[Annual Rodent Control Issue] Optimizing Rodent Programs

“Rodent control is like (a pair of) pants. One size does not fit all — regardless of how they’re marked,” said Mark “Shep” Sheperdigian, BCE, vice president of technical services at Rose Pest Solutions, Troy, Mich. “They’re not going to fit everyone. They’re either going to be too big or too small. Truth is, they’ll need to be tailored to fit you.” The same is true for rodent control: one program won’t fit the needs of every facility.

“To make matters worse, we tend to think of rodent control as ‘more is better,’ or ‘bigger is better,’” said Sheperdigian. “Bigger is not always better. Better is better. A tailored program is the only way to approach rodent control, because no two situations are exactly the same.”

Each facility has idiosyncrasies that make it unique. Some buildings are sieves, others have an ample food source, while others have landscaping that provides ample harborage for rodents, as well as many other critters. As you develop and review a rodent control program, start with the basics.

We often fall into comfortable routines, personally and professionally. Haven’t we all thought: I saw the same problem a few years ago at another facility. The program included X and Y and it worked. The same should work here. Or, possibly the worst routine of all, we’ve always done it this way. Those are characteristics of the old approach to developing a rodent control program.

Rodent populations rise and fall. “Optimizing rodent control is the process of making adjustments so the amount of resources you’re providing to a facility is appropriate for the degree of risk,” said Sheperdigian.
 

Tape Measure?

“We base a lot of our rodent control on what the tape measure says — how far apart bait stations or devices should be placed,” said Sheperdigian. We’re allowing a tape measure to make decisions for us, he said. “With that thinking, rodent activity has very little to do with the program.”

“The home range of an average mouse, in an average situation, is roughly 25 feet,” explained Sheperdigian. Placing bait stations every 25 feet, or better yet every 12 feet, to intercept that mouse seems reasonable. More is better, right? “The truth is you’re going to end up with too many bait stations in some areas, and not enough in others. You’re not considering where that mouse is more or less likely to live.”

Manufacturers provide device placement guidelines and they should be used as such — guidelines. There isn’t an exact distance devices should be placed. Place them where they’ll be most effective to address the rodent problem. Sometimes that’s 15 feet apart; other times it’s 50 feet apart. You’re smarter than your tape measure and you have more experience, too.
 

Surrounding the Building?

“If you’re only placing devices around the outside perimeter of a building, you’re going to be missing a lot of rodent activity,” said Sheperdigian. “Once mice are inside they could be just about anywhere!” Perimeter placement isn’t enough.
 

Too Many Stations.

Don’t fall into the mindless habit of simply adding more devices. “You saw more rodent activity this year so you added supplemental stations and devices,” explained Sheperdigian. “It seems reasonable, but that’s the old way of thinking. Did you evaluate why there was a spike in activity?”

If you continue to add more devices without taking any away, you’re going to reach a point where there isn’t enough time to properly service the account. “It may be that you’re servicing stations when you should be doing something else, such as inspecting,” suggested Sheperdigian. Ask yourself, if I add one device here, is there another I can remove?

If there are a lot of devices and month after month there’s no rodent activity or tangible results, and no bait consumption, you may think the program is working great. Take a step back. You may be making the wrong assumption. What if the devices are in the wrong place?
 

Sharpen Detective Skills.

Sherlock Holmes never accepted a clue at face value. He probed deeper using his astute logical reasoning and deduction to uncover critical insights. Significant clues are sometimes hidden in plain sight.

“Inspection is absolutely critical when it comes to effective rodent control,” said Sheperdigian. “I would go so far as to say that inspection is the real value that you offer. What clients really need out of a rodent control program is you, your eyes and knowledge to sort through all the clues, obvious and hidden. That’s the value you bring. Put more of your discriminating experience into a rodent control program — not more devices.”
 

Historical Review.

The new approach to rodent control is to analyze historical data. Reviewing the facts can help you determine rodent population fluctuations and areas of activity, what devices to use, how many and where to place them.

“Historical data is important and helpful,” said Sheperdigian. “What’s difficult is when there isn’t any historical data.” Then what? Rather than guessing, ask around. Talk with the person overseeing rodent control at the facility. Identify others who may also be able to provide some insight. Use the information gathered from third-parties as the basis of your program. Although it may not be ideal, it eliminates purely guessing. It’s a start.

“In addition to using historical data, develop a program guided by current activity,” suggests Sheperdigian. “Place a standard array of bait stations outside and multiple catch traps inside. Run the program for a year and see what happens.”
 

Plan the Work.

To ensure you’re collecting usable data, the plan should be in writing. “Written plans make good clients. It’s always good for the facility and the pest management firm to know exactly what the plan is,” said Sheperdigian. The plan should document where there’s activity, include a diagram of device placement, list bait being used (only one bait per station), as well as where and when devices are added, moved or removed. The more detailed your documentation the better you’re going to be able to adjust the plan to be increasingly effective.

A year’s data is a good start, but unfortunately it’s not enough to determine what’s going to happen every year. As you acquire multiple years of data you’ll begin to see trends that you can use to develop a more customized plan. Look for trends such as activity in the fall or in vulnerable areas. Most importantly, monitor the facility regularly.
 

Final Thoughts.

A good rodent control program should be reviewed at least quarterly and revised annually. What worked? What stations have had a lot of activity? Which have had little or no activity, and why? Where is there evidence or reports of activity? Has the physical environment changed, such as a building expansion or additional landscaping?

“Mice can show up in the darndest places with no real explanation as to how they got there or how long they’ve been there,” said Sheperdigian. That’s why it’s always good to inspect every area on a regular basis — annually, quarterly or monthly in some places. “Some areas need regular weekly inspection and if there’s rodent activity, even once a week may not be enough.” The more activity there is the shorter period of time there should be between each review.

“When revising the plan, don’t make all of your changes at once. Make small, incremental changes,” suggested Sheperdigian. “If you do everything at once and things get better, that’s great, but you won’t know what did it. There are swings in rodent activity. It would be devastating if mice were running all over the year after you pulled out a number of devices. It’s really difficult to explain to a client.”

You’re the most valuable addition to a rodent control program. Clients are hiring you for your knowledge, experience and analytical skills. Don’t get caught in the trap of doing things the same way they’ve always been done. How can you optimize every client’s rodent control program?

About the author: Dan Austin is a Florida-based author who writes about pest management frequently. Email him at daustin@gie.net.