Pest Management Professional, September 2011

STORED PRODUCT PESTS dos donts Paul J Bello Contributor O ften our customers fail to recognize pantry pest situations until theyve advanced to a level that requires professional service When searching for the pest source and infested food items use a systematic approach My preference is to search shelf by shelf checking every suspect food item This process usually takes up the entire kitchen table countertop and dining room table Also when checking each food item its wise to pour out package contents into a white or light colored shallow backing dish Remember Some pantry pests can infest multiple food items given sufficient time Here are a few key pantry pest dos and donts Do educate yourself about the most common pantry pests so you have a basic understanding of their biology behavior and food preferences Dont go to an account thinking you can memorize everything there is to know about all the pests that your customers might call you about Do bring a suitable container in which pest specimens can be collected for proper identification Dont arrive without a suitable stepladder Often there will be pantry pest activity on elevated shelves which will require a ladder for proper inspection and treatment if necessary Pantry shelves might need to be disassembled to inspect for hidden larvae and cocoons of pests such as the Indianmeal moth Do listen carefully to customer concerns regarding their pantry pest problems Dont make jokes or cavalier comments about the pest problem at hand Remember Some customers might be extremely upset by the presence of pests especially in their stored foods Do provide customers with correct information about their pest problems including a pest fact sheet in print Dont make up answers for your customers questions that you might not know the answers for Sometimes your best answer might be I dont know but Ill find out Do have suitable pest reference books to look up information about the pantry pest in question Dont forget to be thorough in your inspection when searching for which foods might be infested and the source of the pantry pest infestation Do consider that pantry pest problems might be the result of unused but longtime stored foods including but not limited to wild bird food pet food pasta grain based foods oatmeal nuts rice beans flour cake mix and biscuit mix In addition to these food types pantry pest problems also might be the result of the presence of old rodent bait in basements attics crawlspaces or drop ceilings or be originating from dried floral arrangements unusual decorative items or vertebrate pest nesting materials Dont give up on your search even when facing a tough pantry pest problem Remember All pests require food sources and suitable harborages If the pantry pest situation continues despite your best efforts keep looking high and low You simply have not yet found the source You can always seek the assistance of others if need be pmp You can reach Bello at pbelloconsulting@ earthlink net or 770 500 0460 Check if your IGR is as versatile as it needs to be Quality Insect Control Products Since 1902 www MGKpro com Reduced Risk Increased Versatility 2011 McLaughlin Gormley King Company Pyriproxyfen the active ingredient in NyGuard has been granted EPA Reduced Risk status for Food Handling mypmp net Pest Management Professional September 2011 75