Keep out pests in winter months

Mel Whitson, Senior Field Technical Service Manager, Zoëcon Professional Products

Just because the temperatures have dropped in many areas throughout the United States doesn’t mean we can let our guard down when it comes to ant infestations. Ants can cause frequent callbacks, no matter the season.

The key to keeping indoor spaces free from ants in winter months is clear communication between customers and PMPs. Keeping customers briefed on the best integrated pest management (IPM) practices is the best way to handle these nuisance insects. In winter months, it’s vital to keep both indoor and outdoor spaces free from clutter, to seal entrances, and to monitor indoor spaces for signs of insect activity. Ants are social creatures, so once one ant has been spotted, the colony isn’t far behind. Prebaiting to stimulate activity and trailing can help determine colony location.

As the weather gets cooler, ants will be foraging — looking for food, shelter and water. Make sure customers know that cutting off those resources is crucial to successfully controlling ants, and they should notify their PMPs as soon as insect activity is spotted.