What caught the eye at Disinfestando?

Whilst at first sight one pest control exhibition looks very like another, dig a little deeper and you always find something interesting. So what gems did Disinfestando reveal?

RedTop fly trap
Coming all the way from South Africa and spotted on the Bleu Line stand was the RedTop flycatcher. Adopting a similar principle to some wasp traps, RedTop is designed for flies – the idea being a trap is placed away from a domestic house, so drawing the flies away from the home.

Containing a lure (but no insecticide), which the manufacturer claims is highly attractive to female flies, with 85% of flies caught in Redtop being female. Originally supplied as a folded-flat pack, the pack contains the trap and lure. Once used it can either be rebated or simply discarded.

Granules for ants
Also presented as a bait and contained within a handy bait station was Protect Combi from Babolna Bio. Containing S-methoprene and acetamiprid it claims to be the perfect eliminator for black and garden ants. Formulated as granules, it kills both working ants and the queen when the bait is ferried back to the nest.

Although available in several European countries, registration restrictions prevent its sale within the UK.

Advion now available in Italy
Looking suitably pleased with himself was DuPont’s regional business manager, Rod Bell. This was because Advion cockroach gel, containing the new active substance – indoxacarb – had now received clearance for sale within Italy. Making this only the third European country to have this product available – the other two being Ireland and the UK.

Studies show this unique formulation quickly attracts cockroaches and out-competes existing food sources. The gel has a high consumption bait matrix based on a potent non-repellent active ingredient. What’s more, it is effective against all common cockroach pest species, even gel-bait-averse ones, explained Rod.

Maxi and mini equipment
At Italian pest control events you frequently spot some enormous spraying equipment on display. Far larger than anything you would see in the UK. These monster machines cost many thousands of Euros and you do marvel at the technology involved. Although they do have some public health pest control uses, for example outdoor mosquito control, they are mainly spin-offs from agricultural use – here used for vineyards, within fruit orchards etc.

So – it was with considerable amusement to come across the Electric City Bike on the Spray Team stand. Is this the new energy saving and green transport on order for pest controllers? If so, pest controllers had better get into fitness training if they have any distance to cover.

But, to help you get around it does come with a battery to aid propulsion – with 20km per hour the top speed. It comes fitted with a 15 litre spray tank, spray lance and storage panniers. On a serious note, it does have its uses such as outdoor mosquito spraying. Or it could serve a purpose maybe for fly control, processionary moths, or even wasps nests?

RedTop
Magesh Morgan with Roy Millar promoting RedTop