iQ rodent sensing technology: essential to IPM
Rodent monitoring is a vital part of any pest management professional’s (PMP’s) integrated pest management (IPM) plan. It’s how technicians know what species are infesting an account, how many rodents there are, and which areas need extra care.
However, bait consumption, sightings, and other signs don’t tell the whole story. Technicians can estimate the severity of the infestation, but it’s ultimately a guessing game. Because pest control involves placing rodenticides, guessing is far from ideal.
That’s why technicians must depend on rodent sensing technology like iQ products to accurately monitor rodent infestations and support integrated pest management practices. iQ products track when and where rodents are moving, giving PMPs the data they need to make informed decisions at their accounts.
What are iQ products?
Bell Laboratories’ iQ products, powered by Bell Sensing Technologies, automatically record rodent activity with integrated Bluetooth sensors.
This technology allows PMPs to check iQ traps and bait stations from up to 100 feet away with their smart device and the free Bell Sensing app. The app instantly shows technicians which devices in range have rodent activity and captures. This means no more checking empty traps.
After each service visit, rodent activity data is uploaded to the free Bell Sensing portal. The data is then gathered into easy-to-read reports that help PMPs make informed decisions at their accounts. PMPs can also send reports to their customers to show how rodent activity has decreased at their property.
iQ products make IPM attainable
Integrated pest management focuses on the long-term reduction of pests while minimizing risks to people and the environment. Rodent monitoring is constant throughout the entire IPM process. To perform IPM, technicians must:
- Identify the species
- Conduct a census
- Define an acceptable threshold of rodent activity
- Create a plan and implement a program
- Evaluate the program
Each step requires technicians to know how rodents behave at an account. Without rodent sensing technology, technicians rely on droppings, rodent damage, trap captures, and sightings to estimate the size of an infestation. Though these signs give valuable insight into rodent behavior at an account, they do not translate into quantifiable data.
iQ products provide the concrete data technicians need to make informed IPM decisions. They allow PMPs to track rodent activity, identify when thresholds are passed, and evaluate if their rodent control program is working.
Here’s how.
Rodent monitoring with iQ devices and pulse baiting
Rodent monitoring is the first step to meeting IPM goals. An effective way to track rodent activity is with pulse baiting. It has three simple steps:
- Set a bait station with non-toxic bait.
- Confirm rodent activity.
- Switch to a rodenticide to knock down the rodent population.
After the infestation is knocked down to a manageable level, the PMP returns to non-toxic monitoring.
Without rodent sensing technology, pulse baiting requires a technician to estimate activity based on how much bait is consumed. With iQ devices, technicians know exactly how many rodents enter the station, even bait-shy rodents that don’t consume any bait.
Pulse baiting with iQ products is an incredibly effective tool for any PMP for two main reasons.
Pulse baiting with iQ products is an incredibly effective tool for any PMP for two main reasons.
The second and most important reason is iQ data helps technicians reduce and justify rodenticide use. A key tenant of IPM is using pesticides only when necessary. IPM practices suggest mitigating infestations with sanitation, exclusion, and trapping before resorting to chemical solutions. However, this isn’t always enough.
For example, Rottler Pest and Lawn Solutions uses iQ products to service the St. Louis Zoo. The 90-acre account is a sensitive one, with over 19,000 animals and more than 3 million visitors each year. Service manager Lance Woolbright said zoo management wants to avoid rodenticide wherever possible, so his team defaults to pulse baiting and trapping. However, there are times when rodent activity exceeds the acceptable threshold his team sets based on the account’s historic iQ data.
“If traps aren’t solving a problem, we can show our partners iQ’s rodent activity data to prove why rodenticide is necessary to get control of an infestation,” he said. “When they see the data, they understand.”
Woolbright said pulse baiting with iQ products has been a winning strategy at the zoo. It’s reduced rodenticide use while giving his team the data they need to justify rodenticide use.
iQ = IPM
iQ products and the data they provide make IPM attainable. iQ’s rodent activity data gives pest management professionals the insight they need to make informed decisions, empowering PMPs to take a scientific approach to rodent control, use fewer chemicals, and save time.
These factors work together to create better outcomes for your client, employees, and business.
To learn more about iQ products, contact your Target representative or visit bellsensing.com
