FM newsroom – facilities management, maintenance, pest control. Pests of all kinds are a nuisance for maintenance staff, as they can quickly infiltrate and infest institutional and commercial premises. Traps and poisons are now obsolete tools in the hands of facility managers. Among the latest innovations are solutions such as fertility control, monitoring devices and IoT sensors for detection.
What are the latest innovations?
Pest control has long been crucial to maintaining healthy and safe environments in urban and rural settings. Traditionally, the battle against pests has been waged with poisons and traps, but these methods often fail to achieve long-term results. As we move forward, innovative technologies and approaches are revolutionizing how we manage pest populations, offering more effective, humane and environmentally friendly solutions.
Facility Maintenance Decisions asked professionals about the advancements in pest control technology to learn about the latest innovations involving IoT and fertility control. Experts agree that pest control technologies and methods tend to focus on proactive steps, like integrated pest management (IPM). IPM focuses on keeping pests out of facilities and monitoring to respond quickly and accurately when pests do arrive.
„New advances in monitoring devices, including LED-powered fly light traps and new insect pheromone devices, allow precise monitoring for individual species, allowing pest professionals to pinpoint where pests are in a facility to isolate and help eliminate pests immediately. New advances in connected devices are being tested now to allow these monitors to even be monitored remotely. When products do need to be used to address pests, the focus is on safer and less toxic products, like insect growth regulators to stop breeding potential, and in some industries, even organic pesticides can be utilized. When traditional products are used, manufacturers are constantly evaluated and updated by manufacturers to be safer and more effective, so you can use less to do more.” — Ian Williams, technical services manager at Rollins Inc., told Facility Maintenance Decisions.
„One of the most groundbreaking developments in pest control is the use of fertility control. This method offers a proactive approach by targeting the reproductive capabilities of pests, specifically rodents. — Courtney Ray, technical product director, SenesTech pointed out.
How can IoT be used?
Internet of Things-enabled (IoT) smart traps and sensors offer real-time monitoring and reporting of pest activity. They can detect movement, capture images, and measure environmental conditions, allowing for precise targeting and timely interventions to help manage pests. IoT offers pest control companies significant advantages in service efficiency and operational effectiveness, as—besides monitoring and reporting—the data insights can also help create preventive strategies.
Remote sensing is ideal for rodent pest control in large, distributed facilities, while Bluetooth and Internet-connected traps and monitors can work with single buildings and smaller facilities.
How to deal with bug problems?
Ian Williams also emphasizes the importance of focusing on key points throughout the supply chain to prevent pest invasion and infestation. According to the expert, it is essential to understand the types of materials coming from suppliers and the pest risks associated with them. Pre-assessing the hygiene practices and pest control measures of supplier facilities can also help.
Strict hygiene standards are essential for delivery vehicles and incoming packages, as pests such as cockroaches can hide in packaging materials. Proper storage and disposal of packaging can reduce the presence of pests.
Control of loading docks, trans-loading activity and storage areas is just as important as strict cleanliness protocols and proactive pest prevention strategies in warehouses.
What are the best traps for rodents?
“Self-resetting, non-toxic, humane kill traps are the best traps for rodents. If you are trapping outdoors in a wooded / wildland area, dead rodents will be scavenged by many different animals, such as birds, opossums, and foxes. If you are trapping indoors, then self-resetting traps allow for multiple rodents to be trapped in a single night.” – Blair Calder, chief executive officer of Automatic Trap Company, highlighted, adding: Glue traps are cruel, medieval devices that subject rodents to unspeakable horror. In many countries they are banned, and they should be banned everywhere. Live traps are not as humane as they are thought to be because rodents released elsewhere have a low survival rate.”
