This document provides information about rodent control and bed bugs. It discusses why rodent control is important due to food destruction and damage as well as disease transmission. The three most common rodents are Norway rats, roof rats, and house mice. Signs of infestation include gnawing, droppings, rub marks and nesting areas. Treatment involves identifying food and shelter sources and using traps, bait stations and sealing entry points. The document also covers bed bug identification, biology, inspection and treatment. Bed bugs are small, oval insects that feed on humans at night. Signs of infestation include spots on bedding and live bugs or eggs in harborage areas. Treatment involves steam, vacuuming, pesticides

1. December 11, 2007

2. Why is Rodent Control so
Important ?

4.  Loss & Destruction of food
 1982-reported 42M tons of food ($30B); 1/5-1/3 of world’s
food supply does not reach table
 Gnawing Damage
 2% of daily activities; incisor growth is continual, Moh’s scale
(5.5), estimate ½ of fires declared undetermined origin from
rodents
 Human Disease & Allergens
 Harbor / transport disease, pathogens, microorganisms,
ectoparasites
 Loss of business
 Word of mouth, public health posting

5. What are the three most
common rodents Orkin
deals with?

6. 3 most common rodents
 Norway rat
 Roof rat
 House mouse
 Honorable mention: shrews, voles, deer
mice, lemmings, jumping mice

7. House Mouse
 Originates from Central Asia
 #1 rodent pest in most parts of the world
 Smallest of the 3 – about 2-3½ inches long
(head and body)
 Weighs about 14-28g
 Gestation: 18-21 days
 Avg of 5-6 mice/litter
 Lifespan up to 2yrs
 Breed rapidly, tolerant of many conditions,
adjust quickly to environ

8. Norway Rat
 Originated in Central Asia
 Large – head and body
about 16 inches long
 Avg weight 340g
 Gestation: 21-25 days
 Avg of 6-12 pups/ litter
 Lifespan 1yr
 Neophobic nature

9. Roof Rat
 Also known as black rat,
ship rat
 16 inches long
 Avg weight 226g
 Tail longer than the body
 Sleeker appearance
 Prefer elevated areas/ more elusive
 Tropical / costal areas predominantly

10. Why do rodents infest
structures?

11.  Colder weather drives them indoors
 Changes to their natural habitat
 Food and water availability
 Population
 Shipped with product
Why do rodents infest
structures?

12. What are the different
ways of identifying rodent
infestations?

13. Identifying Rodent
Infestations
 Gnawing Damage
 Droppings
 Rub Marks
 Damaged Products
 Burrowing
 Nests
 Odor

14. Gnawing

15. Rub/ Grease Marks
 Oil and dirt rub off of a rat’s coat when it
rubs against things. These grease marks
build up in often used runways and soon
become noticeable. These marks are
commonly found along wall/floor
junctions, on pipes and ceiling joists, and
on sill plates.

16. Damaged Product

17. Burrowing/ Nesting

18. The Five Steps to Control
1. Seek out the source of infestation
2. Identify conducive conditions for the
existing and any potential infestation
3. Communicate with the customer to
resolve the infestation
4. Proper use of control devices
5. “Documentation”

19. Rodent entry areas
 Openings around utility lines that enter the
facility (i.e. water lines, air conditioning ducts,
drain pipes, vents, etc.)
 Spaces beneath doors
 Broken windows and unscreened vents
 Check roofs to see that fascia boards and
shingles are fastened tight and sheathing and
flashing is complete
 Check chimneys for entry areas

20. Rodent survival needs
 Food
 Water
 Shelter
 Warmth

21. When seeking the source and identifying
conducive conditions, it is often most
helpful to think in terms of the rodents’
requirements for survival first. Survey the
building and identify all of the areas
where food is available. A rodent’s nest
will usually have food that is nearby and
accessible.”

22. “Control Methods”
 Glue boards
 Mechanical traps
 Exterior rodent bait and bait stations
 Interior rodent bait and bait stations

23. Glueboards

24. Mechanical traps

25. Exterior rodent bait and
bait stations

26. Interior rodent bait and bait
stations

27. Structure Infesting Flies

28. House Fly
Biology
- Most Common of all flies;
- Have 4 longitudinal stripes on the pronotum or thorax;
- Large, bulbous, multi-faceted eyes;
- A pair of transparent wings;
- Adults range from 4 to 7.5 mm in length; females are generally
larger than males
-Why concerned?
- Attach themselves to garbage or rotting material;
-Transmit a wide variety of diseases;
- Can move quickly from waste and unsanitary conditions to
food or utensils;

29. House Fly
Tips for Prevention & Control All Flies Except
Drain Flies
- Clean all drains and sink areas
- Replace broken windows and screens
- Reduce the presence of ripe fruits and vegetables; place them
in a refrigerator or a paper bag
- Create an air current to prevent them from landing in their
favourite areas
- Close the lids on all garbage and waste containers

30. Blow or Bottle Fly
Appearance
-Blow flies are often metallic in appearance,
- Have feathery hairs on the terminal
antennal segments of the males.
- Adult blow flies have sponge-like mouth
parts, while maggots have hook-like mouth
parts.

31. Blow or Bottle Fly
Behavior, Diet & Habits
- To date, there are approximately 80 species
of blow flies in North America.
-Blow flies are attracted to decaying meat
and are typically the first organisms to come
into contact with dead animals.
- The meat of dead animals is essential for
larval survival and growth.
- They are also attracted to plants that give
off the smell of rotting meat and as such, can
be a pollinator for those plants.

32. Blow or Bottle Fly
Signs of a Blow Fly Infestation
-The most common signs of blow flies are
either the adults themselves or their larvae.
- The adults may be seen resting on surfaces
or buzzing around potential food or odor
sources.
- The larvae may be observed when they crawl
out of the breeding material to pupate.

33. Cluster Flies
Biology
- Cluster flies, also known as attic flies, are household
pests.
- Adults measure 8 to 10 millimeters in length and have
light and dark grey-checkered abdomens.
- Cluster flies are slightly larger and darker than the
common housefly and move more sluggishly.
-They appear on the sunny side of the structure in
heaviest concentrations in late fall and early winter, as
they seek warm locations in which to live during cold
months.

34. Drain Flies
Physical Appearance:
-Drain flies are very small (typically 2 to 5 mm in
length), light grey or tan colored flies with short
body and leaf shaped wings. - The body and wings
are covered with small hair which gives it a fuzzy
appearance.
- Wings are too large when compared to the body,
drain flies fold their wings in a characteristic roof
like pattern.

35. Drain Flies
Behavior & Habitat:
- Drain Flies are typically nocturnal insects
and are associated with damp habitats.
- They are not very good at flying, they fly in
a jerky, irregular pattern.
- Adults can be spotted resting on walls and
ceilings of the infested areas. Another
important thing about them is that they do not
bite.

36. Drain Flies
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies
1. Keep the drains clean and clog free.
2. Make sure that there is no stagnant water in your
bathroom or kitchen.
3. Occasionally spray IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) in
your drains. IGR spray prevents the drain fly eggs from
breaking out of the larvae stage and hence can greatly
reduce the chances of any future infestation.

37. Bed Bug Control
Male Common Bed BugMale Common Bed Bug

38. “Bed bugs probably received its name by
being historically know as a bloodsucker
that feeds on humans sleeping in bed at
night. The bed bug primarily attacks
humans but can feed on any warm-
blooded animal such as birds, mice and
pets.”

39. “What is causing an increased
bed bug infestation across
Canada?”

40. “There is no
definite answer to
the question”
However, it is believed that because people are
traveling internationally and much more frequently they
are likely to encounter more insects, such as bed bugs.
Therefore a more reasonable explanation is that bed
bugs are likely to be found in dwellings with a high rate
of occupant turnover. Another reason may be the
reduction of residual insecticide spraying by pest
control companies and home owners.

41. “However, bed bugs are not just
transported by people.”

42.  Used furniture
 Luggage
 Clothing
 Airplanes

43. “Identification”
 Adults are about 4-5mm” long
 Flat (nearly as wide as long)
 Oval in shape (compared to most other
insects)
 Mostly brown in color or reddish brown
after feeding)

44. “Description”
“A bed bug is small. It’s about the size of a
pencil eraser. It hides during the day and
comes out during the night to look for
food. As they feed, they turn a dark red
and can swell to the size of a ladybug”

45. What do they look like?
Immature adult
Adults
Nymph: miniature of the adults
Engorged adult

46. What do they look like?
Oval, flatten bodyShiny, reddish to
brown body
becoming bright red
after blood meal
Pointed piercing mouth part
4-5mm long
No functional wings

47. “Biology”
“Female bed bugs will lay 1-5 eggs per day and can
lay over 500 eggs over a lifetime. Each bed bug
will molt its shell five times as it grows and a blood
meal is required for each molt. If blood meals
become scarce, bed bugs can slow their life
process until a blood meal is found. Under ideal
conditions, the egg to adult cycle takes about 21
days. With normal feedings, the adult bed bug
lives about one year”

48. Sample Infestation
Scenario
48

50. “Do Bed Bugs transmit
diseases?”
“Although bed bugs may carry different
diseases, transmission to humans has
not been proven”

51. “What are some of the
signs of bed bug
infestation?”

52. How you know when you
have an infestation
Small brownish or reddish spots on bed linens
Fecal / blood spots on harborage sites

53. Live bedbugs, eggs, and castings

54. Inspection sites
 Mattress and box springs of beds
 Any crack and crevice in the bed frame
 Behind wall hangings
 Night stands
 Stuffed furniture
 Under and behind baseboards
 Behind loose wallpaper
 Light switches
 Door and window frames

55. “Treatment”
 Steam treatments
 Vacuuming
 Pesticide
 Prevention and Education

56. “What to do with bedding or
clothing?”
 Have cleaned by a professional cleaner
 Wash in high temperature
 If laundry is brought off site do not return
with it in the same bag

57. The initial treatment
should be followed up
with an inspection 7 to
10 days after the initial
treatment

58. “Questions”
Call Orkin at 800-800-ORKIN (6754)