5 Questions with Chris Mueller, MSA, ACE, Marketing and Business Manager Vice President, IFC

1. What are some of the advantages of a fogging or fumigation treatment?

Both have unique advantages. Fogging treatment benefits include quick turnaround, a shorter downtime and the fast knockdown of adult pests, like flies and cockroaches. Fogging is normally the first treatment we turn to when other avenues have been exhausted.

A fumigation is used for the elimination of all pest life stages, including insect eggs. It is a great choice for stored product insects, severe rodent infestations and the penetration of certain products and harborage areas.

2. What are some of the common concerns IFC hears about these types of treatments?

Common concerns are safety, downtime and facility preparation. Safety is paramount. At IFC, we ensure that all regulations, standard operating procedures and clearing protocols are followed for a safe return of personnel.

3. When might IFC recommend a fumigation treatment over a fogging treatment?

Fumigations are typically recommended when the elimination of all pest life stages is required. A scenario coming to mind outside of those mentioned before is with rodent infestations. They can be difficult to remediate when they are widespread or are in a large facility. Using a fumigant for rodents allows us to access inaccessible harborages more economically and in less time than what you might think.

4. How does fogging/fumigation work within a larger IPM strategy?

It is beneficial to keep every pest management tool available in the IPM toolbox. The modern IPM Pyramid is designed to apply the full range of prevention and escalation strategies to ensure that there is an appropriate solution for all pest risk scenarios. We also utilize insect growth regulators (IGRs), a powerful fogging option within proactive IPM programs. IGRs use the specific biology of insects to prevent the reproduction and emergence of viable adults, effectively ending the insect’s lifecycle.

5. How do you know you’ve implemented the right strategies in your IPM program?

Building a strong pest prevention strategy requires a comprehensive IPM program, including pest identification, enhancing maintenance and sanitation strategies and performing corrective actions. Fogging or fumigation may be part of the larger strategy, but these are not normally the first recommendation. Understanding pest trends is also critical in a complete IPM program. Utilizing annual assessments, reviewed quarterly, will help predict potential pest issues and ensure the IPM program is effective and achieving the desired goals.