Pest Management Professional, December 2013

ADVERTORIAL An Island Paradise Before he could solve a heavy rat problem Frank Randle spent nearly five years trying to convince residents that the solution would not harm the islands wildlife M any pest management professionals PMPs have battled particularly persistent pest problems But it was the clients that proved to be the more challenging problem for Ledfords Termite Pest Controls Frank Randle Randle supervisor of pest control for the 35 year old Charleston S C based pest management company spent more than four years trying to convince the residents of Dewees Island that he could manage their rodent problem both roof and Norway rats without harming the rest of the sites wildlife The high end residential community is a private 1200 acre plus oceanfront island located a few miles north of Charleston with no more 150 homes Residents take preservation of the environment very seriously According to its website the island boasts 25 miles of unspoiled pristine beaches and dunes nestled up against an undisturbed maritime forest producing homesites whose beauty is unparalleled on the East Coast This setting allows residents to nest their homes in a truly private island paradise The residents were concerned that any pest management solutions would harm the birds and other wildlife they cherish so much Randle with the help of Bell Laboratories Steve Sullivan was finally able to convince the residents that he could treat the rodent problem with a bait that would protect the rest of the islands creatures They were having a bad rat issue Randle says They were having them in several locations The whole island probably every house has an issue Randle with Sullivans help finally quelled the residents fears The solution was TERAD 3 BLOX to help eliminate the rats without harming other wildlife We used TERAD 3 with the vitamin D3 Randle says It did a spectacular job I was impressed with the kill ratio In the facilities that I hit I had a very good knockdown ratio For years homeowners tried to solve that rat issues themselves When those solutions failed homeowners dealt with the problem by trying to make their homes inaccessible People have spent loads of money to try to rat proof their houses Randle says But it was just not working The rats were chewing through it Glue boards were not an option because they caught lizards skunks and other nonpest wildlife And when they did capture rats there was an issue with odor because Randle only visited the island once a week Randle was hired by many of the homeowners to treat their rat problems There was one location that was by far the worst Randle recalls We even got the homeowner to trim some trees back from the location We probably got at least 80 to 100 rats out of that area over 14 months Every time he visits the island he adds more residents to his client list and makes more progress against the rat problem The areas that I have hit are under control Randle says The island was pretty loaded Every house out there has an issue they just arent admitting it Ledfords Frank Randle prepares a bait box with Terad 3 BLOX to treat a massive rodent problem on Dewees Island Randle has had no problems handling the bait even in the heat of a South Carolina summer sun Thats consistent with information from Bells website which says TERAD 3 is a tightly compacted 1 oz extruded BLOX with superb durability and weatherability Incorporating an advanced preservation system TERAD 3 BLOX is moldand moisture resistant Its high melting point keeps the bait stable in temperatures as high as 200 F Dewees Island was the first site Randle used the product but he has since used it at other locations Its been a good selling point telling clients we could really watch the wildlife Randle says We could say it would protect the birds while killing rodents www mypmp net Pest Management Professional December 2013 69