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 CRAZY ANTS From the country that gave us Africanized Honey Bees, Brazil has delivered another tough insect – the crazy ant. Named for its erratic trails, this ant is a force to be reckoned with in terms of sheer environmental impact. This omnivorous ant attacks and kills other species as well as monopolizes food sources. Since its arrival in 2002 in Houston, the crazy ant has displaced fire ants in several places. "When you talk to folks who live in the invaded areas, they tell you they want their fire ants back," said Edward LeBrun, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. "Fire ants are in many ways very polite. They live in your yard. They form mounds and stay there, and they only interact with you if you step on their mound." Crazy ants, on the other hand, "go everywhere," invading homes and nesting in walls and crawlspaces. They are even attracted to electrical components. In one year, they caused $146.5 million in damages in Texas alone. The devastation occurs when one ant discovers either wiring or the transformer and gets electrocuted. It waves its abdomen in the air, emitting a certain scent. The sent lures more ants, and they too are electrocuted, sending more attractant into the air. Eventually there are so many dead ants, the electrical switches get stuck or the insulation in wiring fries and the system shuts down. The Crazy Ant has spread through 20 counties in Texas, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. Luckily, the crazy ant doesn't spread as quickly as the fire ant, advancing only 650 feet (200 meters) per year on its own, the release noted. Therefore, it's vital that people don't accidentally transport the ant, the prime method by which it has spread. ILLNESS AND INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM Employers in California are required to have an effective written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). The benefits of an efficient IIPP include improved workplace safety and health, better morale, increased productivity, and reduced costs of doing business. Whether you need to develop a written IIPP or improve your existing IIPP, the State of California's Department of Industrial Relation's website has an e-tool that will help you. This e-tool will produce a written IIPP for you by answering a set of questions. Each of your answers will automatically appear underlined in a written IIPP which is specific to your workplace. To produce a complete written IIPP you must fully answer all the IIPP questions. The written IIPP you produce will not be sent to Cal/OSHA. There are also Effectiveness Questions for you to evaluate how successful your IIPP is and Sample Forms and Checklists to help you put your IIPP into practice and document what you have done. You will also find other resources from Cal/OSHA on the link. Remember that an effective IIPP is not just a paper program. For your IIPP to be effective you must fully put it into practice in your workplace. Here is the link: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/09-031/
FUMIGATION COMPANIES COMPETE IN 10TH ANNUAL BANNER CONTEST Take Care Termite Named 2013 Winner
INDIANAPOLIS — August 6, 2013 — The Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC) is pleased Take Care Termite of Tracy, Calif. won first place. The judging panel commented that the winning banner was easy to read, had a good layout and used a nice tagline ─ "Let us ‘take care' of what bugs you." Take Care Termite owner Ray Carrier says he entered the banner contest at the encouragement of his wife and some of his fumigators, and he is glad he did! The company banner was designed by Carrier's stepdaughter, who enjoys graphic design. "I'm very excited that we won this year. There have been some really neat banners that have won in the past. We appreciate Dow AgroSciences sponsoring this contest." Finishing in second place was Advanced Integrated Pest Management of Sacramento, with a banner featuring dead termites with a photo of the company truck. Taking third was a banner from Pest Control Center, Inc., of North Highlands, Calif. The banner proclaims, "Another home protected with Vikane gas fumigant." Fourth place was awarded to Clark Pest Control of San Diego which entered a simple, clear banner in the company's trademark colors. Participating fumigation companies submitted photos of their banners, which included their business name, logo and contact information. A panel of communications specialists judged the banners on readability from a distance, professionalism, visual impact and attractiveness. Pest control companies with the winning banners will be given prizes in the following amounts: first place, $1,250; second, $1,000; third; $500; and fourth, $250. "Dow AgroSciences is happy to sponsor the PCOC Banner Contest for the 10th year," says Heather Kern, Dow AgroSciences product manager for VIKANE gas fumigant. "The contest allows our fumigator partners to exhibit their banners, engage in some friendly competition with their peers and promote the value of structural fumigation with Vikane gas fumigant." For more information about fumigation with VIKANE, visit http://www.termitetenting.com/.
®Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow VIKANE is a federally Restricted Use Pesticide. Always read and follow label directions. Photo Caption: This year's first-place banner was submitted by Take Care Termite of Tracy, Calif.
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