Traders at Perak UTC concerned about pest problem at the centre’s food court

A GROUP of traders operating in the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) are concerned about cleanliness at the centre’s food court – a place they used to frequent daily for meals until a few months ago.

The traders claim they often spot baby cockroaches scurrying around certain food stalls when they visit the food court, while the stall owners pretend to take no notice of the pests. A trader who wanted to be known only as Nina, 38, claimed she was shocked to see roaches the first few times it happened, but now she only keep quiet about it because it makes no difference.

“When we told the stall owners about it, they would only respond by saying ‘Ya kah? ’ or ‘Tak boleh nak buat apa-apa.’

“They don’t look the least bit concerned about it. They also told me that they can’t use pesticides because they don’t want to use such dangerous chemicals near the plates and food ingredients,” she told MetroPerak.

Nina said she is uncomfortable with the idea of confronting the stall owners in the event that it could lead to an argument.

“I operate here every day, and I still have to see these people (stall owners) on a daily basis so I didn’t want to fight with them. “All I can do is to buy food elsewhere now instead of coming here to eat every day like I used to,” she said.

Another trader Nor Fazi Mohamad, 29, claims that she feels the owners of the roach-infested stalls had a “tidak boleh ditegur (cannot be reprimanded)” attitude.

“I know that if we don’t speak up to them, things will just remain the same, but I don’t think they will do anything about it even if we do speak up. “It’s been months. And sometimes it’s not only one or two of the food stalls. Sometimes in one of the drink stalls I can detect the smell of cockroaches from the straws after buying a drink,” she claimed, adding that the cups looked dirty and unwashed as well.

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Zika striking fear in people, engaging their own pest control services

This is news from The Star. People are talking about Zika everywhere now especially those in town area and they are taking their own initiative to control the spread of Zika. Read below news from the Star.

Residents resort to hiring private pest control services

WITH the word Zika striking fear in people, some are taking matters into their own hands in eliminating mosquitoes from their homes including engaging their own pest control services. Section 5 resident Mandy Leong has resorted to fogging her own house compound via an external pest control company and she plans to do it about twice a month. The 32-year-old is planning to start a family and is taking every preventive measure possible.

“There is only so much I can do and I hope other houseowners in my area are also doing something to ensure there are no mosquito breeding grounds in our neighbourhood,” she said.

Similarly, Section 4 resident Jason Butt has also engaged a pest control company to carry out fogging at the perimeter of his house. “I have been doing this regularly because of dengue but now with Zika, maybe I will fog twice a month for prevention purposes,” he said.

Section 5 Residents Association (RA) president Mohamed Rafiq Fazaldin said he had received numerous complaints from residents who were worried and afraid. “We had planned to get our own fogging machine but we scrapped it because we were worried about the chemicals and its dangers.

Also we do not know how to operate it properly,” he said. Due to lack of funding and irregular income stream, the RA finds it costly to engage external fogging services for the whole neighbourhood.

“We only get RM6,000 from Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) a year but we spend about RM22,000 monthly for security because of the high crime rate here,” he said.

Rafiq said he had alerted MBPJ about the mosquito breeding grounds at the forest reserve in his neighbourhood hoping the local council would take action soon, especially during the current rainy season.

Gasing Indah Rukun Tetangga (RT) chairman Eric Chew said mosquitoes would become immune to fogging, so it was important to kill the larvae. The RT is working with a biotechnology company focused on vector control, using safe and sustainable chemicals. To help raise awareness on the new method, the RT will educate the 310 households in the neighbourhood about preventive measures.

In Section 14, the RA is also planning a gotong-royong and site inspection with the help of MBPJ this month. “We will engage the Health Department to conduct house visits on that day, to check and summon owners whose houses are found to be breeding mosquitoes,” said Section 14 (14/1 to 14/15) RA chairman Selve Sugumaran. Apart from this, a spokesman from a property facility management company here said that even residents in high-rise properties were taking extra precautions to keep their apartments free from mosquito breeding grounds.

“There are regular pest control and cleaning services but some owners have also started carrying out fogging at their homes,” said Francis Ng.

In light of Zika, the management company has been actively educating and spreading the word in Desa Park City, Selayang, Kepong and Cheras about checking not only their own premises but also the common areas for stagnant water and potential breeding grounds.

Aside from residents, MBPJ councillor Sean Oon is spreading awareness to schools, starting with SMK Sri Permata in SS3. Students will be made to attend a two-hour workshop titled “Dengue and Zika — Search and Destroy.” 

“After the workshop, participants will be asked to conduct search-and-destroy operations in their respective housing areas,” he said. Participants can present their findings to MBPJ, who will then take immediate action against breeding grounds and issue summonses to the culprits.

MBPJ’s Health Department is also going all out in checking for mosquito breeding grounds in all neighbourhoods in the city. Its most recent was yesterday, when officers went door to door, speaking to residents and entering their compounds to check for mosquito breeding grounds.

“If there are breeding spots found, we will issue a fine of RM500 on the spot and the owner must ensure their area is cleaned up immediately,” said MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria. 

Every day, officers will visit three to four neighbourhoods between 10am and 5pm on weekdays and from 10am until noon on weekends to carry out checks. Officers will conduct larviciding, fogging using mist blowers and giving residents Abate to scatter in their drains and aquariums.

“We will not stop people who want to do their own fogging but the company engaged must be licensed and approved by the Agriculture Ministry,” said Zainun. 

However, she said too much fogging could cause the mosquitoes in that area to become immune, emphasising that the best prevention was to keep the area clean.

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Why you should use termite baiting system to eliminate termite

Many pest control companies now are offering termite baits as a method of termite prevention and control. But what is termite baiting ? How it works ?...

The Baiting Concept

Termite baiting system capitalize on the natural behavior of termites. As social insects termites share their food in a process known as 'trophallaxis'. This traits allow teh termites to feed, travel back to their nest, and share before taking effect.

The key to this concept is the use of a system that attracts termites to a readily accessible feeding station containing a suitable bait matrix that is then carried back to the nest.

In time, the slow acting toxicant will have reduced the numbers to a level that can no longer maintain the colony, which ultimately falls "sick" and dies.

Why Baits ?

Conventional termiticides treatments often involve the drilling and pumping of large volumes of chemical into the soil with a variety of associated side effects including disturbance and even property damage.

In comparison, termite baiting is an environmentally friendly way of treating termites infestations, using a very small amount of a specific chemical in a non-disruptive low hazard application.

Baits are ideal for all situations, even those sensitive to insecticide use.

How Does Baiting Works?

The Termite Baiting System includes both Above Ground (AG) and In Ground (IG) components that utilize cartridges containing a bait matrix specially designed to maximize termite acceptance.

Bait cartridges contain the latest insect growth regulator (IGR) which provides fast eradication of subterranean termite infestations.

It is easy to handle and install, works without having to drill and is environmental friendly.

The baits attracts termites to the bait stations to feed even when there is a plentiful supply of alternative foodstuff in the area.

The slow acting IGR within bait is then taken back to the nest and spread throughout the colony before taking effect. This allows the bait to reach even the queen and the king. In other word, Bait target the heart of the colony.

Bait offers a professional looking and cleaner, non-messy formulation that is easy to install, service and monitor.

Benefits of Baiting System

• Faster action
• Fuss-free installation
• No drilling and pumping of chemicals in the home
• Environmentally sound
• Unobtrusive bait station design
• Unique, highly attractive compressed cellulose formulation

If you need to know further on our termite baiting syetem to eradicate your termite problem, please call Mr Christopher 012-4116818 or Miss Looi 012-4116828

Malaysia expects more Zika cases as virus spreads through Southeast Asia

Malaysia is bracing for more Zika cases, officials said on Sunday, after detecting the first locally infected patient, which could further stretch a health system struggling with dengue, another mosquito-borne virus that can be fatal.

Both Zika, which is of particular risk to pregnant women, and the dengue virus are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common in tropical Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s third largest economy, and across the region. Neighboring Singapore has reported more than 200 cases of Zika. 

Three days ago, Malaysia reported its first Zika infection – a woman living near Kuala Lumpur who contracted the virus during a visit to Singapore. On Saturday, Malaysian authorities said they had detected the first local infection: a 61-year-old man in the city of Kota Kinabalu, in the Malaysian part of Borneo island.

“The confirmation of the second case of Zika in Kota Kinabalu suggests that the virus is already present within our communities,” Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said.

“Zika is present in our country. New cases will continue to emerge,” he posted on his Facebook page.
Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly – a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized – as well as other brain abnormalities. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.

In adults, Zika infections have also been linked to a rare neurological syndrome known as Guillain-Barre, as well as other neurological disorders.

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Home Outdoor Pest Control Devices Market to Grow in 2015-2020

In 2015, the Americas dominated the global home outdoor pest control devices market with over 50% share. Most of the leading players operate their manufacturing base in this region. The recent outbreak of Zika virus in the US, which increased the focus on combating mosquitoes, along with the prevailing culture of hosting barbecues (BBQs) in backyard will be key drivers for the growth of this market.

Technavio analysts forecast the global home outdoor pest control devices market to grow at a CAGR of close to 5% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global home outdoor pest control devices market for 2016-2020.

The report has taken into consideration the revenue generated through the retail sales of home outdoor pest control devices to individual consumers. The devices used to control outdoor pests, including mosquitoes and other insects, rats, mice, pigeons, sparrows, and starlings have been considered in the scope of the report.

Technavio consumer and retail analysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing to the growth of the global home outdoor pest control devices market:

• Increasing interest in landscaping and lawn care 
• Growing awareness of diseases spread by pests and preventive actions 
• Preference for non-toxic products

More details here.

New discrovery could transform pest control industry

Pest control could undergo a major transformation following the discovery of a gene responsible for giving insects their waterproof coating.

The coating protects them from microbes and environmental stress.

An international research team, led by Joanne Yew from the University of Hawaii, Mānoa, identified the ‘spidey’ gene (nicknamed after Spiderman) in vinegar flies. The team hopes that with further study they can bridge the gap to pest species.

News reports state that Yew said:

“When we knocked out spidey in adult flies, the flies exhibited several striking features: their life span was shortened by about 50 per cent, they lost almost all of their waxy coating and flies frequently got stuck to the sides of the plastic vials and were unable to free themselves.” 

Vacant property firm Orbis said:
“Infestations are incredibly difficult to avoid and once infected, a building can need multiple treatments." “The ability to remove an insect’s waxy coating could make their control easier and will enhance expert services. This is particularly important news in light of the study Orbis reported on earlier this year, revealing that bed bugs are developing a resistance to insecticides.”

read from source Here

Read same info from Newscientist.com below:

Scientists have discovered a gene that, when inactivated, can give flies super sticky powers. The gene, found in vinegar flies and named spidey, after Spider-Man, is responsible for producing their protective waxy coating – switching it off makes flies extra sticky.

The lipids that make up this waxy layer normally act as a raincoat and protect flies against various exterior elements, including microbes and environmental stress. They also carry information about the age, sex and social status of the carrier.

A team of international scientists led by Yin Ning Chiang of the National University of Singapore found that removing the spidey gene caused the flies to lose their protective lipids, resulting in a dramatically shortened lifespan.

“Loss of the lipids allows substances like food to accumulate on the surfaces of their legs,” says Chiang.

“The flies eventually get completely stuck to surfaces.”

Without the lipid shield, gunk builds up on the flies. The insects then get caught up in this sticky mess as it aggregates and creates a force that sucks them down onto surfaces.

Attractive coat

Many insects rely on their lipid coating not only for survival but also to choose mates of the right species.

“The discovery of this gene could be a very useful tool,” says Tristram Wyatt of the University of Oxford.

“It could help scientists to study the pheromones of fruitflies and further our knowledge of how these chemicals have shaped speciation and evolution.”

The information also could be used for pest control by disrupting insect mating. Because spidey is found in many insect species, researchers think that this finding may prove useful for controlling various disease-bearing insects and agricultural pests through chemical manipulation of the gene to disrupt the animals’ development, lifespan, mating and wall-clinging abilities.

In addition, understanding how the insects’ special lipid raincoat protects them from the outside world could one day help to produce anti-rust, antimicrobial or superhydrophobic surface coatings.

Learn about the latest pest management solutions in Pest Control Summit

SINGAPORE: Members of the public will be able to learn more about the latest pest management solutions at a summit, which is set to showcase some of the latest technologies and new innovations that the pest industry has on offer.

Some of these include an automatic cold fogging machine, environmentally-friendly chemicals to target termites and a 24/7 rodent monitoring system, all of which would be launched at the three-day summit.

Pest Summit 2016, which runs from Aug 18 to 20, is set to raise the professionalism and productivity of local pest control companies.

More than 500 participants from countries in the Asia and Pacific region will be attending the event.

Of the 84 confirmed exhibitors so far, 31 are from Singapore.

Mr Ng Say Kiat, vice president of the Singapore Pest Management Association (SPMA), said: "In terms of pest management, Singapore still lags behind, compared to countries in Europe, US and Japan.

They're more advanced.

So, they can bring us new technologies and new techniques, so hopefully we (local pest management firms) can use them and apply them locally."

The second day of the summit will be open to the public for free. SPMA is the organiser of the summit, which is now in its seventh edition.

source

Why you should never get a pest control quote over the telephone

This is an example of scenario when you get a pest control quote over the telephone....

A lady called a pest company about some bugs she had. He quoted her a price on the phone without knowing what they are. Then he went to the house and identified them as immature cicadas. He said he had to spray around the outside of her house to keep them out.

Didn't work.

She called him back. He sprayed again, blaming it on the rain. Still didn't work.

She called another pest control profesional for advice.

The pest control pro went to her house and all she had were some booklice. Booklice feed on mold and she had some mold issues in her garage which she was going to correct.

What are the lessons here?

If you call a pest company and they give you a price on the phone without seeing what your pest is, call someone else.

That just means they are going to spray no matter what it is.

No doctor, plumber, mechanic, carpenter or any professional will give you a price without knowing what they are getting into.

Second, have them give you the scientific name of the pest once they see it so you can Google it for more information.

If they don't know the scientific name, call someone else.

It is a shame that a so-called professional pest person couldn't tell a book louse from a cicada.

Once a pest is identified, have the company inspect your home and determine how they are getting in, so you can fix that.

If they just want to spray to keep out the pests that is not professional.

If it is determined that pesticides are needed, and that would be rare, ask them for documentation that the pesticides they are going to use are safe. Ask them for copies of the label and Material Data Sheets of the pesticides as well and then read them carefully before they spray.

When you read the label of the pesticide they are going to use, it will say the only time you can spray baseboards is if there is a pest infestation in that area and then you are supposed to spray behind the baseboard, where the bugs can hide.

The same goes for the practice of power spraying around homes. All that does is kill a lot of bugs, some that are beneficial, that may be present, and may even kill some birds and other animals that eat the dead bugs, but it is not professional.

A good perimeter treatment would be for a technician to inspect the perimeter of your home, and if he/she finds any cracks, crevices or other voids where a pest can enter your home, they can treat those areas.

Spraying the ground and a couple of feet up the side of your home is ridiculous.

Besides that, the pesticide will break down fairly quickly in the very hot weather we have had, so it is all show.

A good company will not give you a price on the phone.

They will come out, identify your pest problem and make recommendations based on their inspection of your home.

They will not simply offer to spray baseboards or around the outside on a regular calendar basis.

They can come back periodically and inspect your home and then do what they have to if the problem persists.

Again, if you call a dentist and tell him/her you have a toothache, they will want to see your teeth so they can determine what they have to do.

If you call a mechanic and tell him your car is acting up, he/she will need to see it to determine what needs to be done to fix it.

That is professionalism and that is the way the pest control industry should work and some of them do.

Make sure you call a professional and not a company who gives prices over the phone.

If you need an advice from a profesional certified and licensed Pest Control company, look for Pest Sciences (KL) Sdn Bhd. Call Christopher at 012-411 6818 or Miss Looi at 012-411 6828