Pest Management Professional, August 2011
dos donts Paul J Bello Contributor Dealing with wildlife offers pest management professionals PMPs unique challenges The adversary wary of human presence possesses certain capabilities beyond those of insects including physical abilities and higher levels of thought and learning Do properly identify exactly which animal pest s are present at the account before making key control program decisions Dont assume what the problem animal is based solely on information provided by the customer or other nonprofessionals Do study the biology identification and behavior of the pest animal so youre best prepared to deal with the situation successfully Dont assume youll remember everything there is to know about every pest animal species Refer to suitable references and create pest animal flash cards that include key factors pertinent to your control decisions Do keep current with the latest wildlife control information by subscribing to and reading industry publications attending educational seminars and taking notes Dont assume youll remember everything you hear at a conference Take notes to refer to later Do investigate and understand the reasons the animal has become a pest at the account location to provide long term solutions for your client Dont underestimate the capabilities of your pest animal Some pest animals will exceed your expectations and take advantage of your errors Do understand there may be secondary pests associated with the pest animal present at the account Know how to recognize their presence and know how to deal with them Secondary pests can include fleas mites ticks flies bat bugs bird bugs and bedbugs Dont forget to communicate with and educate your customer suitably about their pest animal situation what to expect as a result of your control program and actions they should take to enhance the control program Do ensure you have the proper licensing know your local regulations and are properly insured to conduct wildlife pest management in your area before taking on such work Dont forget or overlook the value of being properly equipped and trained to use your equipment in an efficient and professional manner Do be considerate of nontarget animals and how your control methodologies might adversely affect them See photo Dont leave or set traps where theyre convenient for you but not optimal to your control program intentions pmp You can reach Bello at pbelloconsulting@ earthlink net or 770 500 0460 WILDLIFE This chipmunk was caught in the live catch trap intended to catch squirrels mypmp net Pest Management Professional August 2011 43
You must have JavaScript enabled to view digital editions.
