MAY JUNE 2017
CONTROLLING INTEREST NEWSLETTER OF THE NEW ENGLAND PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. NEPMA Fall Training Seminar & Expo Mark your calendar today to attend NEPMA’s Fall Training Seminar & Expo which will be held November 2 & 3, 2017 at the Holiday Inn in Taunton, MA. The Education Committee chaired by Galvin Murphy Sr is developing an extraordinary two-day program that will offer a range of pest management topics that will be approved for credit throughout the New England states. The program for Thursday will focus on bed bugs. That days sessions will be led by Jeff White, technical director of BedBug Central and host of BedBug TV. He has over 10 years of experience as an entomologist and offers his expertise in many different areas of entomology including; bed bug research, protocol development, and evaluating the efficacy of bed bug treatment methods. White has worked on the technical evaluation of various products as well as developing bed bug management programs for residential and commercial properties. He is currently evaluating new products and conducting research to determine a more effective and cost efficient bed bug treatment plan. White has presented to forums that include the National Pest Management Association, state pest management associations, the Entomological Society of America, the International Hotel, and Motel Show, as well as dozens of apartment associations, affordable housing, and senior living Associations. He’s been featured as a bed bug expert on ABC’s The View, NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, Animal Planet’s Infested, and Dateline, among many others. White also developed BedBug TV, an online weekly video podcast that has been viewed by over a million people across the world. BedBug TV discusses different topics and answers questions regarding bed bugs. Also on Thursday, Danny White of BedBug Central will speak about the business of bed bugs and
marketing concepts that will be of interest to owners, managers, and sales personnel. Also, Kevin Moran of Forshaw will conduct a session on the tools, equipment and other products used for bed bug service. The program for Friday will be centered around several topics. Dr. Gale Ridge, Department of Entomology at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station will be speaking on delusory parasitosis. Dr. Ridge is a systematist with expertise in insect morphology, behavior, and ecology. She oversees the daily activities of the insect inquiry office, which receives thousands of inquiries each year. Tommy Powell of MGK will then give a presentation on roaches. In addition, several leading industry experts will be discussing changes to various labels as well as to various rules and regulations.
ACE Certification In today’s increasingly complex and highlyspecialized economy, credentials are so important. Sure, you know you’ve got the skills to do the job, but how do you convince potential customers and employers you’re the best one for the job? For many careerminded pest management professionals, certification is often the answer. The Entomological Society of America, long the industry leader in certification through its Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) program, also offers a certification option geared specifically toward the pest management industry. Launched in May of 2004, the ACE program has become the industrystandard for the minimum level of professionalism and training required to excel in this industry. The ACE program is endorsed by the National Pest Management Association. The ACE program is designed to benefit the
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practicing pest control professional. You do not need an advanced degree to participate, just a solid grasp of the practical aspects of applied entomology.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Ted Brayton, ACE, Griggs & Browne Pest Control, Abington, MA President-elect: Galvin J. Murphy, Yankee Pest Control, Inc., Malden, MA Clerk: Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control, Topsfield, MA Treasurer: Steve Oles, Orkin, Inc., Northwood, NH Immediate Past President: Jeffrey Weisberg, A-1 Exterminators, Inc., Lynn, MA Directors: Mike Bourdeau, Flynn Pest Control, Rehoboth, MA Doug Fleischer, Pestex, Newtonville, MA D.J. Flynn, Burgess Pest Management, West Bridgewater, MA James Merrill, F & W Pest Control, Wrentham, MA Mike Peaslee, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick, ME Kevin Vaughn, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
ACE applicants without a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in entomology must have the following:
• A current US state issued license or certificate
that allows the holder to apply pesticides in an urban, industrial, or structural setting without supervision. This licensure must require continuing education to remain current (if the applicant’s state does not require ongoing education to hold a license then the applicant is automatically exempted from this portion of the requirements). Applicant must send a copy of this document to ESA’s Certification Coordinator with completed application,
• A minimum of 7 years of verifiable pest management experience in the United States,
Awards: Maria Richmond, Ransford Environmental Solutions, Inc., Worcester, MA By-laws: James Merrill, F & W Pest Control, Wrentham, MA Controlling Interest: Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control Co., Inc., Topsfield, MA and Doug Fleischer, Pestex, Newtonville, MA Education/WDI Program: Galvin C. Murphy, ACE, Yankee Pest Control, Inc., Malden, MA Ethics: Jonathan Boyar, Ecologic Entomology, LLC, Boston, MA and Bob Leon, General Environmental Services, Malden, MA Financial Review: Bob Leon, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA and D.J. Flynn, Burgess Pest Management, W. Bridgewater, MA NEPMA Gives: Marillian Missiti, Buono Pest Control Co., Inc., Belmont, MA and Galvin J. Murphy, Yankee Pest Control, Malden, MA Nominating Committee: Bob Leon, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA and George Williams, ACE, Univar, Woburn, MA NPMA/QualityPro: Bill Siegel, Orkin, Inc., Ipswich, MA Membership: Tom Drapeau, Freedom Pest Control Co., Inc., Topsfield, MA and Doug Fleischer, Pestex, Newtonville, MA Public Policy: Ted Burgess, Burgess Pest Management, W. Bridgewater, MA and Mike Peaslee, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick, ME Public Relations: Marillian Missiti, Buono Pest Control Co., Inc., Belmont, MA and George Williams, ACE, Univar, Woburn, MA Scholarship: Matt Kreimeyer Best Pest Control Services, Inc., Somerville, MA Social Media: Kevin Vaughn, General Environmental Services, Inc., Malden, MA and Mike Bourdeau, Flynn Pest Control, Rehoboth, MA Vendor Relations: Kelley Altland, Bell Laboratories, Manchester, CT and Kevin Moran, BCE, Forshaw, Inc., Canton, MA Executive Director: Walter Perry (wperry@cornerstoneam.com)
• The ability to take and pass an online test of
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Those who are interested in taking this class and obtaining their ACE certification should contact Walter Perry, NEPMA’s executive director at wperry@cornerstoneam.com or 866-386-3762.
Controlling Interest is published six (6) times per year by the New England Pest Management Association and is distributed free to its members. Readers are encouraged to submit articles, announcements, reviews of products, or letters. To submit articles or to inquire about advertising rates and information, contact NEPMA at 53 Regional Drive, Suite 1, Concord, NH 03301, call toll-free at (866) 386-3762, or email info@nepma.org. The New England Pest Management Association believes that the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date but is not responsible for inadvertent errors. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any fashion without the written consent of the editor.
www.NEPMA.org
your knowledge of structural pest control,
• The application fee, which includes your
first year of certification and the online examination, and
• A willingness to adhere to the ACE Code of Ethics.
The New England Pest Management Association will conduct an ACE test preparatory class on February 5-6, 2018 to assist those who want to take the ACE test with passing it. The ACE test will be given on the second day. This program will take place at the Holiday Inn in Marlborough, MA. In preparation for this program, NEPMA invites everyone who will be enrolling in this program to an informational session on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 to meet with the instructors to learn what they should be reading in anticipation of the program in February. This informational session will be held at Forshaw in Canton, MA.
NEPMA Business Management Program Back by popular demand will be a business management program specifically designed for owners and top-level managers of pest management firms. This will be a day-long educational seminar that will provide NEPMA
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CONTROLLING INTEREST members with the financial tools to enable them to increase their profitability. The instructor for this program will be Dan Gordon of PCO Bookkeepers in Newton, NJ. His firm caters to the bookkeeping and accounting needs of the pest control industry. With more than 20 years of pest control industry experience, he and his staff are wellversed in pest control industry financial management. For NEPMA members, Dan will cover topics such as benchmarking and accounting for pest control companies.
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2017 Mark Weintraub Scholarship The 2017 Mark Weintraub Scholarship was awarded at a dinner held on May 3, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza in Woburn, MA. The scholarship was awarded to Sydney Cardoza of Coventry, RI.
This business management program will take place on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at the Holiday Inn in Marlborough, MA.
NEPMA Gives
The New England Pest Management Association is aligning with the NPMA Gives program to offer philanthropic efforts to the communities our members serve. Many NEPMA member firms already give back to their communities in many ways and this program is designed to showcase those efforts so that the general public sees the value of professional pest management services. George Williams of Univar and Marillian Missiti of Buono Pest Services are co-chairpersons of the NEPMA Gives program. If your firm has performed a charitable act or make a donation please submit pictures and story content to NEPMA so they can additionally promote it under the NEPMA Gives program. NEPMA is also looking for member firms and vendors to donate their expertise and time to our current NEPMA Gives efforts. Currently several members of the board of directors and their respective companies have donated materials, labor, and expertise to several projects that will benefit our communities. NEPMA has partnered with the City of Boston Inspectional Services Department and Boston Planning and Development on eradicating rat infestations from several high profile locations, more details on this project will be in future CI issues. If you would like to donate to the NPMA Gives Program please click on the link below. http://www.npmapestworld.org/member-center/ award-programs/npma-gives/
Connect with your colleagues. Join us on
L to R: Robert Cardoza of Budget Termite and Pest Control of Warwick, RI; Sydney Cardoza; Rosemary Cardoza; Matt Kreimeyer of Best Pest Control Services in Somerville, MA and NEPMA Scholarship Chairman
Professional Women in Pest Management The Professional Women in Pest Management (PWIPM) of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has been generating regional and state branches throughout the country. The PWIPM of New England is starting to plan their first networking event along with the NEPMA Fall Training Seminar in November 2017. Future meetings will be set up along with NEPMA’s Conferences and/or other dates and times. The PWIPM New England will work on an array of topics, but not limited to: marketing, sales, customer service, balancing work and family, mentoring programs, HR, empowerment programs, and many other conductive topics relating to women in the pest control industry. If you or someone you know that is a pest management professional, customer service representative, sales representative, branch manager, human resource professional or in any other pest control position, I recommend that this is a great opportunity for not just your company but for the individual. PWIPM New England is putting together a list of
CONTROLLING INTEREST those interested individuals. Anyone interested is encouraged to contact Walter Perry, NEPMA Executive Director at wperry@cornerstoneam.com or Marillian Missiti, PWIPM New England Chairwoman at marillian@ comcast.net.
Wood Destroying Insect Training NEPMA maintains a professional pest management industry-specific training and registration program for conducting inspections and recommending treatment options for wood destroying insects (W.D.I.). This program is open to all pest management professionals and real estate inspection professionals who are interested in earning the designation. The W.D.I. Registry training program will be held on Thursday January 18, 2018 and Friday January 19, 2018 at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham, MA. The training program is comprised of 12 hours of classroom instruction followed by the registration exam. The lead presenter of the program is Dr. George Rambo, president of George Rambo Consulting Services, Inc. All participants will receive a copy of the
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comprehensive training manual developed and written for NEPMA by Dr. George Rambo. For those participants who attend this program and pass the exam, they will receive a certificate of completion of the W.D.I. training program and become a member of the WDI Registry for three years. Renewal consists of a refresher course prior to expiration. All participants will receive a certificate for CEUs. Approval is pending for 8 hours in Category 41, 8 hours in Category 42, and 12 hours in Category 43 or CORE. Approval is also pending by the MA Board of Registration for Home Inspectors for 12 CEUs and for 10 CEs by ASHI. Information on this program and the registration form can be downloaded from the NEPMA website.
2nd Annual Bowling Outing • Have you been looking for an event to take your employees to?
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coworkers or friends. This will be a wonderful time to network with fellow professionals within our industry. This bowling event will take place on Saturday November 4, 2017 at the Town Line Luxury Lanes which are located at 665 Broadway in Malden, MA. The bowling will take place from 1:00 – 3:00 pm and participants are welcome to join their fellow participants in the sports bar at the lanes from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. The proceeds from this outing will benefit the Mark Weintraub Scholarship Fund and NEPMA Gives. Further information on reserving lanes, sponsorship opportunities as well as the prizes to be awarded will be made available and posted on the NEPMA website. Mark your calendar today to attend this great event!
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NEPMA will conduct a W.D.I. Registry recertification program for those members of the registry whose certifications are expiring on or before December 31, 2017. This program will take place on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at the DAV facility in Malden, MA. This is a 4 hour program led by Kevin Moran BCE of Forshaw and Galvin Murphy ACE of Yankee Pest Control. Further information on this program as well as the registration form can be downloaded from the NEPMA website. Don’t let your W.D.I. certification expire, sign up today!
Welcome to EIPAS By Richard Berman After years of pushing the state to move away from paper based pesticide applicator exam and license applications it’s finally happening. Why now? We have the current administration to thank, especially DAR Commissioner John Lebeaux and the staff at the Division of Crop & Pest Services for making this a high priority and assigning staff to work on the project. The (new to us) Environmental Information and Public Access System (EIPAS) is currently used by people and businesses applying to the Department of Environmental Protection for various licenses and permits. The DEP system has been adapted to meet the pesticide program’s needs. Bill Siegel and I were invited to view the system, along with several other stakeholders in an early at look how e-licensing will work. The system may not be perfect, but is significantly better than what we have been living with. The new system will significantly reduce turnaround time from passing an exam to receiving the actual license (electronically). The EIPAS System will allow individuals to sign up and pay for an exam electronically and receive the results of
CONTROLLING INTEREST
NEPMA invites you to
A day of BOWLING Member Companies and their families from around the region are invited to join for a day of bowling, prizes, food and entertainment.
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CONTROLLING INTEREST the exam on-line. On passing the exam, the individual can submit and pay for the actual license electronically and on receipt will receive the license on-line. EIPAS will also allow individuals to renew their license online as well as receive notifications from the agency on subjects such as CEU audits and other important information from time to time. There will be a paper option for these processes, at least in the beginning, but turnaround time for each paper based submission will be much slower. The first step applying for an exam, or renewing a license this Fall will require every individual go into the new ePLACE (Permitting, Licensing, Authorizations, Certifications, and Eligibility) System. To use the ePLACE System every person will need to register and create an account. The home page to do that will be: https://permitting.state.ma.us/CitizenAccess/ This screen will have a description that explains the system on the left-hand side of the page and a login area on the right-hand side of the screen. The user creates a new account by clicking on the “New Users” link. A series of pages will follow that are intuitive and instructive. The home page above will go live and be available in late June or early July. 2018 renewals usually go out in early October. A series of emails will confirm every successful submission along the way. Expect to see renewals via email this Fall, so it’s important every currently licensed person register
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and create their own account before October (once the system has gone live and is available). Everyone currently licensed will receive a mailing describing what this article has described. Like anything new, especially new software we can expect a few glitches and a little confusion during the start up. There will be an ePLACE Help Desk at 844-733-7522 after the system goes live for those of us who may be technologically challenged. The association anticipates having a presentation at the two-day work shop this November in Taunton, so be sure to attend. Watch your mail for more information on EIPAS from the agency.
Updated heat app helps workers weather the heat JJ Keller OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently redesigned the Heat Safety Tool mobile app. The free app determines heat index values, a measure of how hot it feels to workers, based on temperature combined with humidity. The app is especially useful for outdoor workers who are exposed to hot and humid conditions, such as construction workers, landscapers, agricultural workers, and others. NIOSH encourages employers and workers to check the app before working outdoors in the summer heat. The app provides information on what precautions to take to stay safe at the worksite.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS July 19-21, 2017
NPMA Academy 2017 Scottsdale, AZ
August 2, 2017
NEPMA Board of Director Long Range Planning Meeting Café Escadrille, Burlington, MA
October 24-27, 2017
PestWorld 2017 Baltimore, MD
November 2-3, 2017
NEPMA Fall Training Seminar & Expo Holiday Inn, Taunton, MA
November 4, 2017
NEPMA Bowling Outing Town Line Lanes, Malden, MA
December 14, 2017
WDI Registry Recertification Program Disabled American Veterans, Malden, MA
January 18-19, 2018
WDI Registry Training and Exam Program Montvale Plaza, Stoneham, MA
January 23, 2018
NEPMA Business Management Program Holiday Inn, Marlborough, MA
February 5-6, 2018
ACE Prep Course & Exam Holiday Inn, Marlborough, MA
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According to OSHA, more than 65,000 people seek medical attention for extreme heat exposure every year. In 2014, 2,630 workers reported heat-related illnesses, and 18 workers died from heat stroke and related causes.
affect the state agriculture agencies that issue licenses. Licenses are required only for applicators who use a group of highly toxic chemicals called Restricted Use Pesticides, such as many fumigants and rodenticides.
The updated Heat Safety Tool app uses a mobile phone’s geolocation capabilities to pull temperature and humidity data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites. The app then determines the current risk level (minimal, low, moderate, high, or extreme) and forecasts the hourly heat index throughout the workday. Employers can use this information to adjust work schedules and workloads as needed to protect workers.
The rule set a minimum age of 18 to obtain one of these licenses and also required states to develop new tests for those applying for licenses. It also requires applicators to renew their licenses at least once every five years, whereas there are currently no federal standards for license renewal.
The app also provides users with specific NIOSH and OSHA recommendations for protective actions based on the calculated risk level, including information on staying cool, proper hydration, and scheduling rest breaks.
Pesticide Applicator Rule Delayed a Third Time By David Schultz and Tiffany Stecker The EPA is delaying for a third time this year the implementation of a new rule that would force states to tighten their standards for issuing licenses to pesticide applicators. The rule, which the agency finalized in January just days before the Obama administration left office, was initially scheduled to go into effect on March 6. Now, after this latest delay, states will not have to comply with the rule (RIN:2070-AJ20) until May 2018. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said this latest year-long delay is necessary to give the agency more time to help states prepare their education and training materials for applicators and to “prevent unnecessary burdens from overshadowing the rule’s intended benefits.” Burdens on States In addition to pesticide applicators, the rule would most
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Rose Kachadoorian, head of the pesticides certification division at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, said the burden of this rule fell unevenly across states—some already had licensing programs that were comparable to the rule’s new standards, while others would have had a heavy lift to bring their programs into compliance. But she said that, while many states will be glad to have more time to comply with the rule, she hopes the EPA doesn’t permanently block it. “It would be unnecessary,” Kachadoorian, who also serves as director of an association of state pesticide officials, told Bloomberg BNA. “I think a lot of states are pretty happy with what it came out with. It’s reasonable and balanced.” Third Delay This latest implementation delay didn’t sit well with Virginia Ruiz, director of occupational and environmental health at the nonprofit Farmworker Justice. She said the rule is needed to ensure that workers who handle pesticides have legal safeguards from environmental harms. A delay “puts those safeguards into jeopardy,” she told Bloomberg BNA. Ruiz also questioned whether the latest delay violates administrative law provisions on rulemaking procedure. The first two-week delay came shortly after the Trump administration took office, when it ordered a freeze on all of its predecessor’s regulations that had not yet gone
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CONTROLLING INTEREST into effect. The implementation date for the pesticide licensing rule was then extended again two months later. Before this latest, year-long delay, it was slated to take effect on May 22. The agency did not solicit comments from the public for the first two delays, and for the latest delay, it is holding an abbreviated seven-day public comment session that ends May 19. EPA officials did not respond to a request for comment about the rulemaking procedures behind this latest delay.
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Maine Pesticide Preemption Bill Voted Down This spring, Maine’s Pesticide Preemption legislation was voted “ought not to pass” in the State and Local Government Committee. Perhaps, if the Governor had coordinated better with industry stakeholders and introduced the bill at the beginning of the session rather than at the end, the Committee might’ve rendered a different outcome. The Committee collectively felt that the process was too rushed. Despite the obvious disappointment, our industry’s advocacy laid the foundation for change. Thanks to the collaboration between NPMA, NEPMA, and allied stakeholders--minds and attitudes are beginning to turn in Maine. The relentless and steadfast advocacy of our industry weakened the position of the activists. Supporters of smart pesticide regulation more than doubled our activist counterparts during hearings and bill testimony. The Maine Board of Pesticides Control voted 4-2 in support of an amendment that exempted certified applicators from local pesticide bans, providing more state oversight and authority on local ordinances, and would’ve made it harder to ban pesticides on private property. The Agriculture Commissioner testified enthusiastically in favor of preemption, and the Governor has vowed to introduce this bill again. Our advocacy efforts in Maine will pay off. This bill’s
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CONTROLLING INTEREST introduction was ultimately a catalyst for the industry, as it started to sprout a new awareness on the importance of protecting public health and property. With the deadly Powassan virus, Lyme disease, and countless other threats prevalent in Maine, we are confident lawmakers will remove these regulatory burdens. Ultimately, the importance of protecting public health will supersede the ignorance, falsehoods, and fear of the activists. A special thanks to Mike Peaslee, Ted Brayton, Chris O’Neil, countless other NEPMA Members, and allied groups on their tremendous efforts. We are already looking forward to 2018.
Controlling Interest to Transition from Print to an e-Newsletter This will be the last issue of Controlling Interest that you will be receiving in your mail box. Future issues will be coming monthly to your email. The New England Pest Management Association wants its news and information widely accessible by all members including employees of member companies. This will be accomplished by having Controlling Interest become a monthly publication and delivered electronically to everyone’s email address of record. Our goal is to not only email this newsletter to members but also email it to all employees of member companies. To accomplish this we would like to have all member companies email us a list to info@nepma. org which would include employees names and email address that we can then email out each issue of the e-CI.
Label Tidbit By Richard Berman Language allowed on labels and labeling is strictly regulated by the US EPA, especially as the language relates to claims of safety and health. Section 25B registered products are allowed to carry claims conventional pesticides may not. Should a manufacturer choose to make reference to that company’s web site on the label, the website becomes labeling under FIFRA and is subject to review by the agency. If the website contains false or misleading product information, that would be considered misbranded and unlawful to sell or distribute under FIFRA (and here in Massachusetts). Regardless of whether a website is referenced on a product’s label, claims made on the website may not substantially differ from those claims approved through the registration process. What does this mean to us as professional pesticide applicators? This means when we receive a piece of literature or other manufacturer product descriptive material we can be reasonably assured it’s true and accurate.
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Bed Bug Survey Starting in March 2017, BedBug Central’s Director of Innovation and Technical Content Jeff White wanted to assess the current state of the bed bug activity across the United States. He wanted to see if there were any trends among the varying markets in different regions. BedBug Central then developed surveys to go out monthly to determine if there are in fact any trends in the bed bug activity throughout the United States. Not only is the data received from the surveys helpful to BedBug Central, but it has also been shared with all of BedBug Central’s mailing list, as well as throughout the industry, to inform pest management professionals of the activity in their areas. March’s Data for Region 1: Number of Respondents for Region #1: 39
Up Significantly - 21.05% Up - 47.37% Flat - 26.32% Down - 2.63% Down Significantly - 2.63% April Data Results for Region 1: Number of Respondents for Region #1: 37
Up Significantly - 22.22% Up - 36.11% Flat - 13.89% Down - 16.67% Down Significantly - 11.11%
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The right product is just the beginning.®
UNIVAR
Getting what you need, when you need it, no matter what — that’s the promise of Univar Environmental Sciences. But our service doesn’t stop at our industry-best product selection. Our experienced team can offer insightful advice at every turn. So get in touch with your local rep and discover how Univar can help you drive business. Call us at 800-888-4897 or go to PestWeb.com
© 2016. Univar USA Inc. All rights reserved. UNIVAR, the hexagon, and other identified trademarks are the property of Univar Inc., Univar USA Inc. or affiliated companies.
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1/14/16 2:06 PM
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As rodent populations grow, ticks — and Lyme disease — are coming indoors Bangor Daily News Twice in the same week, Lois Wood woke to find ticks crawling over her bare leg in her New Hampshire home. A few nights later, she spotted a mouse running across her bed. A mother of seven, Wood tries to shrug off her tiny bedfellows. “It’s a common rural problem,” she says, although she admits that she has “never experienced anything like this in my own bed.” The recent appearance of vermin and pests in Wood’s bedroom coincides with the warming temperatures related to climate change. The past three years have been the planet’s hottest on record, and it is in this changing climate that many pests thrive, negatively affecting human health. Forty to 90 percent of white-footed mice carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete bacterium that causes Lyme disease, and they provide the first blood meals for blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, which can transmit the disease to humans. White-footed mice are typically considered outdoor animals. But in suburban and rural areas near forested land, they easily squeeze through cracks and holes the size of a dime and often nest inside walls and in garages. Wood’s garage, which is built into a hillside amid old cow pastures that are being reclaimed by young forests, rests directly beneath her bedroom, and it’s not uncommon for her to hear the scratching of mice within the walls. Dozens of poppy-seed-size blacklegged tick
ASK MR. PEST CONTROL Blood Bait
QUESTION: Probably as I write this, bed bug bait is already in the works. We already have bait available for other insects and rodents. I know it takes money and time to get products to the market, but I’m still surprised at why this is taking so long. There are some wonderful lure traps on the market now. Maybe they will take the lure formula, mix it with “x” material and we can place it like other gel baits?
ANSWER: Baits need an effective active ingredient and a food matrix that a pest will eat. I don’t
think finding an effective active ingredient is the problem. It’s the food matrix. You have to consider what a pest will eat and how it will eat it. Most insect pests and rodents are omnivorous and chew their food. Bed bugs only eat blood and have piercing/sucking mouthparts. Besides a live animal or fresh blood from a live animal, I’m not innovative enough to imagine a delivery system that would work. Add to that, we’re talking about blood or something similar, which I don’t think people would accept placements of around their living or work space.
—Mr. Pest Control (Editor’s note: Articles from the Ask Mr. Pest Control series are reprinted with permission from Univar. Mr. Pest Control is answering questions supplied by PMP customers across North America. His answers are generated from industry and manufacturerprovided information. The answer may not be specific to the laws and regulations for your State, Province, Territory or Country. In addition, products mentioned may not be registered and or available in all areas. Always check with your local Univar office for specific information to your area. Always read and follow label directions.)
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CONTROLLING INTEREST nymphs could hitch a ride indoors on a single whitefooted mouse, then find a blood meal on house mice, other rodents or even members of Wood’s family. “We’re diligent about doing tick checks when we come in from outside,” Wood says, “but my son and one of our family dogs have had Lyme. It’s scary to think that mice might be bringing ticks inside my house.” One hundred fifty miles south of Wood’s home, Peggy Siligato, co-owner of Narragansett Pest Control in Rhode Island, has seen more mice over the past five years than during the rest of her 40-year career. “Seventy-five percent of our business is mice,” she said, and it had increased about 25 percent “from what it used to be.” Science is offering a possible explanation for what Siligato is witnessing: Warming temperatures and milder winters have increased not only the population of the white-footed mouse but also its range. Sheila Haddad, vice president of sales for Bell Laboratories, which manufactures rodent control technology, agrees: “Rodent pressure is increasing. Mice used to seasonally enter homes primarily in the fall and winter months in New England, but now it’s a year-round problem. Warmer winters mean that more mice survive; it never gets cold enough to kill them.” Haddad said she has noticed the same kind of increase in mouse populations as Siligato. In Atlanta, for example, “there’s been an increase in reported venomous snakebites, which means that there are more snakes feeding on rodents.” “Everything is changing year after year,” Haddad says. “Our rodenticide sales to distributors have increased about 15 percent over the past two years.” Siligato adds: “West Nile virus has killed many birds of prey along the East Coast, meaning there are more mice. To say it’s just climate change isn’t exactly accurate, but it’s probably a part of the story.” The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, a research and
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education organization in New York’s Dutchess County, has predicted that there will be a rise in reported Lyme disease cases in 2017 along the Eastern Seaboard because there was a bumper crop of acorns in 2015. Acorns are a favorite food of the white-footed mouse, and the population of the species has been shown to increase two years after a surge of the nuts. More mice means more opportunities for tick nymphs to have their first blood meals. Families such as the Woods, who have a large oak tree that may have dropped up to 10,000 acorns just 100 feet from their home last fall, might notice even more mice around or even inside their homes. The dangerous trifecta of mice, ticks and Lyme disease might seem like a problem for only rural and suburban areas, but climate change is increasingly making it an issue in cities as well. “We know we’re at risk in the country for getting Lyme,” Wood says, “although people living in concrete jungles should know that they can get it there, too.” Large city parks provide preferred habitat for whitefooted mice: small parcels of land, grassy knolls, shady oak trees, brush for safely making nests, and few natural predators. Leo Galland, an internist practicing in New York City, says he treated a woman for acute Lyme after she found a blacklegged tick in her Park Avenue apartment. She had not left the city for months, but she often spent hours in nearby Central Park with her young child, and Galland says he believes a tick may have come home with her. “I also treated two other patients with acute Lyme who hadn’t left New York City, but they had each spent time in Riverside Park,” he says. The website of the city health department warns that blacklegged ticks have been collected in four of the city’s five boroughs, with some of them testing positive for B. burgdorfergi. But how many New Yorkers would think to look at the website to learn about ticks? And even if they did, how many would also consider the
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CONTROLLING INTEREST mice that transmit Lyme? In addition to surging populations of white-footed mice and the expected increased prevalence of blacklegged ticks in 2017, rising temperatures may be introducing invasive species that might also transmit disease. “We’re seeing a new species of rodent” in Rhode Island, Siligato says. “Invasive species – perhaps harvester mice, but we’re not sure – can now survive here because the year-round temperatures aren’t all that different from what they’re used to.” Haddad said a few nonnative mice have been found near Cape Cod. “They might have been brought on boats from the tropics, although I haven’t heard that tests have conclusively identified the species,” she says. “When we’re talking about mice, we have to remember that there are hundreds of species.” Humans could suffer grave consequences because of the recent population explosion and spread of the white-footed mouse. And older methods of mouse eradication might not be enough to decrease the growing prevalence of Lyme disease. The Tick Project, a five-year study by the Cary Institute, is examining whether focusing on the elimination of ticks rather than mice might reduce cases of Lyme. In 2016, the institute identified the neighborhoods in Dutchess County that were hot spots for Lyme disease. This April, two tick-killing methods began to be tested in these areas, and treatments will continue each spring and summer through 2020. One method uses a small box that attracts mammals such as mice and chipmunks with bait. A wick coated with a chemical called fipronil rubs over the animals’ backs as they enter the box, killing any ticks attached to the animal. The second method, a fungus that is sprayed over grass and other vegetation, has been shown to kill ticks waiting to feed. Each method has been shown to be safe to pets, people and the environment. Time will tell if either method will decrease reported Lyme disease cases, but it stands to reason that if ticks can be killed outside homes, then mice and any other species carrying the Lyme bacteria might be less of a health risk to humans, whether indoors or outdoors. Although Wood’s family isn’t a part of the Tick Project, learning that new methods are being developed for controlling tick populations is reassuring to her. “Climate change means that people aren’t safe from Lyme whether they live in the city or the country,” she says, “but knowing we can fight the disease means we can live in awareness, not fear.”
What you Should Know About Massachusetts Consumer Information Bulletins* By Richard Berman Different individual requirements within 333 CMR
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require information be shared with consumers and certain others. The CIBs (and certain other information) being issued are mandatory, while treatment information sharing may be on a request basis. As professional licensed or certified applicators, it’s the applicator’s responsibility to be familiar with the CIBS (including certain other information) and the circumstances when they must be issued. There are currently 5 different CIBs on the Department’s web site: For Building Managers; For Indoor; For Lawncare; For Termiticide; and For Tree. There are no explicit CIBs related to tick and mosquito application work. Since performing tick and mosquito treatments are similar to measures often applied to trees, shrubs and turf, the Department believes those two CIBs and regulations apply to mosquito and tick applications outdoors. The Department updated the Lawncare and Tree CIBs on May 2nd, 2017 to reflect this interpretation. Whether one agrees with this interpretation or not, it’s the applicator’s responsibility to be in compliance with the regulations governing lawncare and tree work or risk sanctions when performing tick or mosquito work outdoors. http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/agr/ pesticides/pesticide-program-publications.html (* The Small Print - The suggestions and information in this article should not be construed as legal advice from NEPMA or the authors. If questions arise regarding regulatory compliance the applicator should refer to 333 CMR, company legal counsel and/ or the Department of Agricultural Resources.)
SAVE THE DATE FALL TRAINING SEMINAR & EXPO NOVEMBER 2 - 3, 2017 HOLIDAY INN, TAUNTON, MA
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Bee Health is Topic of New Pollen Research at UMass Amherst PCT Online Biology professor Lynn Adler at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an expert in pollination and plant-insect interactions, recently received a threeyear, $1 million grant from a special “pollinator health” program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study the role that sunflower pollen may play in improving bee health. In addition to basic research, the grant emphasizes extension outreach to the public and stakeholders such as amateur beekeepers, commercial bumblebee producers, vegetable and fruit growers, commercial seed producers and others to make the most useful results and new knowledge available to them. According to the USDA, pollinator populations have suffered serious losses for a number of reasons over the past 30 years, estimated at more than 40 percent in 2015. The grant will also support hiring an extension bee educator for three years with an expected start date of summer 2018. Adler says, “Right now there are no university extension educators in Massachusetts that beekeepers can go to with questions and concerns about their bees’ health and well-being, which is something the USDA is interested in addressing.” She adds “The USDA is in general looking for creative new strategies to improve pollinator health over the next 10 years, and we feel that we have something to offer. We’ll work with honeybees and bumblebees to look at how sunflower pollen and plantings affect bee health. There is strong evidence from our pilot studies that sunflower pollen can help bumblebees fight off a common pathogen called Crithidia.” The biologist says that during her many years studying flower nectar, “it became clear that pollen would be of interest because the defense chemicals found in it can be 10 to 10,000 times more concentrated than they are in nectar. This grant intends to look at how sunflower pollen affects bee health.” Adler and dozens of her undergraduate and graduate students will study bee health to explore whether a medicinal supplement made from sunflower pollen might be helpful as an additive to bees’ staple diet and whether adding sunflower to pollinator-friendly plantings can improve bee health. By the end of the
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MASSACHUSETTS PESTICIDE BOARD MEETING DATE/TIME Thursday, September 7, 2017 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. WHERE Hurley Building, 19 Staniford Street Boston, MA 02114 ROOM Conference RM C/D on the 6th Floor grant, she says, “I hope we’re going to have concrete recommendations to support bee health. It might even lead to commercial products.” Adler says she will work directly with bee keepers, an advisory board of apiarists, the Massachusetts state apiary inspector, extension fruit and vegetable educators, and UMass extension entomologist Tawny Simisky during both development of the experimental design details and to disseminate information, to ensure the experiments are asking the most useful questions and that results are available to the widest possible audience. Further, Adler will collaborate with pollinator ecologist Rebecca Irwin at North Carolina State University, where the researchers can take advantage of the state’s series of agricultural stations to assess the effect of different areas of sunflower plantings on wild bees, as well as pollen supplements available in different amounts and concentrations to wild and commercial bumble bees. For other parts of the multi-institution grant, Adler will work with researchers including Jay Evans of the USDA in Beltsville, Md., an expert in honey bee biology and disease, genomics and honey bee gut parasites, and Quinn McFrederick of the University of California, Riverside, an expert in using molecular methods to characterize the bee microbiome. Other members of the team include environmental economist Kathy Bayliss of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, pollinator ecologist Deborah Delaney of the University of Delaware and Dennis van Engelsdorp, director of the Bee Informed Partnership at the University of Maryland.
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