pestIT News

March / April 2005

InTouch Newsletter

If you cannot read
this email please
[click here]

Autumn see’s a late surge in business

Like many pest managers Australia-wide we have seen a continuation of a busy summer season with on-going hot humid conditions heading into autumn. Let’s hope it continues. April for Pest IT is time for a celebration – Pest IT is 1 year old! We would like to thank all our clients and suppliers for their support and assistance in our first year of business. We have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and we are looking forward to bringing new and innovative products, services, training and ideas from across the globe via our many contacts and colleagues internationally and throughout Australia.

Technical Article

Flying Insects - Their Biology and Role in Disease Spread
By Dr M. Anderson, Technical Director, Killgerm Group.

By nature, many flies breed and feed in unsanitary conditions, where their larvae feed on decaying organic matter. Female flies choose suitable areas of rotting vegetation and decaying animal matter in which to lay their eggs. Adults emerge from the pupae in these unsavoury sites and in the process can become contaminated with disease-causing agents. Often they then move into sensitive areas where human food is prepared, processed or consumed, to look for their own food!

The potential for contamination of human food with disease-causing agents has been proven over the years and these agents are able to survive on the body surfaces of the flies, particularly amongst the numerous hairs. They also survive in the flies’ gut and in their blood system.

Amongst the most dangerous of the disease-causing organisms which have been found on flies are:-

• Klebsiella - these bacteria are often the cause of many lower respiratory and urinary tract infections. They have been found on the outside cuticle of the fly and within the gut.

• Campylobacter - these bacteria have been found to be the causative agents of many acute gastro enteritis type complaints.

• Streptococci - often found in skin and gut infections in humans, they too can be carried by flies.

• Chlamydia - these are parasites that can cause a variety of complaints in humans and there is increasing evidence that flies can transmit them.

• Escherichia coli - in recent months there have been a number of publications showing evidence for the transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by flying insects. The most recent of these is where an outbreak of E. coli has been reported in a school in Japan and the pathogens which were isolated from the human sufferers were also isolated from houseflies found at the time in the kitchen. A further finding of this study was that the E. coli seemed to be contaminating the labellar folds of the housefly mouthparts and, in fact, actively proliferated there leading to the conclusion that the flies may have a higher potential to disseminate the E. coli than had been previously suspected.

Further studies recently carried out in the UK show that E.coli., when fed to flies, is taken into the flies and distributed widely within the internal structures with significant numbers of bacteria being found in the foregut, ovaries, hindgut, and abdominal haemolymph. The contamination of the ovaries is intriguing and this may imply ovariole contamination and subsequent “infection” of the egg and possibly the larvae.

There are also many fungi which cause disease such as Candida sp, Mucor sp, Aspergillus sp, etc., and research shows that flies can carry all of them. Food poisoning outbreaks can occur from a minute dose of bacteria. In these cases, the disease could easily have been spread by flying insects, a fact which is rarely understood or appreciated.

Food hygiene regulations require that food is wholesome and safe and has not been contaminated by flying pests. All food preparation and retail premises should be protected against flies.

To read more technical articles, visit our new technical page

Free Offer – check out these special offers

Capitalise on the continuing fly season and save money - Sundew Glueboards FREE with every purchase of Sundew White and Stainless Steel units. To continue the success of this popular range, we are offering a FREE pack of (3) glueboards with every Sundew purchase at list price during April 2005. This means that you will receive 6 glueboards or enough to cover the first 6-12 months of use. Conditions apply, contact Pest IT to find out more and place an order.

There has never been a better time to try - Bird-Flite Spikes. Now available in 3 versatile sizes - Narrow (65mm), Wide (115mm) and Xtra-Wide (200mm). Bird Flite is constructed from long lasting stainless steel and polycarbonate construction. You can now reduce additional rows, labour and cost with Bird Flite Xtra-Wide. Special Offer - Buy 5 boxes of Bird-Flite Narrow or Wide during March/April 2005 AND get a box of Bird-Flite Xtra Wide FREE.

Keep an eye out for our regular special free offers. In coming issues of In Touch we will be offering free training manuals, catalogues, new products and much more!

In The News

'Flying rats' get their marching orders

Melbourne City Council is trying to rid the city centre of pigeons, with fines for people caught feeding them. By Jewel Topsfield.

First the bats in the Royal Botanic Gardens were sent into exile. Now the city's flock of "flying rats" is being evicted. People who feed pigeons face $205 on-the-spot fines under a Melbourne City Council crackdown on pigeon poo.

The council says the toxic droppings eat away the facades of the city's historic buildings, provide a breeding ground for maggots and salmonella and block gutters and rainwater pumps. Signs outside St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne Town Hall and the former GPO warn that feeding pigeons in the city centre is a litter offence.

Pigeon lovers are redirected to a designated feeding area in Batman Park, a stretch of grass next to the Yarra River, once the home of the Yellow Peril sculpture. Specially designed birdhouses will be built to lure the pigeons to their new home.

"The pigeons can't read the signs themselves but if you have drawcards down there and you have people feeding them, it will attract more and more," said Cr David Wilson, chairman of the council's community and culture committee.

He said pigeon numbers would be controlled by replacing eggs laid in the birdhouses with dummy eggs to discourage the birds from laying more. Council staff say up to 60,000 pigeons live in the city.

The high acidity and ammonia levels in pigeon poo damage buildings, particularly those made from sandstone. The annual bill to clean the Town Hall is $30,000.

Cr Wilson said the council was testing a solar-powered wiring deterrent - which gives pigeons that land on Town Hall ledges a zap - and working with food businesses to eliminate waste, which attracts the pests.

The strategies were recommended by Guy Merchant, from the UK-based Pigeon Control Advisory Service, who came to Melbourne last year to help the council tackle its pigeon plague. His report said overfeeding by the public was one of the main reasons for the rising population.

Cr Wilson said he was confident the pigeon eviction would be less problematic than the relocation of the bats, which have wreaked environmental havoc wherever they have moved. Melbourne Aquarium chief Peter O'Brien said he was not concerned about his new neighbours at Batman Park. "We care for marine animals," he said. "If our feathered friends want to come and live next door they might add an extra spectacle to the area."

Nobody has yet been fined for feeding pigeons.

Source: The Melbourne Age, March 9, 2005

New Products for 2005

We are excited to bring into Australia a range of new products to offer you greater versatility, increased control and added profitability in your business.

AF Snappa – Killgerm is once again adding to its AF Range with an innovative and exciting new rodent trapping and bait station. The AF Snappa has been designed with the food industry in mind, providing the pest technician with a professional and discrete tool - the station has been designed so that the body of the mouse is not visible once trapped. The configuration of the box enables it to take the Snap-E mouse trap and the Trapper Snap-Trap. A bait rod is available as an optional extra supplied to enable block baits to be securely held in place if necessary. The lid’s unique inspection slot enables the pest technician to see if the trap has been triggered at a glance, minimising the time spent during inspections and in turn saving money. A clear-lidded version is also available. As with all AF rodent stations, a label can be affixed to the inside of the detachable lid to aid record keeping. Available in time for the coming rodent season.

Bird Shock Flex-Track connections - new, quick connectors will be available shortly for Bird Shock Flex-Track. This will make this exciting new ledge product faster and easier to install; further solidifying the claim that Bird Shock Flex-Track IS the future of bird control. Brochure and specifications available on request. New straight and T connections available during April/May 2005.

Bird Shock Flex-Track d-cell Charger - this new addition to the Bird Shock Flex-Track range is designed to reduce the cost of small installations. Powered by two d-cell batteries, this inexpensive charger will pulse electricity along the track to keep all birds off the protected ledge.

	The new tamper-resistant AF Snappa holds a snap trap that shows you when it is set off.
	New quick connectors will make Bird Shock Flex-Track installations simple, fast and very professional.

Other new products include a new trap for fruit/vinegar flies, UV light meter, and much more. Details to follow in coming Pest IT In Touch issues.

Product of the Month

Scare Streamer - Taps into bird’s fear & flight instinct. This very unique systems send birds and other pests (cats, possums, dogs, etc) scurrying from your yard, pool, roof or patio. The motion activated device detects movement and sprays the pest with a blast of water.

• Attaches to ordinary garden hose
• Detects movement day and night
• Protects up to 150 square meters
• Uses only 2-3 cups of water each time
• Is easy to install, move and store
• Totally humane and eco-friendly

This is a practical way to keep ducks and difficult to discourage birds from pools, lawns, gardens and other domestic situations.

Industry Events – New training course from Pest IT

New Quoting and Installation Bird Management Course – Need help with quoting and installing? In response to numerous requests over the past year, Pest IT has developed a new training session on Quoting and Installation of bird management. This is a practical look at the quoting, planning, tools and installation for various products. The course will be held in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and other centers during winter 2005. To register your interest, receive session details and ensure you are reserved a seat, please complete the following form:

Click here to lodge your request via email

2005 CALENDAR

AEPMA 2005, 2-4th June 2005 – More speakers, events and topics confirmed. This is the must attend conference of the year - Visit the AEPMA Conference 2005 web site at www.aepma2005.info.

HACCP 2005, 5-9th September 2005 – This is the only national conference where the food and pest industry meet, network, discuss ideas and learn. See www.haccptown.com for details.

RAPID SOLUTIONS 2005, 9-10th September 2005 - Contact details available at www.rapidsolutions.com.au.

PESTS OF DISEASE AND UNEASE IN AUSTRALIA – 2005 - Friday 22 April 2005 - 8:00 am - 6:00 pm. A symposium on the biology and management of arthropods of medical importance in Australia including biting insects, mosquitoes, bed bugs, ticks, etc. Loewenthal Lecture Theatre, Westmead Hospital. Cnr Hawkesbury & Darcy Roads, Westmead NSW 2145. To register go to www.homepage.mac.com/c_orton

Pest IT – We will be conducting numerous training sessions throughout Australia in 2005. We will keep you posted of seminar topics, venues and dates in coming issues of our In Touch newsletter.