Nick Jones, Technical Services Representative from Bell Laboratories reminds us why rodent bait stations have to be locked – not just on most jobs, but every job.
“Just get me the cheapest bait station, and one that won’t take up much room in the ute!” During my years working in distribution, this was a very common request by pest managers ordering rodent bait stations. But this approach means we could very well be underplaying rodents, their behavioural tendencies and the risks associated with non-target exposure. And it’s also possible we might be underestimating the curiosity of our client, their staff or a passerby.
When it comes to effective rodent baiting, we need the rodent to actively engage with our devices – whether they be traps, glue boards or bait – rather than just crossing the ‘treated zone’ or coming in contact with a surface, in order to achieve a measure of control. To do this we must leave an active poison, glue or trap on site, with limited to no control over what happens between service calls.
One of the main concerns homeowners have when a pest control service is undertaken, is the potential the risks to children or pets through unintended exposure to treatments. Being able to open a bait station with a screwdriver or a pair of pliers when you forget your keys might be convenient at the time, but this also means that your station can be accessed by anyone else when you aren’t there, either inadvertently or deliberately, meaning your bait poses a risk that you can no longer control. We don’t lock our chemical cabinets with a piece of string, so why leave bait stations to chance?
A secure, tamper-resistant bait station should be just that – tamper- resistant and secure, with fixed metal rods to secure bait and prevent any translocation by rodents. It should also be made from high-quality materials to survive harsh weather extremes. And it should give you peace of mind between services – that your bait is where it should be and working to control rodent populations.
The bait station also needs to be inviting for rodents, with features designed to comfort rats and mice in a wide range of situations.
Marshall Blacklock from CDI Pest Management knows the importance of choosing a product that he can trust. “As a business servicing a lot of commercial accounts, we need to rely on the stations we use to keep our bait secure to prevent non target consumption. Even in domestic homes, it’s no longer acceptable to just throw baits into the roof cavity. We’ve used Bell products for many years, including their Protecta Shield bait stations, which we place in roof spaces to allow us to monitor consumption. Bell’s stations are versatile, tamper-proof and come in a large range to suit any situation, while the price is competitive for a quality station.”
Bell Labs manufactures a wide range of quality, lockable, and secure tamper-resistant bait stations to suit every rodent control situation. This includes a range of Tier 1 certified bait stations, the highest standard of bait station security, that are extensively child and dog tested for use indoors and outdoors. One example is the Evo Ambush, pictured above.
Using rodent baits is a high risk activity for pest managers, so it’s important to do everything necessary to keep your clients safe, avoid accidental poisoning of pets and protect your reputation. Bait station choice, location and attachment are critical in delivering a safe rodent program.
Nick Jones, Technical Services Representative, Bell Laboratories
