N T RO L

E N T CO
C ED ROD
ADVA N

THIS COURSE COVERS MATERIALS USED IN EXCLUSION, COMMON AND SOMETIMES OVER LOOKED
AREAS THAT SHOULD BE CHECK FOR ENTRY POINTS, TYPES OF RODENTICIDES AND THE CORRECT
PLACEMENT FOR SETTING TRAPS AND BAIT STATIONS.
PART 1. IPM STANDARDS

• There are many varying and unique options for rodent control.
Most pest control companies however are known to use
traditional forms of control like trapping and exclusion. There are
some companies that use their own methods though, and they
may have their own standards. These companies can vary in styles
that may include the use of new technologies, and the use of old
ideas in a new way. The best standard however, that employs the
use of reasonable standards both new and old is an IPM plan.
PART 1. IPM STANDARDS

• Many companies like to use poisoning as a primary control

solution, however poisoning alone is not usually the best solution.
In many cases poisoning isn't part of the solution at all. The most
effective long term solutions always include methods such as
exclusion, and other forms of environmental alteration. This takes
into account the current pest problem and helps to account for an
ongoing or recurring pest problem.
PART 1. IPM STANDARDS

• Rats can enter buildings through holes as small as 1/2 inches and
can chew through many materials, even some of those used to
prevent their access. This is why it's important to understand how
to find and seal entry points properly and how the materials used
can be effective or ineffective.
PART 1. IPM STANDARDS

• Rodent control is one of those unique situations where effective

IPM may be possible in most cases without the use of pesticides.
Ironically poisons are readily available and many people choose
poisons over the long term solutions found with IPM. The simple
combination of trapping and excluding could correct many ongoing
rodent problems, and solve them long term.
PART 2. MATERIALS.

• Before doing an exclusion a good

technician should always have the items
on hand that he or she may need. The
first of which is a bright flashlight. This
may be needed for inspecting, and to see
what's going on while an area is being
repaired. Likewise, a mirror will come in
handy to see areas that might not
otherwise be visible. A big screw driver
or an extension pole may be needed to
seal areas that are out of reach. Varying Always use a mirror and
pole attachments may come in handy for look under the stucco or
different shaped holes. siding
PART 2. MATERIALS.
• Steel wool is often used by pest control
companies as a go-to solution for many holes.
Steel wool however is not appropriate for
most uses. Steel wool rusts, and falls apart
making it less than suitable for any location.
Instead copper wool or mesh, sometimes
referred to as stuff-it can be used. One
disadvantage of copper mesh is its obvious
brass color. This however can be covered up
with caulking, spackle, stucco patch, concrete, Copper mesh or stuff-it
or any other suitable product. Latex caulking
turns green when used with copper mesh
however, so be careful which type of caulking
you choose when working with copper
mesh.
PART 2. MATERIALS.

• Another option for many areas that may seem difficult is

hardware cloth. It can be shoved into holes using a long pole or a
screwdriver in a similar way to copper mesh, and glued into place
similarly. It does not have the same pliability however as copper
mesh. The real advantage of hardware cloth is that it can be used
to seal larger holes. It can be glued into many places and left as is
for areas that need ventilation, or covered with an appropriate
caulking, stucco, or concrete mixture to make it look professional.
PART 2. MATERIALS.

• Solar Seal is a Terpolymer Rubber Adhesive and sealant used to

adhere vent screens, and perform many other repairs. It can be
purchased in a formula that is creamy to clear in color, and can be
used outside, or inside as needed. It makes a strong bond with
most common construction products. It can be painted when it has
dried and it is weather resistant.
PART 2. MATERIALS.

• Big Stretch is a caulking that is designed for uses where a caulking

might need to stretch as the name implies. The most practical uses
in rodent control are in areas around doors, windows, the
foundation, or other areas that are prone to shifting and
movement. The limitations of big stretch include that it cannot be
used in heavily trafficked areas or areas prone to moisture.
PART 2. MATERIALS.

• Expansion foam is used to adhere the screen or copper mesh in

more complicated circumstances, or in cases where the repair is
hidden, and screen or mesh alone won't work. The foam generally
comes in two colors. The first of which is the generic yellow
orange, and the second is the black. The black foam is designed for
outdoor uses and can handle direct sunlight, and weather. The
types of orange foam however are not well suited for outdoor use.
They get hard and crack when exposed to the weather and when
exposed to moisture they soften up over time and fall apart.
PART 2. MATERIALS.

• The main disadvantage of these foams is that they cannot be used

alone. Rodents can eat right through them, and the foam becomes
useless as part of a rodent control program. Therefore, the foam
should be used only when it is on top of, or forced through
hardware cloth or copper mesh. It also continues expanding as it
dries which can lead to unexpected results if a technician is not
careful. It should never be used as a glue to hold in vent screens
because it will end up looking worse than expected as a result of
its continuing expansion.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Track homes are generally built in a very hasty manner with small
areas of entry left through inconsistencies, and areas that may
have needed a second look before finishing construction. In track
homes inspectors should pay attention to roof soffits that may be
missing flashing, stucco, or framing which allows rodent entry to
occur.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• As custom homes, and older homes change with age these soffits
can become open as a result of roof repairs, and other work done
on the home. Careful inspection should be made in these areas
since exclusions can be tough to accomplish especially on homes
with tile roofs. When possible the best method involves the use of
hardware cloth or copper mesh and an expansion foam that can be
used to glue it all in place. In cases where expansion foam is not an
option caulking can be used to glue the hardware cloth, or copper
mesh into place.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS
• Houses generally have areas of ventilation
and vent screens that are designed to
allow for air flow. Houses on a raised
foundation can have subarea vents that
often become damaged as a result of
other tradesmen that have done work on
the property. Plumbers, cable guys, and
handymen will often remove or damage
screens for their own purpose. In many
½ wire, loose edges, gaps
cases an inferior type of screen was used around lines
at the time of construction, or previous
repairs were inadequate.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Pest technicians should whenever

possible carefully remove the old
screen and replace it with hardware
cloth. Clear caulking designed for
exterior use is usually appropriate, but
more advanced technicians can use
caulking that matches the color of the
house, or even use pre-mixed stucco
patch to hide the caulking.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS
• Small holes in screen can be patched by placing a
small piece of screen over the hole and feeding
wire through and attaching the new piece of
screen to the existing one. Where screens have
been damaged by pipes, conduits, or wires the
best bet is usually to cut out and replace the
entire screen. In some cases, the screens have so
many pipes, wires, and conduits running through
them that they cannot be easily replaced. In
these cases, small amounts of copper mesh and
an appropriate caulking are the most
professional solution.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Some areas however, do tend to

be a very custom repair. Pest
control technicians should
always remember that
functionality and appearance
are both important, and most
customers will treat an
unprofessional looking job the
same as an ineffective job.
Crawl or subarea vents
Attic vents
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Along the foundation of many houses is a line of small flashing

referred to as the weep screed. This weep screed, or simply a
weep as it is sometimes called, is meant to be there, and allows
the walls to breathe. In some cases, however, it is stretched,
rusted, or damaged in some way that allows rodent entry.
 This is the
reflection from a
mirror looking up
under the stucco at
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS
the weep

• Inspections of the weep can be done using a

mirror as you walk along the foundation of the
building. The weep is always located where the
siding ends leaving behind an exposed
foundation below it. Exclusions of this area are
usually done by plugging the section or sections
of damaged weep with copper mesh. If the
bronze color shows it can be covered with an
applicable caulking of a matching color. Rodents
have been known to follow the wall voids
upwards where there is no fire block or a hole in
the fire block allowing access into attics.
House on a slab with the exposed
foundation and weep screed
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Air conditioner lines are another area of major concern since they are
often used by rodents as an access point, and often ran through the
walls of house from the ground level. In cases where they enter the
wall, or crawl space at ground level a small metal guard can be noted
where the line enters the house. This is generally the best place to
seal the hole and it should be sealed flush so that when it dries it
looks clean. Many people over do the insulating foam, or copper
mesh in this area.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• The key to a successful professional looking patch is to force the

copper mesh as deep into the hole as possible. If mesh or foam can
be seen, then a layer of caulking may be applied and smoothed to
make it look clean. Some AC lines are run from the ground level up to
the attic, or other area along the outside of the structure. Usually a
metal guard will run the length of the line, protecting it most of the
way.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Rats and mice can run along the line, hidden by the guard the entire
way. The area at the top where the pipe enters the structure is
blocked from view by the guard in many cases, hiding the rodent
access point. This is very problematic, since rodents could potentially
have a protected path to their access point, and also a protected
access point itself. The guard should be removed in this case and any
hidden holes repaired. As the guard is reattached, hardware cloth can
be used at the bottom to prevent rodents from climbing again.
Line Cover

Line Cover Removed

Air conditioner line with a metal guard over it being removed exposing rodent access
 PART 3 EXCLUSIONS

• Garage doors are another common area of entry

that typically gets overlooked. Wooden garage
doors are generally hard to adjust to a tight seal,
and as they get older the gap around them tends
to get worse. Wooden garage doors, when they
can be fixed, should be replaced with new roll-up
style doors that can made to seal with the
ground more firmly.

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Metal doors that close unevenly or are not flush

with the ground are also a huge problem. The
weather stripping along the bottom of a roll-up
door should be checked for gnaw marks. Rats
only need to chew a small amount so that they
can fit, but the evidence, when there, is blatantly
obvious.
 PART 3. EXCLUSIONS
• There are many other areas of entry
and no matter how complete of a list
that anyone tries to put together it
will most likely not be complete.
Inspection for rodents therefore
should be complete and include all
areas of the structure. This means
that all bath traps should be opened,
doors should be checked for
adequate weather stripping and door
sweeps, window screens checked for
holes, crawl access points inspected,
and conducive conditions like trees
on the roof be noted for correction.
PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Inspectors should remember that not every hole can be found from
the outside. With regards to crawls, and roofs it's easier to see
daylight coming in than darkness coming out. Likewise, holes in
heater closets, and garages may lead back to the original entry point.
Check all vents closely for holes, tears, wire or plumbing
 Hole behind
conduit

Check all vents closely for holes, tears, wire or plumbing

PART 3. EXCLUSIONS

• Some houses have holes internally within the structure. As part of an

IPM plan the sealing of these areas may be necessary. In many cases
bath-trap openings are located in crawl spaces providing access to
plumbing and other items of necessity. Likewise, ventilation can be
there from existing ground furnaces, removed ground furnaces, and
other types of plumbing, ducting and ventilation that may run from
the crawlspace to the attic. Limiting rodent access to these areas, and
travel points may aid in the control of rodent populations throughout
the structure
PART 4. TYPES OF RODENTICIDES

• There are 3 primary categories that rodenticides can be grouped into.

The different types of rodenticides fall into many chemical classes but
these categories are established as a result of development, modes of
action, their usage, and status.
PART 4. TYPES OF RODENTICIDES

• One category of note is First generation anticoagulants. This includes

warfarin, diphacinone, and some others. These toxicants are generally
slow acting, and almost always require multiple feedings for death to
occur. Because they are slow acting and require multiple feedings
they are the most environmentally reasonable solution. Products
such as JT Eaton's Peanut Butter and Molasses bait (EPA 56-42)
provide good protection with a lower impact than other
rodenticides.
 PART 4. TYPES OF RODENTICIDES

• Second generation anticoagulant rodenticides or SGAR's as they are

sometimes referred, are the more modern, more fast acting alternative.
SGAR's have received a lot of bad press in recent years because they have
been implicated in the deaths of many non-target animals, and species.
These active ingredients found in SGAR's have high rates of secondary
poisoning in a lot of cases, and the state of California has even put a ban
on many of these products.
 PART 4. TYPES OF RODENTICIDES

• Because these active ingredients were found in so many single use

packets, and other over the counter solutions, many homeowners were
irresponsible with these products. Likewise, the low cost of them was
attractive to pest control companies looking to cut corners. As a result,
they became widely overused, and have been the focus of federal and
local governments around the world.
 PART 4. TYPES OF RODENTICIDES

• The third category of pesticides, as laid out here, is non-anticoagulants.

This includes all other rodenticides not listed in the other two categories.
Some non-anticoagulants have very limited uses, but a more common
product that the average pest technician never encountered is Zinc
Phosphide. Zinc Phosphide, which can be found in products under the
brand name ZP is commonly used against burrowing rodents such as
gophers. ZP bait functions by releasing phosphine gas inside of a rodent’s
stomach when it comes into contact with stomach acid.
 PART 4. TYPES OF RODENTICIDES

• As a result, the phosphine slowly expands the stomach lining, and leeches
into the rodent’s body. This is one of the fastest acting rodenticides, and it
is highly toxic to birds. It does not have a high rate of secondary
poisoning, even to birds, which makes it attractive to pest control
companies, and the environmentally conscious. Bromethalin, another
single feeding bait, works as a neurotoxicant. It poisons the central
nervous system, and with a single dose it can induce respiratory distress
ultimately causing death in smaller mammals such as rodents.
PART 5. SETTING TRAPS
AND BAIT STATIONS
• Rats tend to have terrible vision, and
as a result they are forced to use their
other senses to get around. As rats
move from place to place they tend
to let their whiskers rub along walls in
houses, fireplace edges, crawl space
foundations, and attic joists. Placing
traps in a rat, or mouse's path is the
most feasible and obvious method of
catching one.
PART 5. SETTING TRAPS AND
BAIT STATIONS

• This means that traps with triggers should be

set along walls, joists, and other vertical
items that rodents may run along. Placing
traps in the center of an open area is not
generally feasible since rats and mice aren't
likely to hit a trap in those kinds of areas.
Likewise, the same is true of bait stations.
PART 5. SETTING TRAPS AND BAIT
STATIONS
• Trap boxes should also be placed along areas
of travel with the stations' entry holes along
their path. Some bait station types are
designed so that they may hold traps instead
of bait. The most common brand is Protecta
with their Sidekick stations. Sidekick stations
hold special "T-Rex traps." These "T-Rex" traps
can be placed inside of the stations and the
stations along walls in a rodent’s path. The
combination of Sidekick, and "T-Rex" trap can
be used outside or inside. Because the
Sidekick stations are baffled inside they are
child and pet resistant.
 Snail shells
inside the
heater closet
PART 5. SETTING
TRAPS AND BAIT
STATIONS
• Bait station placement is critical
since bait stations should be both
effective, and relatively safe. For
high levels of effectiveness bait
stations should be placed 15 to 50
feet apart along walls, structure
foundations, and other necessary
areas. A key action in determining
where hot spots may exist is
inspecting for droppings, gnawed
fruit shells, and piles of empty
snail shells.
 PART 5. SETTING
TRAPS AND BAIT
STATIONS
• Baits stations can be placed in these hot
spots if they are safe and appropriate
locations. Another good location where
bait stations are sure to be effective is
in places between harborage, and food
sources. In fact, anywhere along a
rodent’s path is good, but putting in the
path of their food is better, since rat
baits are generally formulated as
stomach poisons.
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COURSE. PLEASE
the products named, and references to them in this
CONTINUE TO THE QUIZ. publication do not signify our approval to the exclusion
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO of other products of suitable composition. All
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GOOD LUCK on the manufacturer's label. Use pesticides safely. Read
and follow directions on the manufacturer's label