Pest Management Professional, April 2014

Word from Our SPONSOR Ant Management From Mission Impossible to Mission Accomplished T he last few years have presented Pest Management Professionals PMPs with a number of challenges when it comes to managing pest and ant populations around their customers structures From wacky weather conditions and exotic species to new label language on synthetic pyrethroids controlling ants and selecting the best products to do so has been a challenge There is no one size fits all product or program for ant control Sound ant management requires proper inspection techniques an analysis of the situation including identifying the species determining which products will work best in each situation and lastly but most importantly constant clear communication with the customer Setting homeowner expectations up front helps you avoid callbacks and disappointments throughout the process and long after the mission has been completed KEEPING ID SIMPLE Identification techniques that are simple and easy to do quickly in the field are generally the ones that stick in peoples heads and are helpful Three characteristics that help narrow down your species choices are 1 relative size 2 color characteristics and 3 trailing behavior It is important to be familiar with the species active in the regions youre servicing as well as how time of day and even time of year affect the level of ant activity and types of ants you might encounter Relative size and color characteristics are selfexplanatory Youre working with either really small medium sized or large ant species and it is pretty easy to compare ants based on size Color is also helpful and relatively simple a White footed ant for example is very dark with you guessed it white feet And once youve seen one Ghost ant youll most likely not mistake their color pattern anytime soon Trailing and harborage traits ADVERTORIAL are where the real fun comes in when making identification and especially when devising an effective treatment strategy If an ant is primarily arboreal prefers trailing and nesting in trees you might find it trailing upwards on a structure and near the eaves This is where Marie Ann Knox I suggest placing a product Technical Manager PCO labeled for this treatment site Control Solutions Inc Conversely if your species prefers ground nesting you might find more of your activity near the foundation and associated with entry points closer to the ground Exploit these traits when creating your treatment strategy and let the ants behavior help you in your control efforts and product placement ITS GOOD TO HAVE OPTIONS Control Solutions Inc offers many choices when it comes to ant control Whether you prefer high or low volume liquid perimeter applications interior or exterior applications or granular options we have you covered We recently expanded your options for ant control with the launch of FUSE Termiticide Insecticide We are excited to offer FUSE which features two non repellent non pyrethroid active ingredients imidacloprid and fipronil FUSE is labeled for ant and perimeter pest management as well as termite applications Be sure to check out all of our products at www controlsolutionsinc com and please always read and follow label directions At CSI our driving mission is to develop effective sustainable and economical pest control formulations that improve the results and the income potential for PMPs who use them www mypmp net Pest Management Professional April 2014 AM3