How to use iQ rodent activity data to solve problems at your accounts
Providing quality rodent control takes skill, but sometimes it comes down to making educated guesses. Pest management professionals (PMPs) can’t know exactly when and where rodents are traveling or the exact size of an infestation. Inspection can help, but it doesn’t give the whole story.
With iQ products, powered by Bell Sensing Technologies, technicians know exactly what is happening at their accounts. By taking a data-driven approach to rodent control, PMPs can knock down infestations faster, have happier customers, and service more accounts in less time.
What are iQ products?
iQ products are Bell’s smart rodent control technology solution. Each device contains an integrated Bluetooth sensor, allowing technicians to service devices up to 100 ft. away.
When a PMP finishes service at an account with iQ products, rodent activity data is automatically uploaded to the free online Bell Sensing portal and formatted into a variety of easy-to-read reports.
Interpreting data is the first step to taking advantage of the full power of iQ products.
Context is key when interpreting data
One of the most important pieces of information that iQ products collect are timestamps of rodent activity. In other words, iQ devices record the exact time rodents enter the bait station, which are referred to as “events” in the Bell Sensing portal.
These timestamps can tell PMPs a lot. The most obvious information it shows is how many times a rodent entered the bait station, but that’s only part of the story. Rodent activity data, like all data, doesn’t exist by itself. Data exists in the greater context of the world around it. In rodent control, that specifically means rodent activity data depends on the context of the account and the rodent control done there.
To illustrate that idea, imagine this scenario:
A PMP was called to an account to solve a mouse infestation at a multi-story apartment building. The infestation seems severe, with tenants on every floor complaining about mice.
The PMP deploys iQ bait stations along the building’s exterior and inside each apartment unit.
After one week, iQ data shows that outdoor rodent activity is minimal (40 events), while indoor activity is very high (2,500 events). However, despite most apartment units having very high activity, some neighboring apartments had minimal activity. Additionally, some stations with high activity had little to no bait consumption.
A PMP can analyze this data to come to several conclusions (shown in the chart below).
DATA |
ANALYSIS |
CONCLUSION |
|---|---|---|
Low activity outdoors, high activity indoors |
There is a breeding rodent population indoors. Outdoor rodents getting inside are not causing the infestation. | Exclusion is not an immediate priority. The rodent control program should focus entirely on the building’s interior. |
High activity in most apartments, minimal in some |
It is unlikely that some apartment units do not have rodent activity. Mice are likely in different areas of the apartment. | In apartments with no activity, move the bait stations to a different area. |
High activity but low bait consumption |
The mice are bait shy, dislike the existing bait, or there are competing food sources. | Switch rodenticides and increase trapping to eradicate bait-shy mice. Communicate to apartment management that tenants may want to containerize their food. |
This scenario is based on a real PMP’s experience with iQ and how they used it to eradicate an infestation. They used data to improve bait station placement and identify where rodents are traveling. The PMP reduced rodent activity by over 50% in one month, virtually eliminating it within ten months.
Applying data analysis to any account
Whether it’s at an apartment building, a single-family home, or a commercial facility, the same principles of data analysis apply.
By looking at iQ data, PMPs can determine:
- Rodent activity hotspots
- Historical rodent activity at an account
- Key times of activity
- Effective bait station placement
- Bait shyness or preference
This information is automatically formatted into simple reports in the free Bell Sensing portal. The data is right there, ready to give PMPs the clues they need to solve rodent infestations.
iQ products make sense
PMPs taking a data-driven approach to rodent control will see results. They’ll knock down infestations faster, have satisfied customers, and service more accounts in less time .
iQ products are redefining the rodent control industry, combining cutting-edge technology with practical benefits for PMPs and their clients. By embracing iQ products, PMPs can deliver superior service – all while staying one step ahead of rodent infestations.
If you have any questions about getting started with iQ products or how to use rodent activity data at your accounts, contact your Bell Technical Representative or the Bell Sensing team today.
