often leads to the failure of the pest management plan and to the continuation of the pest problem. Success within the pest management profession cannot be attained with out the ability to crawl, kneel, climb, and perform numerous other bodily contortions in order to conduct inspections and achieve “eye-to-eye” contact with structural pests. A noted industry consultant considers kneepads to be the single most important piece of equipment that a technician can take into any account because they enable the technician to get down to pest level. Another aspect of the inspection is timing. The activity pollens of most pests do not always coincide with that of humans. Many pest species are active at night, a time when they are least likely to encounter humans and other potential threats to their survival. For instance, most cockroach species are active at night, readily moving in response to any disturbance, e.g., air, vibration, and light. Carpenter ants ore active at night and are rarely encountered during the day except in small numbers. Termites, which are very susceptible to environmental conditions, are rarely seen, and their colonies are never seen as they remain protected out of sight within the soil. A comprehensive inspection to identify existing pest infestations and factors that may contribute to future problems should be performed on every new account, i.e., the structure should be inspected inside, outside, over and underneath, if applicable. In order to conduct a thorough inspection, some knowledge of common pest biology and habits is essential. This knowledge is also valuable when a pest problem develops in established accounts be cause it focuses the inspection on likely areas of pest harborage and activity. In order to minimize the chance of missing a problem area, the inspection should be conducted systematically through and around the structure. Documentation of the inspection, e.g., floor plans, checklists, and notes, is useful in analyzing problem(s) when they develop and monitoring the progress of the pest management program. PEST IDENTIFICATION TIPS Pest identification is one of the most important steps of the inspection process. If a pest can not be identified from experience or from some unique characteristic, e.g., unusual form, color or behavior, magnification will facilitate identification through observation of other physically-distinctive characteristics. The process con be facilitated further by consulting Section 4 of this Handbook as well as reference specimens, taxonomic keys found in texts such as the recently-published PCI Field Guide series and the NPMA Field Guide to Structural Pests, and/or a technical expert in your company, consultant, the NPMA, and/ or state extension service. Insect classification is a critical task for technicians. When necessary, specimens should be care fully collected and trans ported back to the office for identification. The better-protected a specimen is during collection and transport, the easier it will be to identify. There is no joy in trying to piece together an arthropod for identification. Live and recently-killed specimens should be placed in a container which will not be affected by moisture; if the specimen will be stored for more than a day, it should be placed in a vial containing sufficient alcohol (70% ethanol is best) to cover the specimen and then tightly sealed. Dead specimens become extremely dry and brittle, and, therefore, must be handled with care to avoid breaking off body parts or completely crushing and destroying the specimen. Dry specimens should be placed on layers of tissue paper (i.e., not cotton or other fibrous materials) within a container with additional paper loosely-placed over the specimen to cushion it. Sticky boards, scotch tape and other adhesives should not be used to collect specimens because once the specimen is stuck in the glue, identification is much more difficult. Once correct identification is made, information regarding the pest’s biology and behavior can be obtained by consulting various resource materials available through trade magazines, national and state pest control associations, extension offices, distributors, etc. This information, in addition to the on-site inspection report, will be used to develop on effective and appropriate pest management plan that takes into consideration the pest, its abundance, biology, behavior, active sites, and customer needs and expectations. PEST MONITORING Monitoring detects emerging pest problems and evaluates the success of the pest management program. Monitoring is typically conducted by using sticky traps, visual inspections, and/or customer sightings. Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages. Successful monitoring with sticky traps depends on placement and knowledge of the pests’ biology and habits. It is essential that traps be placed in the path of the pests or close to active areas. When traps are used correctly, they provide a visible record of the success of the pest management program and provide ability to perform continuous monitoring over an extended period of time. They should be inspected every two to four weeks, and customers should be encouraged not to remove or damage them. Visual inspections, which will be aided by the use of flushing agents, rely even more heavily on knowledge of pest biology and habits, as well as ability to recognize the signs of infestation. The major limitations to visual inspections are the length of time required in order to perform the inspection and the activity patterns of the pests (which, typically, are more visible at night). Advantages include a better working knowledge of the account, identification of contributing factors to pest problems, better knowledge of active areas, and increased interactions with management through follow-up discussion. Customer sighting, although a useful tool, is the least desirable method of monitoring pest activity. A thorough inspection and subsequent monitoring are critical steps in the development and execution of a successful IPM plan. It is likely that, in the future, technicians will perform more monthly inspections and monitoring and less monthly spraying. This trend is currently evident in the numerous IPM programs that have been implemented in facilities such as schools, hospitals, and government buildings. Prev: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) |