The last few years has played a pivotal role in the future of pest control management in Ireland. With ever-increasing public awareness regarding the impacts of toxic products and procedures on the environment as a whole, the government and regulatory authorities have undertaken crucial steps towards a non-toxic and sustainable pest control approach. 

The European Food and Safety Authority in 2013 ruled that neonicotinoids were harming pollinators, this along with the EU Biocidal Products Regulation and “Permanent Baiting” rules are the beginning of a big wave of fundamental changes that the regulatory bodies are bringing to the industry.

This environmentally conscious approach is not just a government only thing, businesses that operate in this space have also taken notice and are turning away from chemical-based solutions in order to minimise any potentially harmful impact they may have on the customers as well as the individuals who deal with it. 

These changes in legislation have prompted the plethora of pest control businesses operating in Ireland to rethink their approach and come up with new and effective methods that abide by the standards set. With the assistance of ever-improving technological procedures, the industry is observing a steady shift towards a more efficient, more targeted low toxic solutions. 

These advancements are actively benefitting the businesses by producing efficient and less expensive results whilst simultaneously reducing the damage toxic methods cause to the environment in the long run.

The Advantages of Connected Technology and The Internet of Things.

The majority of technological advancements in the industry today revolve around the general principle of interconnectedness. The process of automating pest observation and management is simplifying the entire process. The industry is embracing the Internet of Things to change its monitoring tactics. Devices and connected traps can now be installed throughout a perimeter to undertake 24/7 remote monitoring eliminating the need for physical inspection by the technicians.

Not limited to the urban industries, these technologies are making tremendous strides in the rural field as well, especially the agricultural space where Rentokil Pest Control is beta-testing drones equipped with thermal imaging technology and hyperspectral imaging software, that can survey enormous areas of crops with microscopic details to identify localised infestations, enabling Rentokil to identify and treat targeted areas with potential pest problems using low-toxic solutions.

 Prevention Through Predictive Analytics

These new monitoring methods are producing quality data unlike before, data that can be used in collaboration with public data sources, such as the weather records to successfully predict pest behaviour. 

These sophisticated data-driven insights allow Rentokil to apply targeted, low-tox treatments in specific spots rather than blanket treating facilities with chemicals. 

This symbiotic approach of data-driven actions eliminates the need for toxic treatments exponentially.  

New Developments In Non-Toxic Heat Treatments

Heat treatments have reduced the need for any toxic material by providing better and sustainable results to the industry.

The Rentokil Entotherm, for example, is beta-testing the Entotherm that eradicates bed bugs and cockroaches by using heat that dehydrates the insects from the inside. Eliminating the need to use toxic sprays which are usually unable to penetrate their hard outer shell. 

This approach reduces the risk of insects developing resistance to the chemicals and passing it on to their future offsprings. Another benefit of the heat-based approach is that it eradicates all stages of insects- eggs, larva, pupa and adults without needing to go higher than 50-60 degree Celsius. This temperature is high enough to kill pests rapidly but does not cause structural damage to the environment.

New Advances In Biopesticides

These low-toxic advancements are not only limited to data and hardware, but Rentokil’s global science centre is also continuously testing and developing new organic-compound solutions that can eliminate pests. One such solution in development utilises fungal spores that attach itself to the exoskeleton of cockroaches. The spores then germinate and bore through the outer shell to reach the insect’s body cavity to multiply and kill it.

Solutions like these have zero mammalian toxicity. Another significant benefit of this particular procedure is that pests cant develop resistance to spores. This helps Rentokil to get closer to developing a solution for insects that develop resistance to chemicals and pass on resistant genes.

The Future Is Digital Pest Control 

Rentokil Pest Control has always laid dire emphasis on the importance of technological advancements in its operations. The future for pest controls holds many questions along with endless possibilities. One unique question is what would happen if we could communicate with pests like rats and mice rather than monitoring them? This is something Rentokil is working on with the use of ultrasound technology. An idea borne out of frustration with the fact that current methods of monitoring mice (e.g. connected traps, or fluorescent gels) only record activity when the mouse interacts with the solution and activates it. 

Rentokil is trying to develop a solution to this problem that can listen to mice by picking up the high frequencies they emit, which are higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. This method could allow us the opportunity to send messages back to mice and repel them from the area.

It is obvious that the need and demand for low-toxic pest control are going to continue to increase due to the changes in legislation and an increase in public demand for sustainable alternatives to traditional toxic methods. 

Rentokil Pest Control is the expert in Digital Pest Control Solutions in Ireland. Learn more about what Rentokil can do for your business and get in touch with our experts.