Pest Control

The Benefits And Importance Of Pest Control

  Prevention of Money Loss
The cost of damage caused by pest can be difficult to estimate, resulting in huge losses.

  Prevention of Damage
Almost every type of food commodity whether in production, store or use is subject to pest attack. Damage is also caused to the building, electrical wiring and plumbing. Higher repair cost will be required to rectify the damage.

  Elimination of Contamination
In addition to the food consumed, a vast quantity is fouled and contaminated by pest droppings, urine and hairs.

  Prevention of Loss of Goodwill
Items that are damaged by pest and fouled by their droppings are unacceptable to be traded and to the public.

  Prevention of Disease
Pest carries a number of diseases, which are harmful to human, and domestic animals.

  Relief from Fear
The presence of pest causes unnecessary distress and psychological disturbance to some people.

  Improve Employer - Employee Relationship
A clean and hygienic working environment is an important aspect in keeping employees happy and contented


Types Of Treatment

a. Rats Extermination and Control

Rat gel and rat tracking powder may be applied in hidden areas where the rats frequently travel, along the runways. The hairs of the rats will pick these powders when it rubs along the runways. When they carry out their body grooming using their own saliva, the rats will swallow the poison.

Outdoors Control (Areas surrounding building premises)

For every service, our technicians will survey the surrounding areas of the building to locate if there are any rat burrows or posts marked with rat faeces. In areas indicating rat activities, waterproof rat baits will be thrown into the rat burrows and if necessary, rat powder/gel will also be applied along the rats' track. The powder or gel will stick to the rats' fur and will kill them when the rats carry out their normal routine body grooming and cleaning.


b. Cockroaches and Common Ants Extermination and Control

Spraying or misting of insecticide, which has a good knockdown residual properties along all wall skirting, wall cracks, crawl space, septic tank, crevices and other runways, which includes all harborage areas for essential and effective control. In areas which are sensitive to water based insecticide such as electrical cables or items easily damaged by liquid, cockroach gels will be applied as an alternative. Residual spraying is usually carried out using compressed air sprayers with pin stream nozzles to spray the insecticides into cracks and areas that are hard to reach.

As there are many different species of cockroaches, some of them may form resistance to certain insecticides. At such, the insecticide will need to be changed from time to time to ensure effectiveness of the treatments. We would interchange between different groups of insecticide every 3 to 6 months.


c.  Subterranean Termites Extermination and Control

Spraying of approved termite powder into the termites’ tunnel system and around the areas will be performed where there is noted activity of subterranean termites. This method of treatment may not be a full proof control against termites. Should there be any further active subterranean termites found in the premises, we would recommend an additional proposal of anti-termite proofing treatment. A  Post-Construction Treatment or Corrective Treatment will be recommended for your consideration in terms of additional cost and scope of work.

CHEMICAL
Organophosphate is a common termiticide used by pest Control Company throughout the world. It contains Chlorpyrifos as an active ingredient. The chemical forms a repellent barrier, which acts as chemical or physical barrier. The control consists of breaking all structure-soil contacts to make it more difficult for the termite to reach the world.

INSPECTION & PRECAUTIONS
All built – on areas will be thoroughly inspected for the presence of material which hinder the effectiveness of the anti – termite treatment. Loose timber, wood shavings and debris or any other cellulose – bearing materials will be removed from the area before treatment is carried out.

WORK PROCEDURES
We will work in conjunction with the building contractor at all times during the course of the treatment. The site officer must make all the necessary preparation and should always liaise with the applicators. We must be notified (verbal or written) at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance when the site is ready for spraying.Pre – Construction Anti Termite involves spraying a chemical barrier immediately under the building structure as a protection against subterranean termites.
 
Stage 1    -    Impregnation of surface below pile cap after the hardcore has been laid but prior the concrete being poured
Stage 2    -    Impregnation of surface below ground beams areas after the hardcore has been laid but prior the
                       concrete being poured                           
Stage 3    -    Impregnation of surface below slap areas after the hardcore has been laid but prior the concrete being
                      poured
Stage 4    -    Impregnation of surfaces below the apron / terraces and areas within five feet beyond the edge of the
                      apron unless adjoining structure render this impracticable


Detailed Treatment

A. Remedial Treatment
Initially we will inspect the whole premises thoroughly inclusive of roof and carry out the remedial treatment if activity of subterranean termites is noted. This method of termite control is widely used which consists of the introduction of a toxic dust or chemical (slow killing re-action) into the termite tunnel system.

The worker termites pick up the fine particles of the toxic dust or chemical on their legs and on other parts of their bodies, and during the trips back to the nest they groom and feed each other and thus, transfer the toxic elements from one to another. The dead termites killed by the toxic action of the dust or chemical are eaten by the living workers during their scavenging duties and again pass the toxic elements around. However, this mode of treatment is not permanent and does not guarantee that fresh re-infestation of termites will not occur. As such, we shall carry out another service known as "Corrective or Post-Construction" treatment.

B. Corrective or Post-Construction Treatment
The objective of this treatment is to termite-proof a building against subterranean termite infestation by creating a chemical barrier of up to 30 cm width by 4 cm thick (depth) around the perimeter ground beams and columns/walls of the building. In order to reach the soil under slab-on-ground building, it is necessary to drill holes through the slab to inject chemical fluid. Drilling is accomplished by a heavy-duty "rotary-hammer" drill type and holes of 1.5 cm (interior) / 2.0 cm (exterior) diameter are usually drilled. The holes are drilled just over 5 to 8 cm from the vertical wall and the holes are spaced about 45 cm apart.

Where it is impossible to trench on the outside of the foundation wall, due to a concrete or other solid covering, then this must be drilled also. Internal foundation walls, or any internal wall extending downwards into the soil will be treated in the same way as given above by spaced drilling and injection of insecticide. Approximately 5 litres of chemical at the Correct Dilution Rate will be injected under pressure into each hole in order to create the size of the chemical barrier stated above. After injection these holes will be filled either with a cement mix or some other similar suitable material with colour that matches the general appearance of the surface.

1. TERMITE BAITING SYSTEM

i. OVERVIEW OF THE TERMITE BAITING PROCESS

Termite baiting concept made simple:

a. FIRST:
Establish a solid feeding cycle between the bait stations and the termite colony by "prebaiting", Placing monitoring stations that include a wood monitor in the soil. You establish this by allowing the foraging termites eat the wood, "sourcing out" the feeding source. If you were to put our "active" or "toxicant" at this point you would kill off the very workers that you need to establish the cycle. Once the termites start eating on that wood...

b. SECOND:
Put out a piece of cellulose (their food source), treated with poison...this is the poisoned bait known as "active" or "toxicant".

c. THIRD:
Termites eat this particular bait, feeding it to the entire colony....and in THEORY the colony dies and the complete colony is eliminated.

ii. INSTALLATION OF TERMITE BAITS
Baits stations are put below ground by enticing termites to feed on wooden stakes, cardboard, or some other cellulose-based material. The toxicant-laced bait can either be installed initially, or substituted after termite activity has been found in an untreated monitoring device (the preferred way).

Termites are not lured to the baits or bait monitors; they encounter them by "chance" during their random foraging activities. To increase the odds of discovery, the stations are installed at fixed intervals around the perimeter of the structure, and/or in suspected areas of termite activity (e.g., around woodpiles, stumps, moist areas, and adjacent to previous termite damage). With persistence and patience you will find the termites eventually foraging and feeding upon one or more of the bait installations.

iii. Monitoring Station Spacing: DEFENDER UNITS:
Defender Monitoring Stations shall be installed approximately every 10 -20 feet around the perimeter of the building.Using a 2 inch diameter drill bit, drill a 10 inch deep hole. We may also use a post hole digger or shovel, backing filling the dirt under the lip of the station so it is flush against the ground. Installation is best with a post hole digger, about 6-8 inches deep and 6 inches in diameter, backing filling the dirt under the lip of the station so it is flush against the ground.

MONITORING: Structures with Active Infestations
The Monitoring Stations will be checked for the presence of termites within one month following installation.Our service technician will look for the presence of mud on the top of the wood. If there is no evidence of termite activity, begin inspecting the Monitoring Stations every month.  If mud or live termites are found, we will carefully remove the cap and extract the wooden monitor, trying to minimize the disturbance. If there are live termites present, we will remove the Monitoring Station (plain wooden monitor stake) and install a Termite Bait Stake.

Once a Termite Bait Station has been introduced, re-inspection must occur within 4 weeks.

iv. Inspection of Bait Stations
Look through the clear cap of the Bait Station for the presence of termites or termite mud. Termites usually fill in the cardboard corrugations with mud when they infest a Bait Station. If there is no indication of termite activity, the Bait Stations must not be disturbed. Re-inspect shall take place every month.
If there is evidence of termite activity, our technician shall carefully remove the Bait Station from the ground to determine the amount of bait that has been consumed. We shall replace the Bait Station when approximately half of the bait has been consumed. Continue to monitor the Bait Station every 2-4 weeks while there is active feeding. A Bait Station must be replaced at least every 6 months. When termites have stopped feeding and no activity has been observed for three consecutive months, resume monitoring as described below.

v. Ongoing Monitoring
Following three months of inactivity in a previously active Bait Station, replace the Bait Station with a brand new Monitoring Station. Continue to inspect the Monitoring Stations every month.

vi. Reporting
Evolution shall prepare the monthly survey report of all the stations for your management. These reports shall present you with the status of the activities of termites at different sites of your area.


d. Mosquitoes Extermination and Control

	Interior Residual Treatments Space-sprays of insecticides will be carried out at areas where thermal fogging/misting is not possible such as Lobby Areas, undersides of furniture and flower pots/yards. Exterior Space Treatments Thermal fogging/misting of approved insecticide will be carried out around the premises especially at the car park areas, flowers beds and other landscape areas.

Larviciding will be carried out at all potential breeding sites. Approved insecticide shall be sprayed into drains and areas with stagnant water.


e. Houseflies Extermination and Control

	Environment sanitation is a fundamental measure for fly control. It is therefore of prime importance to eliminate the fly’s’ breeding-sites by proper disposal of refuse, manure, compost and other waste. Insecticides should be used as a supplement, not as a substitute. The target areas for insecticide treatment are directed at:

1.    Fly breeding areas ie. animal and human wastes and a wide variety of organic debris produced by man.

2.    Fly feeding areas ie. rubbish dumps, kitchen and other source of food areas.

3.    Fly resting areas ie. edges, strings, wires, exterior walls and fences.

Treatment is to be carried out by a method known as motor-blow or thermal blow. Insecticide will be sprayed onto the wall perimeter (about 5 feet in height from the ground) and to the feeding areas.

Under the circumstances where the normal treatment is ineffective due to a greater number of fly infestations, Z Sutera shall propose its Fly Trap system for installation at the affected areas especially where food hygiene is of important consideration. There shall be additional monthly charges depending on the number of Fly Trap units to be installed.

f. Fleas

There are more than 3,000 species of fleas in the world, but only a dozen of these are of medical and veterinary importance. The fleas are small, wingless insect (1-4mm long) which as adult feed on the blood of birds and mammals. It is blood-sucking behavior that accounts of their role as carriers of diseases and as nuisance. They are easily recognized because their body shape is flattened side way (laterally), usually brown in colour and can readily jump. Many fleas species are host-specific i.e. they are only found on a particular type of animal and will migrate when necessary. The female is larger than the male and can ingest more blood.

Fleas Borne Typhus commonly known as the murine typhus fever and is caused by microorganism Ricketssia typhi. This disease is transmitted by the rat fleas and cat fleas and frequently occurs in rat and mice populations. Human can be infected through exposure to the dried faeces and crushed bodies of the fleas. This disease occurs worldwide, especially in areas where man and rat are closely associated.
 
Control Measures

1.    Sanitation and Source Reduction
Since fleas breed in the dust and debris, keeping the floor clean by constant sweeping and washing with detergent or insecticide solution will help to remove or kill the eggs and immature stages. Vacuum cleaning is also effective.

2.    Chemical Insecticides
Spraying or misting of insecticide which has good knockdown residual properties along all wall skirting, wall cracks, crawl space, crevices, room corners and other places where fleas are suspected.


g. Bedbug

There are 2 species of bedbug that feed on humans : the common bedbug (Cimex lectularius) which occurs mainly in the temperate regions and the tropical bedbug (Cimex hemipterus) which are found mainly in the tropics. Although bedbugs are extremely annoying because of their bites and also their behavior of defecating during blood-sucking, they are not known to be carries of any disease. Experimentally, they are shown to be able to transmit several disease, but not such evidence is found in nature.

In the absence of wings, the bedbugs are dispersed by crawling from one room to another and they can only travel short distances. They spread from one house to another through clothes, second hand beddings and furniture. They usually found hiding in dark, dry places in beds, mattresses, crack in walls and floors, furniture, behind picture and wallpaper. These hiding places are also used for breeding.

Control Measures

1.    Sanitation and Source Reduction
To control bedbug, though the use of modern synthetic insecticides is most effective, a high degree of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation should be emphasized. Bed-bug-infested articles such as cloths, mattress should be disinfected by pouring boiling water over them or/and exposure to sunlight. Second hand furniture should be disinfected prior to being moved into a house.

2.    Chemical Insecticides
Heavily infested houses should be treated with residual insecticides for long term control. This involves deposition of long-lasting chemicals onto surfaces. Bedbugs are known to possess resistance to several organochlorines and hence the choice of insecticides should be based on those that the insect is still susceptible. Usually pyrethroids are preferred because they tend to irritate the bug and drive them out of the hiding places to be killed by the insecticide as most pyrethroids have both flushing and killing activities. The insecticide should be applied using a hand-operated compression sprayer. The treatment should be directed at mattresses, furniture, cracks and crevices in floors or walls.


h. Bees & Wasps

Bees and wasps are incidental pests in human environment. There are several species of bees and wasps that common around houses and other building in Malaysia. In general, these insect are not a threat to humans, and are actually beneficial. Bees are important pollinators and are also a source of honey, royal jelly, wax and bee pollens. Wasps are predators of harmful insects such as caterpillars and flies. However, the sting of these insects is always painful, and sensitive individuals may suffer severe reactions.

GENERAL BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR
It is extremely important to be able to differentiate between bees and wasps. Bees usually have hairy bodies, but not on wasps. Wasps appear to have smooth bodies. Just like ants and termites, they are social insects that live in colonies that consist of hundreds or thousands of individuals. Each colony usually has one to several queens and lots of workers and all of them are female. Workers are non-reproductive females. Males only occur at certain times of the year, and they are rejected from the parental nest after mating.

COMMON SPECIES
1.    Bees
2.    Umbrella Wasps
3.    Yellow Jacket Wasps
4.    Hornet

CONTROL STRATEGIES
Colonies of these social insects can be controlled by treating the nest directly with liquid or aerosol insecticide, or by the use of baits. Direct application of liquid insecticides to the nest is best done at night when majority of the workers are in the nest. Protective clothing should be worn whenever working with these stinging insects, and the use of fast-acting insecticides will limit the danger of stinging. Nest may be covered with plastic and aerosol can then be introduced into the confined space. Upon removal of the nest, it should be burned incase of any survivors.


i. Storage Pest

The pests of store products are so many that it is not possible to discuss in a short time. Store product insects are commonly found in warehouse, processing plants, mills, retail store and houses. These insects are mostly found in dried product such as grains, milled cereal products, spices, dried fruits, herbs etc. Most store product insects originate from the tropical and subtropical areas. As a result, they live and reproduce under warm, humid conditions. Infestation of store product insects can come from infested commodities in the warehouse, from crack and crevices, or insects that flies into building from the outside (neighbouring warehouse or mills)

CONTROL MEASURES
The most important curative measure in store product pest control is the use of chemicals. The chemicals used to control insects in the cereal-grain and cereal-processing industries comprise two classes : Contact insecticides and fumigants.

Contact Insecticides : Kill insects that contact treated surfaces or air spaces. They are usually used against insects that crawl or fly in open spaces or structural surfaces of grain elevators, flour and feed mills and warehouse. Certain low mammalian toxicity insecticides can be admixed with store grain to protect it from insect pests or to control established infestations.

Fumigation : Has the ability to control adults, pupae, larvae and eggs in store produce. When applied correctly applied, fumigation is very successful. The tiny gas molecules can easily penetrate large stacks of grain right into the individual grains, reaching and killing all stages of development of the pests. Mainly there are two types of fumigants that can be are used in stored product. They are phosphine and methyl bromide.