Third-quarter 2022 reader poll responses

Photo: Jezperklauzen/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

Since we last compiled Pest Management Professional (PMP) magazine poll results, we have received some excellent insights from readers in our monthly polls.

We also pose the same questions to our columnists and PMP editorial advisory board (EAB) members each month in print, to get their responses. The answers that don’t fit on the “Question of the Month” page for the print edition are always included in the online version. For example, what follow are some of our most recent polls, with a link to the contributor/EAB responses — and with a few of our favorite reader responses, too. Responses were edited for clarity.

July: What’s your favorite ant inspection tip?

• PMP Contributor/EAB responses
• “I like baits. Better than spraying. They find it and in turn it breaks down the nest.”
• “Follow their trail. If you watch for a few minutes, those workers will ‘take you to their leader.’ Even if your ID skills are lacking, you can easily see which species you’re dealing with by looking at the nest.”
• “Disperse grains of rice, or some other small pieces of food to foraging ants. Then, after they pick up a food piece, track them to the nest location. This works great on carpenter ants.”
• “Know the time and place your ant forages most actively before deciding the treatment protocol for a job.”
• “On a new account — or on that ‘I saw another ant’ problem account — make an initial trip around the structure baiting with sugar-based and protein-based baits. When you are done, go around the house again inspecting your baits. Add more bait where needed, and gather clues to where the ants are nesting. The protein bait particles will be moving in the direction of the nests (ants don’t eat solid food). With the sugar-based bait, the ‘full-bellied’ ants will point the way home also!”

August: What’s a good business tip when it comes to bed bug services?

• PMP Contributor/EAB responses
• “Make certain the prep work was done thoroughly.”
• “Don’t be cheap.”
• “Thorough application of chemicals is key. Use alternatives like heat treatment to enhance your professional image.”
• “Stress the importance of preparation to customers. If you stress prep, and it is done sufficiently before every service, a bed bug job turns into big profit, for little time spent on location.”
• “Find a company that employs K9s for inspections. Inspect at least two times a year.”
• “Make sure you are identifying them correctly, then start the appropriate treatment.”
• “Set appropriate expectations!”
• “We tell customers, ‘Don’t panic, call us and relax because we can help. You can help by vacuuming all the places where you see them!’”
• “We tell customers, ‘Do not put your luggage in the floor, bed or furniture in a hotel room. The best thing to do is hang it up. If you’re not able to hang it, do not leave your suitcase unzipped while in the room.’”
• “Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. It greatly reduces callbacks.”

September: What advice do you give customers when providing tick control services?

• PMP Contributor/EAB responses
• “Even with multiple levels of control, you still need to check yourself, your kids, and your pets for ticks. Removing ticks promptly is the only certain way to avoid tick-borne diseases.”
• “We always go with using many of the quality residual products available on the market, to protect our customers from getting Lyme disease.”