published for members & friends of the iowa pest [email protected] dan polson jr. the bug...
TRANSCRIPT
Letter from the President ........ 2l
Board of Directors ................... 2l
Is your Website Up to Speed ..... 9
In this Issue
Published for Members & Friends of the Iowa Pest Management Association • 4th Quarter, 2018
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Power outage! It was a first for
the Iowa Pest Management Association conference. Ten minutes into the presentation on bed bug controls, the power went out in the convention center, the entire hotel, and a sizeable portion of southern Des Moines. The hotel’s emergency lighting came on so no one was in danger. As importantly, the conference speakers pressed ahead but without microphone or PowerPoint projector. It takes a real trooper and a professional to ramp up the volume so the 183 pest management professionals in the ballroom could hear and understand the details without visuals. Our thanks to Dr. Karen Vail and Tommy Powell for continuing under trying circumstances.
As mentioned, 183 owners, managers, and technicians attended the 2018 IPMA conference along with representatives from 21 manufacturer and supplier vendor reps and 3 IDALS officials. Thursday saw a trio of speakers and a trio of PMPs share insights, tidbits and details. Dr. Fred Whitford from the Purdue University Pesticide Program discussed the importance of water quality in the performance of pesticide solutions. Differences in pH, mineral content and water hardness can alter the performance pesticides in dramatic ways. If you’re not sure your water is helping or hurting you, have it tested!
Conference Successful Despite Power Outage
Page 2 IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018
From the President
Board of DirectorsPresidentJeff CochranBosch Pest Control1103 Grandview Ave.Muscatine, IA [email protected]
Vice President Brent FreeseDiam Pest ControlP.O. Box 3955Urbandale, IA [email protected]
Secretary/TreasurerShawn Van GorpMenninga Pest Control2035 Hickory TrailPella, IA 50219641-628-3198
Allied RepNick FugateKness, Inc.2053 Hwy 5 SouthPO Box 70Albia, IA [email protected]
Dustin EmersonSpringer Professional Home Services 1320 NE 60th Ave. Des Moines, IA 50313 712-221-0222 [email protected]
Jeremy MillerWil-Kil Pest Control2803 Capitol Dr. Suite #1Sun Prairie, WI [email protected]
Dan Polson Jr.The Bug Man Inc.PO Box 36751Des Moines, IA [email protected]
Josh RzepkaEnviro-Pest SolutionsP.O. Box 125Waterloo, IA 50704319-232-2915 [email protected]
Gene SpauldingBobcat Wildlife & Pest Control33621 S. Old Hwy. 6Redfield, IA [email protected]
Brian Smith Preferred Pest Control3400 100th St. Urbandale, IA 50131Phone: [email protected]
Anthony BoyleC-Cat Termite & Pest3640 Flint Ridge Dr.Burlington, IA [email protected]
Donald [email protected]
Newsletter EditorJune Van KlaverenCompelling [email protected]
Executive SecretaryStaci [email protected]
The Connection newslet-ter is published 4 times a year as a service to members of IPMA. It contains organization information, articles and ads designed especially to make your job as Pest Management Profes-sional easier and more profitable. Direct inquiries and cor-respondence to any of the Board of Directors, to Staci Babler at 515-708-6078 or [email protected] or to June Van Klaveren at 636-394-4148 or [email protected]
Conference NewsThank you for joining
us at our 2018 IPMA Conference! We had an excellent line up of speakers and a dedicated team of Board Members that worked hard to make this year a successful conference. I want to
extend a special thank you to Dr. Donald Lewis and our Executive Secretary, Staci Babler, who worked dilegently behind the scenes.
I hope every attendee took something home that can be put into practice. Whether that be testing your water quality, properly mixing chemicals, communicating with customers better, or better inspection
techniques for bed bugs and roaches, my hope is that your new knowledge will strengthen you in your line of work.
I would also like to welcome our newest board members, Jeremy Miller (Wil-Kil) and Dan Polson (The Bug Man). I know they will be a great addition to the Board and I look forward to the contributions they will make. Feel free to contact them or any of the board members with your questions or concerns.
As we enter into the Holiday season, let me encourage each of you to seek out ways that you could make an impact on your communities.
From the entire IPMA Board of Directors, have a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous new year!
2019 conference:
November 14 & 15, 2019
Airport Holiday Inn Conference
Center in Des Moines
IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018 Page 3
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Dr. Karen Vail, Professor of Urban Integrated Pest Management at the University of Tennessee, explained her recent research into quick inspection techniques for bed bugs in multi-residence buildings. It turns out Apartment Managers aren’t always aware of the extent of bed bugs in their buildings, and that a quick inspection process followed by 1 to 4 passive, pitfall monitors per apartment is effective at finding early (small) infestations that can be efficiently eliminated before bedbugs spread to neighboring units and spare residents the expense of throwing away furniture.
Tom Dobrinska or Anderson Pest Solutions, Chicago, reviewed many of his most trying and troublesome pest control experiences. From pests in “cubicle
farms” to hospitals to Phorid flies breeding under a concrete slab, pest management starts with accurate pest identification and requires imagination, ingenuity, close attention to details, and a follow up plan. Sometimes, monitoring with double-sided tape gives you the clue you need to succeed.
Lastly, and prior to adjourning to the
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Page 4 IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018
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reception in the vendor display area, three IPMA members (Keith Gordon, Bob Boyle, and Dave Jennett) shared their experience, insight and wisdom on dealing with situations ranging from spider control, SDS, and new employee training. All mentioned scheduling and invoicing software as one of the best advances in pest control in the past several years.
Friday was a full day of lectures, discussions, vendor visits and networking. Following the introduction of vendors, IPMA President Chuck Summers called the IPMA Annual Membership Meeting to order. Updates, accomplishments and
the state of the Association were presented and Board member elections held. Congratulations to returning Board member, Dustin Emerson (Springer Professional Home Services), and welcome to new Board members Jeremy Miller (Wil-Kil Pest Control) and Dan Polson, Jr. (The Bug Man).
Fred Whitford started the day with a witty review of the serious subject of spray equipment maintenance and winterization.
“Spray tanks get old and brittle; if you can knock a hole in your spray tank with a ball
bat, it’s time to replace it!” Lots of head-scratching followed when Fred asked if your insurance covers you in case your trailer comes loose on the highway. Does it? That was followed by a review of the steps you can take to make sure your trailer doesn’t come off its hitch.
For a pest as common and old as the German cockroach, Tom Dobrinska had new and novel ideas about cockroach inspection, sanitation, treatment (non-chemical and chemical), and
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IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018 Page 5
(Continued from page 4)follow-up. Baits are usually the first choice for roach control multiple treatment formulations in the same service may be your answer.
Karen Vail returned to talk about IPM in schools and other sensitive accounts. There are still no easy answers but keys to success are still inspection and monitoring, habitat modification, treatment, evaluation, record keeping, and most importantly, stakeholder input and education. When you find aerosol lice spray cans in a classroom, what is your response? How
can we improve the education we provide in sensitive accounts?
There is never a shortage of small fly problems in food facilities, and because they are small and many look alike, make sure you’ve got the identification right so you know the biology, food preference and habitats of the pest you’re dealing with. Jeff Caudill from Nisus Corporation reviewed fly identification, potential development areas, and IPM actions including exclusion, traps, and treatment options such as sprays,
dusts, foams and baits.
After lunch and more time visiting with manufacturer and supplier representatives, Karen Vail was back to talk about bed bug control strategies. Karen was 10 minutes into her presentation when potential disaster struck. Power Outage! Karen had just illustrated that reliance on chemical control alone for bed bugs is ineffective when the conference and hotel facility went dark. Without a microphone or a video projector, Karen went right on and explained the importance of monitoring and working with residents
and apartment managers to get good control results. For example, treatment
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IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018 Page 7
prep requirement should be based on your assessment of the infestation rather than a one-size-fits-all. Also non-chemical controls such as washing and drying, heating, vacuuming and exclusion should be part of the routine.
Electrical power was still off when Tommy Powell from MGK spoke on the mosquito life cycle and treatment options PMPs can use to reduce blood-feeding mosquitoes from clients’ properties. Treatment must focus of mosquito resting and breeding sites such as vegetation, perennial border, bottoms of trees and stagnant water sources. It’s just as important to know what you can NOT treat, including natural bodies of water, ponds, food surfaces, toys, people or pets! The protect bees and other pollinators inspect areas to be treated. Make notes so you don’t treat any flowering or fruit-bearing trees, shrubs or plants.
We welcomed new Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship Pesticide
Bureau employee Jeni Lara to the meeting. She reviewed the four missions of the Bureau: Product Registration, Dealer Licensing, Certification Testing, and Investigation and Enforcement.
Donald Lewis from Iowa State University was the final speaker with possibly the least-likely topic; A review of a new, invasive species of earthworm that applicators may notice while treating for
termites or invaders around the outside of houses. The Jumping Worm is accurately named and jumps and wiggles violently when disturbed where they live, just under the mulch layer. Watch for them!
The IPMA Silent Auction (items donated by the vendors, Board members and others) raised $1,360 for the IPMA
Scholarship Fund. The 2018 scholarship recipients were Cassidy Conley (Green Valley Pest Control & Lawn Care) and Joshua Gulich (Coppes Pest
Solutions). Congratulations! The 2019 scholarship application is available online until May.
Attendees raised $125 for Toys for Tots this year, as well as several toys to donate. We appreciate all who contributed to the Silent Auction and Toys for Tots!
Next year’s conference will be held on November 14 & 15, 2019, at the Airport Holiday Inn Conference Center in Des Moines IA. We hope to see you there.
Next year’s conference will be held on November 14 & 15, 2019, at the Air-port Holiday Inn Conference Center in Des Moines IA.
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Page 8 IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018
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IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2018 Page 9
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Is Your Website Up to Speed
By Cindy Mannes, Professional Pest Management Alliance
In today’s era of digital marketing, the role a website plays in a company’s success cannot be underestimated. If one picture is really worth a thousand words, then an entire website certainly speaks volumes about a company. Although the online world is dynamically evolving, below is a simple checklist of factors that marketers can reference to ensure their company’s website is maximizing its potential.
EASY NAVIGATION In 2015, Microsoft released a study that found people generally have the attention span of eight seconds, only one second less than a goldfish, so the ability to sift through content with ease is key. Search bars should be clearly visible, and consumers should be able to intuitively find their way to other pages on the site. It’s also important to ensure all contact information is not only clearly listed, but also that it is regularly updated to reflect any technical changes. Features like online chats can also help serve as a useful customer service tool, especially if you are trying to reach Millennials.
DEVICE VERSATILITYIt’s rare to see someone using a cellular device that isn’t a smartphone with Internet access. In fact, nearly three-quarters of American adults (77 percent) say they own a smartphone, according to Pew Research, which is up from 35 percent in 2011. It’s more important than ever before to have a company website that is responsive – one that will adapt to the screen size of any device whether it is a
laptop, tablet or smartphone. There are various tools that can help determine if a company’s website is adaptable for mobile use.
HIGH SEO RANKINGIf a marketer wants to know if a website is competitive, look no further than its search engine optimization (SEO) status. There are a number of ways to improve SEO, from producing and frequently posting relevant content, to adjusting tags, and beyond.
These basics serve as a strong foundation to maintain a well-functioning site. The work that pest control companies do to help defend public health and property is important, and it’s essential to leverage every tool to help share our efforts. By strengthening and mobilizing our online content, together our individual voices can be better heard as one.
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