Gavin Wilson, Technical and Marketing Manager ANZ for Liphatech, outlines best practice when it comes to rodent management.
Effective rodent control has evolved well beyond the use of a single product or technique. In today’s increasingly complex commercial and regulatory environment, long-term success depends on knowledge. This means understanding rodent biology and behaviour, identifying risks, and applying the right tools in the right sequence, supported by data and professional judgement.
Before any rodent control program can succeed, pest management professionals must first understand their target. Rodent identification, behaviour, breeding cycles, and movement patterns all influence how infestations develop and how they should be managed. When this knowledge is applied through best practice, this approach is known as integrated rodent management (IRM).
IRM provides a structured framework that brings together inspection, exclusion, sanitation, technology, hardware and professional expertise into a coordinated and sustainable strategy. When implemented correctly, IRM not only improves rodent control outcomes but also reduces callbacks, supports compliance, and delivers measurable value to clients.
Inspection: the foundation of every program
A thorough, detailed inspection is the starting point for any successful IRM program. Without accurate information, even the most advanced rodent control products will underperform.
Initial objectives are to identify the rodent species present, estimate population pressure and locate activity zones, entry points, harbourage areas and environmental risk factors. Documentation remains critical – whether using pen and paper or digital platforms – as recording findings ensures consistency, accountability and clear communication with clients. Where hardware installation is planned, bait station and trap location maps should be created and maintained, ideally in a digital format that allows for easy updates and reporting.
Good visibility is essential during inspections. Powerful, bright torches or headlamps are required when working in ceiling voids, kitchens, subfloors, and other concealed or low light areas. Photographic records of entry points, rub marks, gnaw damage and droppings contribute to clearer diagnosis and decision-making, provided photography is first approved by the client and compliant with site security or privacy policies.
Exclusion and sanitation: reducing pressure at the source
Once activity and access points are identified, exclusion becomes one of the most cost-effective elements of IRM. Preventing rodents from entering a structure significantly reduces reliance on rodenticides and traps while delivering long-term, sustainable results.
Sealing gaps around doors, service penetrations, vents and structural defects using gnaw-proof materials such as steel wool, mesh, metal flashing and industry sealants assists rodent management programs from reactive control to proactive prevention. Rodent proofing is a significant value-add service for pest managers and upskilling in basic DIY and carpentry skills can be a worthwhile investment that not only strengthens client outcomes but also creates new revenue opportunities.
Sanitation plays an equally important role as rodents thrive where food, water and shelter are readily available. Improved waste management, reduced clutter, vegetation management and the use of disinfectants all reduce environmental pressure. In commercial environments, sanitation elevates overall pest management by aligning rodent control with broader objectives such as food safety, quality assurance and brand protection.
Technology, hardware, and monitoring
Modern technology has become an increasingly valuable tool of IRM. Motion sensor cameras and monitoring systems provide insight into rodent behaviour, activity patterns and pressure points that may be missed during routine inspections. Data collected through monitoring enables smarter hardware placement, faster response times and a justification of rodent control strategies to clients.
Once inspection, exclusion and sanitation measures are implemented, hardware can be strategically deployed. High quality bait stations remain a cornerstone of IRM, offering secure and targeted delivery of rodent control tools while protecting non-target species. Rodent stations should be durable, tamper proof, UV stabilised and efficient to service, saving pest management professionals time and improving consistency.
Selecting the appropriate rodent bait or trap is critical. Rodent species, site sensitivity, infestation pressure, resistance management and regulatory requirements must all be considered. Soft baits, block baits, snap traps and electronic solutions each play a role within a well-balanced IRM program, allowing pest management professionals to adapt strategies without the over-reliance on any one single control method. Under-baiting continues to be a regular issue in rodent control programs, particularly in environments experiencing high rodent activity. Ensuring an adequate number of well-placed bait stations with enough bait, especially during the initial phase, is critical to quickly crash the population.
Knowledge and collaboration deliver lasting results
While every element of IRM is important, two factors can consistently challenge pest management professionals: customer engagement and exclusion. Clients often need to take an active role by reducing harbourage, managing waste, and maintaining exclusion measures. Clear communication, education and documentation are essential to ensure these responsibilities are understood and acted upon.
Ultimately, tools alone do not deliver consistent results – people do. Ongoing education, training and awareness of industry innovation empower pest management professionals to make informed decisions, adapt to new strategies and clearly communicate value to clients.
For more than 60 years, Liphatech has supported an IRM approach by discovering three new active ingredients, developing innovative bait formulations and rodent control hardware. Available through local distributors, Liphatech offers a comprehensive range of soft and block baits along with innovative hardware solutions designed to help pest management professionals deliver effective and consistent rodent management programs. Backed by a highly experienced team with expertise in both pest control and manufacturing, Liphatech provides ongoing support to grow and strengthen pest management businesses.
By aligning knowledge, tools and strategy, integrated rodent management goes beyond temporary solutions, providing robust, long-term control that stands up to scrutiny and permanently excludes rodents.
Gavin Wilson, Technical and Marketing Manager ANZ, Liphatech
