Over the last few years, innovations in the pest control industry have made a significant impact on multi-residential communities. Treatment times for bed bugs have been revolutionized by advances in technological approaches and management of the invasive pests, known for wreaking havoc on both the physical and mental state of residents.
Investment and funding into the science and innovation behind pest control products has resulted in considerable advancements in biological pest control — products which use natural predators, parasites or pathogens to control pests. A recently developed eco-conscious product has radically changed the way bed bugs are treated. In turn, it is minimizing the impact on building occupants.
Fast Re-Entry Times
“With traditional treatments, an occupant has to be out of their home for between four to six hours,” says Paolo Bossio, President and CEO of Advantage Pest Control. Bossio says the treatment now takes less than half the time, meaning occupants can come home early. “Now we’re down to a one-hour re-entry and people don’t have to leave for such a long stretch,” he says.
In addition, there’s less prep work. Clean clothes in drawers and closets can stay there, and books don’t need to come off shelves.
Sprayed strategically around bed frames, Aprehend® is a natural biopesticide which works as a long-term residual residual barrier. When a bed bug crosses the barrier to reach their food source, it picks up the spores carried in the product, which then germinate and kill the bug within 3 to 7 days.
A benefit of the Aprehend® treatment is that it doesn’t ‘flush’ bedbugs from one unit to another as can happen with regular chemical treatments. This cuts down on the number of units requiring treatment.
It’s important that the occupants of a unit maintain their normal routine and stay in the home after it has been treated. The carbon dioxide emitted by human breathing is critical to draw bed bug movement across the residual barrier.
Longer Intervals Between Treatments
Further minimizing the impact on building occupants, the number of days needed between treatments is improved. “Where before it was two to three weeks,” Bossio says, “the service interval is now 25 days. It’s a longer period between services.”
Additionally, since the product is a natural biopesticide, it is a safer treatment product for the household.
Bossio, who founded Advantage Pest Control in 2000 following the footsteps of his father who has worked in the industry for decades, warns that there are strict controls in place for use of the biopesticide, and it can only be used by licensed professionals. Additionally, Aprehend® must be stored in moderate temperatures, since it breaks down when exposed to heat or cold.
“It must be temperature controlled to keep it viable,” he explains. “Aprehend® needs to be treated with respect in terms of product storage. We have a warehouse that is held at a constant temperature, and the product is stored there. it needs to be in a stable temperature environment.”
While bed bugs and cockroaches are a staple for the business, Bossio has a warning for 2024: “Because we’ve had such a mild winter, we might see more rodent activity. We’ll know for sure in the next two or three months.”
If you’re concerned about pests in your building, please contact Advantage Pest Control at 416-297-8010, or via email to info@advantagepestcontrol.co to book a consultation. Visit our website at www.advantagepestcontrol.co.
Paolo Bossio is the President and CEO of Advantage Pest Control Inc., a family-owned and operated business specializing in Dynamic Integrated Pest Management programs.
