pest

Ahhh yes, my favorite time of year, fall! The leaves are changing, the temperature is starting to cool down, and pests are trying to wither their way indoors. As the colder months start to approach, it's important to realize that fall pest control is a must! Although pest control is essential for all seasons of the year, it is very important to prep your food processing facility for the winter.

The key to controlling pests is through prevention, defense, and management measures. It's important to know the calling signs of each of the categories of pests, so you can determine what products you will need for each. For insects, birds, and rodents, there are many similar calling signs, these include; droppings, visual sightings, eggs/hatchlings, noise, etc. When there is suspicion of pests present in your facility, it is important to do a thorough inspection of both the interior and exterior of the facility to determine the issue.

When you hear about pest control in the food industry, one of the most common forms you hear about are insects. Depending on your geographic location, insects can be a problem year round, or rather be an extreme issue in the Spring of the year when the climate is prone to producing the proper temperatures for population growth and potential infestation.

In a recent Food Quality article, Jim Fredericks, PhD does a great job at addressing some of the pests that aren't as commonly acknowledged. Touching base on pests from cockroaches to stored product pests, Dr. Fredericks discusses the issues associated with these organisms, as well as, ways to detect and control their population.