A food plant, which produces a variety of bakery products, had an ongoing mouse problem despite a structural fumigation conducted by the previous pest management company. The food plant faced potential regulatory scrutiny as a result of the pest situation. McCloud Services was hired to resolve the problem.
An inspection uncovered several structural challenges to control, primarily a capped ridge on the building roof. The building had been modified and the parapet was covered by a metal cap to seal it from weather. When the metal cap was removed, torn insulation and mouse droppings were evident inside the parapet. The assumption was the structural fumigation did not achieve the necessary concentration to eliminate the mice in this harborage area as the metal caps did not fit tightly.
ActiveSense® System Deployed
ActiveSense® monitors were placed on snap traps beneath the metal ridge cap as a test. The monitors also were placed in rodent stations containing snap traps in the dumpster area.
“We tested ActiveSense in areas where accessibility is a concern. We appreciate the reduced service time and safety benefits when monitoring challenging environments.” -- Pat Hottel, BCE, technical director, McCloud Services
Monitoring and Results
Facility avoided regulatory closure because the mouse problem was quickly resolved.
- Service time was significantly reduced with ongoing monitoring.
- The need to manually remove the metal caps to gain access to the traps was reduced.
- Less frequent servicing on the roof improved safety with less access needed during winter months, when adverse conditions can be more prevalent.
“The client appreciated the monitoring data as much as we did. They were looking for results, and as long as we got kills, they were happy. They did not want to see a mouse in the facility. It was critical that there be no sightings or signs of mice in the processing area.” -- Pat Hottel, BCE, technical director, McCloud Services