PEST CONTROL

Chapter Outline:

1.1 Pest control by Physical and Chemical means.

1.2 Types of Pest Their habits , life history and control measures.
1.3 Outsourcing Pest control.

A pest is simply a living thing whose interests conflict with the interest of man. Pest cause
diseases, damage property and contaminate food.

1.1 Pest control by Physical and Chemical means.

The objective of pest control is to minimize the number of pests through physical and
chemical means. Physical means include
considering the design, layout and construction of building. Minimizing cracks,
crevices and gaps can reduce the entry of pests. Trap all drains and sewers.
Maintaining areas clean and tidy. Check areas like freezers, grinders, ranges,
drains. Empty bottles, cartons etc. must be cleared. Wet mops and dusters breed
insects.
Proper clearance of garbage. Garbage bins must be provided with tight fitting lids
and kept away from the building.
Keeping food covered.
Providing window and door nets.
Providing air curtains
Using electrocuting grids to keep away flying insects. The ultraviolet rays attract
flying insects and the grids surrounding the light have current passing through
them which electrocutes them
Using fly swatters
Using Ultrasonic devices to keep away rodents. Gum boards and traps also help in
trapping rodents.
Draining open stagnant water to prevent breeding of mosquitoes
Varnishing or painting wood to prevent infestation of furniture beetle.

Chemical means include the use of chemical pesticides in the form of liquid (aerosols).
tablets etc. to kill the pests.

Physical means are obviously more environmental friendly and less damaging to human
beings. Hence physical means must be utilized before chemical means. The foundation of
controlling pests effectively, is to have a good knowledge of habits, needs and the life
history of pests.
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1.2 Types of Pest

Pests are divided into

1. Fungi : Dry rot, Wet rot, Mildew, moulds

2. Insects : Flying insects : Mosquitoes, House Flies
: Crawling insects : Ants, Bedbugs Termites
3. Rodents : Rats, Mice, Bandicoots.

1. Fungi

Dry Rot and Wet Rot: Both are fungi infestation causing timber decay. Wet rot occurs in
extremely wet conditions causing the wood to darken, eventually decay and break up. This
can be treated with drying to stop the growth. Timber affected by dry rot has to be cut off.

2. Insects

i) House Fly :They breed and develop in decaying vegetable and animal matter and
produce food poisoning organisms and diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery and
tuberculosis. Breeding is extremely rapid - 10-12 generations per summer.
Control:
Keep food covered.
Dispose all food refuse quickly into dustbins with well fitting lids.
Store dustbins as far away from the kitchen as possible.
Window nets, screens.
Electrocuting grids
Air curtains.
Fly swatters
Insecticides like Diazinon, Dichloros, Pyrethrin, Permethrin, Pybuthrin,
Deltamathrin (Hexit), Allethrin (hexitPropoxur (Baygon) can be sprayed for all
flying insects.
Dry baits are available which consists of granulated sugar as a base with 2.5%
malathion. 25% vegetable oil and 0.25% activated charcoal. This bait is used at the
rate of 50 100 g/100 m2.
Use of impregnated cards with insecticides and sugar are more hygienic than
spraying.

ii) Cockroaches : The most common ones are the "black beetle", the smaller and lighter
brown ones are called German cockroaches. They are agile and their flattened bodies enable
them to hide in cracks, where they hide by day. Their other favorite places are warm, moist
places in kitchens and drainage systems. They are not fussy about any kind of food but they
have a partiality towards sweets and beer. Roaches lay about 16-40 eggs at a time. A

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iii) roachy smell, discarded eggs and the presence of dropping faecae are the tell tale signs
of infestation.
Control: As for housefly.
Cracks and crevices must be cemented up especially near stoves and drainage systems.
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They may also be found behind cupboards, water and gas pipe entrance holes.

Sticky papers are placed in infested areas. Dead roaches must be disposed immediately as
otherwise they can cause ant infestation.

iv) Mosquitoes :Open type of hotels with a lot of greenery have more possibilities of
mosquito infestation. They cause malaria.
Control:
Open stagnant water must be drained or sprayed with kerosene to kill the larvae.
Coils or Vaporizers.
Spraying insecticides with a fogging machine in the evenings.
Vitamin B tablets help to cut down on being bitten by them.
Repellents such as Citronella oil, Odomos or Autun can be applied on the skin.
Pyrethrin coils (Tortoise, Rooster) and mats (Good Knight) or All-out can be used.

v) Moths: They feed on fabrics made of natural fibers.

Control:
Store fabrics, especially blankets in plastic bags.
Napthalene balls deter moths but some people do not like its smell.

vi) Ants: They usually enter from gardens. They thrive on carbohydrates especially
sugary foodstuff.
Control:
Store food under cover. Wipe up spills immediately.
Locate the nest and pour boiling water.
Spray the runs with insecticides like Apocarb, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Malathion,
Lindane, Pyrethroid, Bromophos, Carbaryl, Finitrothion, Iodofenphos, Firmiphos
methyl. This can be used for all crawling insects.

vii) Silverfish: They are wingless insects which feed and are found between books
and clothing.
Control:
Regular airing.
Insecticides like Dieldrin, Lindane, Paradichloro benzene, permethrin can be used
for textile pests.

viii) Bed Bugs: Of all the pests which have been and a torment to man, the bedbug is
the most determined and cunning. This six legged vampire is also called the mahogany flat,
red coat, wall house etc. They one-fifths of an inch long, flat rather round in outline and
chestnut brown in color. It is nocturnal in its habits. It may be introduced into the building
through infested removal vans, second hand furniture, infested theater seats etc. Once in the

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building, it hides in every conceivable crevice, in mattresses, behind wall papers, skirting
etc. They emit a characteristic odor and imbibe upto five times their weight in blood during
a matter of 10-15 minutes.
Control:
Remove the cause of infestation. Beds Beddings should be checked atleast once a
month.
Bed frames and joints must be sprayed atleat once in 3 months with a 5% solution of
D.D.T. in kerosene to prevent infestation.
Where they show resistance, Fumigation with toxic gases is the most effective. (Only
to be done by professionals).

ix) White Ants: They destroy paper, wood, fabrics. When faced with bricks, concrete
walls, they construct covered runways.
Control:
Application of 8% D.D.T. oil solution is effective for than five years. For localized
infestation on wood, a hole can be drilled into the wood and toxic dusts blown under
pressure.

x) Furniture Beetle: ( Wood Worm) Wood boring insects make holes in unpolished wood
(normally found on the back and underside of furniture). Sawdust indicates signs of
infestation.
Control: The holes will have to be injected with oil soluble wood worm liquid. To prevent
infestation apply varnish on the wood.

III. Rodents

Mice (house mice, field mice) and rats. Signs of infestation are small black droppings and
teeth marks. They gnaw almost anything including electrical cables (a frequent cause of
fire) and even lead piping. Domestic infestation of rats is not very common. They have poor
eyesight, stick to regular runs, rarely cross open spaces, preferring to skirt walls, using their
whiskers to feel.
Control:
All food should be kept in rodent proof containers.
All refuse should be kept in containers with tight fitting lids
All drains and sewers must be trapped. Gaps between doors and floor should not be
more than 6 mm.
Poison baits
Gum boards.
Spring traps.
Ultrasonic devices

Common poisons used are Alphachloralose, Warfarin, (MusMus, Roban) Zinc phos-
phide, Brodifacorim, Bromodiolane, Calciferol, Chloraphacine, Diphacinone,
Norbromide.

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1.3 Outsourcing Pest control.

Since Pest control is a specialized area which can take a large amount of time, almost all
hotels outsource this service. The Executive Housekeeper is also responsible for choosing
the right contractor. Before getting into a contract with a pest control agency, the following
points must be taken into account.
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1. Manpower the number of operators and supervisors utilized for the job.
2. Duty hours 8 hrs?, 24 hrs? Weekly off and replacements.
3. Specific mention of pests included in the contract and the kind of routine (daily,
weekly) and periodic pest control (monthly) activities done.
4. The type and quantum of pesticides used.
5. Contract value and validity.

Once the contract is awarded, it is the responsibility of the Housekeeper to check on the
effectiveness of the control measures. The effectiveness is apparent within 2 3 months.

Whenever, there is a suspicion about the genuinity of the pesticide, samples can be sent to
the Central Pollution Control Board for testing. For this, the undiluted chemical must be
taken in a sterilized and dry bottle with information like chemical and trade name, its
concentration, manufacturing date etc.

A daily log book must be maintained by the operator to keep a track of the work done.

Pest Control Register

Date:
Shift:
Sl.No. Area Signature of incharge Remarks
of that area
Public Area

Back of the house

Guest Room

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General Precautions

1. Always wear protective clothing, gloves, boots, masks while handling pesticide.
2. While using aerosols, do not spray into the wind.
3. Do not smoke, drink or eat while handling pesticides.
4. Wash hands and other exposed areas thoroughly after handling pesticides.
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5. If sprayer does not work properly, do not put force. Examine it and find fault.
6. Store pesticides in its original labeled containers, cool, dark and dry place, away
from foodstuff, children and animals and under lock and key.
7. Dispose empty containers safely; destroyed and away from human habitation.
8. Poisoning can occur by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin. Symptoms are
headache, giddiness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, constriction of pupils,
labored breathing and sweating. Call a doctor immediately.
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