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Don’t Take a Summer Vacation from Pest Management
by Ron Harrison
Entomologist, Ph.D. Training Director
Orkin, Inc.
The sun is shining, birds are chirping and pests are out in full force. Summer is the perfect time for your guests to enjoy a relaxing vacation at your resort, but the presence of pests is the perfect way to turn that relaxing experience into a stressful one.
While you want your resort to offer all the comforts of home for guests, it should present an uncomfortable setting for pests. Pests “check in” to your resort for three reasons: food, water and shelter, all of which resorts offer in abundance. Food preparation and dining areas, employee break rooms, and laundry facilities will draw pests in particular.
An Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) is the only way to reduce pests in the summer and all year long. As an environmentally friendly approach to pest management, IPM programs emphasize proactive solutions, such as sanitation or facility maintenance, to manage pest problems. An alternative to traditional pest control, IPM is an ongoing cycle of seven steps which uses chemical treatments as a last resort:
Step 1: Inspection
Start the IPM cycle with a detailed inspection of your facility. Critical for IPM success, inspections can reveal existing issues and spot potential problems – such as conditions conducive to attracting pests. Establish routine indoor and outdoor inspections to monitor for signs of pest activity, which include the pests themselves, cast skins and/or droppings. Pay special attention to pest “hot spots,” or areas likely to be attractive to pests. Also inspect potential pest entry points such as employee and guest entrances, loading docks, and cracks and crevices in the exterior of the building.
Step 2: Preventive Action
Once you locate vulnerable areas, target them with preventive methods such as sanitation and facility maintenance. Develop a written sanitation program and make sure your employees understand the roles they play in the sanitation efforts. Protect the outside of your facility by sealing cracks in the exterior and around windows and doors with weather resistant sealant to block pests from gaining entry. Since IPM is an ongoing cycle, preventive actions will always be an important part of your pest management efforts.
Step 3: Identification
Regular inspections and preventive pest management can help reduce the likelihood of an infestation, but if you do spot a pest, proper identification is key. Most treatments are targeted towards specific pests, so knowledge of pest biology is essential to identify the most effective treatment. Make sure to work with a licensed pest management professional who has the knowledge to properly identify pests and their various growth stages.
Step 4: Analysis
After accurately identifying the problem pest, the next step is to understand why that pest is at your resort. Is the pest getting a free meal from room-service trays that sit out in the hall all night? Is it cozying up in freshly laundered bed sheets? Is it entering and exiting as it pleases via an open door? Work with your pest management professional to ask these questions and more to determine the reasons for pest activity.
Step 5: Treatment Selection
The results of your analysis will help determine the best treatment option. True IPM programs consider non-chemical treatment methods, such as trapping to capture pests or exclusion techniques to build them out, before considering chemical options. Should non-chemical treatment options fail, chemical methods can be applied in targeted areas to combat specific pests in the least-volatile formulations.
Step 6: Monitoring
Ongoing monitoring for pest activity is necessary to maintain a successful IPM program. Ask your staff to keep their eyes peeled for pests and immediately report pest sightings or signs of pests. Consider appointing one or two staff members to keep track of sightings by employees and inform your pest management professional during his/her visits. By identifying potential infestations early on, you can better protect your facility from more serious issues.
Step 7: Documentation
Keep track of your efforts! Keep up-to-date pest activity reports, service records, applicator licenses, corrective action reports and other documents in a central location for easy access. Your documentation is written proof of the efficacy of your pest management efforts, and will help you plan for the future. In addition, health inspectors may ask to see it if they have any questions about your IPM program.
The most successful IPM programs follow a teamwork approach. Involve your staff in the IPM process and encourage them to get involved. Most pest management professionals will provide on-site training to educate staff members on their responsibilities. With an effective IPM program you can help ensure pests make their vacation plans at other resorts, allowing you to relax along with your guests.