Use evidence from rodents to control them

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October 12, 2021

Dr. Jason Meyers, Technical Services Representative, BASF

Dr. Jason Meyers, Technical Services Representative, BASF

Rodent bait station placement in our industry can sometimes lack accuracy and precision. The reason for this could be the mindset many rodenticide labels create when they state placement guidelines.

Take “spaced at intervals of 15 to 30 feet,” for example. This can lead to PMPs not necessarily thinking about the best placements to deal with the population. As the late, great Texas A&M entomologist Dr. Jimmy Olson (one of my mentors) used to say, “insects don’t read books.” They don’t read labels, either — and neither do rodents.

Follow all labels, of course, but also use the evidence the rodents offer you. If there are sebum trails, marks/rubs, pellets, hairs, directional markings, etc., use them to double down in those areas if the label allows such intervals. Movement markings, especially in the beginning, may not offer enough evidence for the usual direction. So, placing a station on either side (or up or down, for that matter) may be crucial to getting an initial hit and ultimate success. Further, mice, in particular, like to feed in new places, and you could miss such changes due to poor timing.

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Technical Services Representative, BASF

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