A farmer has to take into consideration a number of factors during the germination and subsequent growth of seedlings and crops. Bad weather, unavailability of nutrients and pest damage are just some of the issues that a farmer has to be prepared for. While bad weather is something that cannot be controlled no matter what, prevention or control of pest damage is one thing that farmers can take care of to make sure they get abundant produce. One such pest of agriculture is the Ruther­glen bug.  Rutherglen bugs are mainly sap suckers and may cause damage to susceptible plants in a way similar to that caused by aphids.

Rutherglen bug is best known as a seed-feeding pest, attacking grain as it develops and fills. However, in some seasons, large numbers of nymphs and adults can cause damage to establishing winter or summer crops. Their populations can build up in summer weeds, and move from these into establishing winter crop, feeding on and killing small seedlings. Large numbers of Rutherglen bugs moving out of crops poses a threat to nearby establishing summer crop. The adults migrate into fields from local weed hosts, or more distant sources in spring. Infestations can be large and the period of invasion prolonged. The damage caused by these bugs may include flower abortion, reduced pod set and seed development. Direct feeding on developing seed may affect oil quantity, quality and seed viability. These bugs can persist into windrows, and at harvest cause problems with seed flow through harvesters, and by raising the moisture content of the grain to above acceptable standard.

The main issue with Rutherglen bugs around harvest time is con­t­a­m­i­na­tion of harvested grain. When they are in very large numbers they can cause a number of issues at harvest; live bugs in the sample can result in rejection of a load at the delivery point. In some seasons the infestation can reach plague proportions, typically when the senescence of weed hosts in spring and early summer forces adults and nymphs into nearby crops. Although Rutherglen bug is usually a pest in spring, in rare instances large infestations have occurred in autumn with seedling crops decimated by the feeding of adults and nymphs. In very large numbers, these bugs can dam­age seedling crops purely by weight of num­bers feed­ing on seedlings. The bugs maintain their populations on fallen sunflower seeds and migrate to cotton as the seedlings emerge. They suck the cotton seedlings dry resulting in an establishment problems and gappy stands. This situation can also arise in fields with poor hygiene where weeds act as a winter host. They can also build in some winter crops such as canola and then move into adjacent seedling cotton in the spring.

The below article would further emphasize on the damage caused by these pesky creatures.

Rutherglen bugs storm northern crops

18/12/12

An infestation of Rutherglen bugs that may have ridden recent storms into the northern grains region is causing headaches for growers from northern NSW to Central Queensland.

Dr Melina Miles, Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) says large numbers of Rutherglen bugs have migrated into cropping regions since early November.

“While the exact origin of the bugs is unknown, it is likely they are being carried on storm fronts from inland regions where they have bred up over winter and spring on native host plants,” Dr Miles said.

“Large numbers are affecting seedling establishment, simply by weight of numbers feeding on the emerging seedlings.

“In some instances the seedling crops are invaded by large numbers of nymphs walking out of weedy fallows into establishing crops.”

Dr Miles says ploughing a deep furrow between the seedling crop and the source of bugs, or a border spray may be sufficient to prevent ongoing infestation.

She says sorghum is vulnerable to Rutherglen bug from flowering to soft dough stage.

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)-supported research shows sorghum crops infested during flowering will fail to set seed, and infestations at milky dough stage will result in seed covered in small, dark feeding wounds.

Dr Miles says developing grain affected by Rutherglen bug feeding is light in weight, with poor germination. Under wet conditions, fungal and bacterial infections further degrade Rutherglen bug-damaged grain, infecting through feeding wounds on the seed.

If large num­bers of Rutherglen bug move into the estab­lish­ing crop, insec­ti­cide seed dress­ings will not pre­vent dam­age to seedlings, as each bug must feed to get a dose of the insec­ti­cide, and in doing so con­tribute to the plant damage. Therefore we need a solution that helps protect our plants and trees from damage, while at the same time does not harm the environment in any way. So, how do we fight this pest?  Keep reading!

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated withCombirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

 

Pinyon pine is a beautiful tree, offering incredible structure to a desert. One of the slowest growing trees among the conifers, the Pinyon pine can take up to a hundred years to produce a single cone. The trees yield edible pinyon nuts, which are widely eaten by the Native Americans. Annual harvest of wild pinyon nuts exceeds a million pounds! The wood, especially when burned, has a distinctive fragrance, making it a common wood to burn in chimineas.  The pinyon pine trees are also known to influence the soil in which they grow. Sadly, these amazing trees are under attack by small, black, bean shaped invasive insects known as the Pinyon needle scales. These insects can cause the leaves of Pinyon pine trees to fall off and could also kill the tree!

These tiny, sap-sucking insects kill the needles and severely weaken Pinyon pines in forests. Reduced new growth and stunted needles are common on trees suffering repeated attacks. The needle length is reduced and needles drop prematurely. Heavy infestations frequently kill small trees and predispose weakened larger trees to attack by other insects. Feeding by adult females and nymphs causes the needles to turn yellow and prematurely fall. Most defoliation occurs on older needles, producing a tufted appearance with younger needles primarily persisting on infested trees. Small trees with scales can die in a few years when untreated. However, larger trees suffer more slowly, losing one or a couple branches at a time until they die.

This insect is most common and damaging in the United States, particularly in southern Colorado. Historic outbreaks were noted in 1957-1963 in southeast Nevada and southwest Utah, affecting several hundred thousand acres. In 2009, approximately 7% of Nevada’s pinyon forest mapped was affected by this insect. In 2010, nearly 1,161,000 acres of the approximately 9,950,000 acres of pinyon in Nevada were mapped as scale-defoliated.This represents 11.6% of Nevada’s pinyon forest!

The graveness of the issue can be better understood from the following article,

Pinyon needle scale eggs killing trees in some AZ cities

 Allison Miller

Apr 11, 2011

 PRESCOTT, AZ – Spring is providing us with warmer temperatures and beautiful spring blooms.

However, these warmer temperatures have already caused native insects, called pinyon needle scales to emerge. 

These insects can cause leaves of Pinyon pine trees to fall off and could also kill the tree.

Because of the warm temperatures, the female scales have already laid their eggs on the trees and will hatch in May. 

They can be found over thousands of acres including the Prescott area up the northwest to the Williamson Valley and are also spreading across the Payson area.

They look like noticable clusters of yellow eggs held together in loose, white, cottony webbing found in branch crotches, along the underside of branches, on the trunk, and at the base of the tree.

Bob Celaya, Forest Health Specialist says the eggs need to be spotted and treated as quickly as possible since they can kill small trees within a few years and large trees may take several years to die.

Evidently, unless proper measures are taken, the Pinyon pines may soon become extinct due to the Pinyon needle scale. Infested pine trees can be treated with chemicals and insecticides or by washing off the eggs from the surface of the trees before they get a chance to hatch. However, the efforts and costs associated with these methods, as well as the environmental safety concerns about applying toxic insecticides, make these techniques less feasible on a broad scale in natural areas.

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated withCombirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

 

It is said that the word rice is derived from the old French word ‘ris’ which in turn has its origin Italian, Latin and Greek. Whatever be the origin of the word, it is one of the major staple for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in Asia. It is the agricultural commodity with the third-highest worldwide production, after surgarcane and maize, according to data of FAOSTAT 2012.

Being the major staple food of most of the people, the impact is harder on the population due to the shortage of the rice. One of the dangers that befall the rice food leading to its shortage is attack by pests. Brown planthoper is a major rice pest which causes extensive damage and losses. Being distributed across Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, North and South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam; the brown planthopper causes upto 60% yield loss. Their host plant other than rice is Leersia hexandra. They damage rice directly through feeding and also by transmitting two viruses, rice ragged stunt virus and rise grassy stunt virus.

Adults and nymph suck the phloem sap leading to hopper burn & resulting in drying of leaves. High infestation causes lodging of the crop and heavy loss in yield. Infestation is severe in high yielding varieties. Under favorable conditions they multiply very fast. Both brown planthopper(BPH) and white backed planthopper(WBPH) are known for their resistance to commonly used insecticides including the neonicotinoids. Hence crop failures due to severe pest outbreaks are very common in many rice-growing tracts of India. Temperature, relative humidity and prevailing wind direction determine the severity of incidence and spread of BPH.

In appearance the adult brown planthopper is Yellowish brown to dark brown in colour measuring 4.5 to 5.0 mm long.

• High nitrogen levels and close plant spacing, continuous submerged, shady and humid conditions in the field tend to favor the BPH increase.
• Extensive rice areas with irrigation facilities, multiple rice cropping are important factors for insect abundance.
• Outbreaks of the insect pests are closely associated with insecticide misuse, especially during the early crop stages. These insecticide sprays usually directed at leaf feeding insects disrupt the natural biological control, which favor the BPH development as secondary pest.
• The insect prefers rainfed and irrigated wetland fields to upland rice and transplanted fields to direct sown fields.

Let’s take a look at the following article highlighting the damage done by brown planthopper;

Pest attack on aman fields worries farmers

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat, Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Farmers in the district are worried as attack on paddy fields by brown plant hopper (BPH), locally known as current poka, poses threat to their hope for a good yield of aman this season.

Agriculture officials claim the situation is now under control while the farmers said the use of pesticides has failed to check the pest attack.

Farmers said BPH started attacking aman plants a week ago and many aman paddy fields in the district have already been attacked. They are trying to save their aman plants from being attacked by BPH, using natural methods and spraying pesticides in the fields.

Nurul Islam Bappi, a farmer of Durakuti village in Sadar upazila, said his aman plants on two bighas of land have been attacked by BPH (current poka) and it is also attacking the plants on another two bighas of land. “I have been spraying pesticides in the fields for the last three days, but to no effect,” he said.

Abdul Jalil of Jumma Para village in the upazila said BPH attacked aman plants on his three bighas of land five days ago and wreaked havoc on 50 percent plants. “As per advice of local agriculture officer, I sprayed pesticides that yielded no positive results,” he said.

Contacted, Deputy Director Safayet Hossain of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Lalmonirhat, said the situation is ‘not so alarming’. Agriculture officials are working at field level and giving advice to the farmers about use of pesticides and other methods to combat the PBH disease, he added.

Using conventional toxic pesticides will not be effective as the brown planthopper has become resilient to them. Pesticides are toxic, hazardous and pollute the environment. So a solution has to be adopted which have the traits exactly opposite to the deadly pesticides.

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated withCombirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

 

 

 

Semiochemicals are small organic compounds that transmit chemical messages. They are used by insects for intra- and interspecies communication. Insects detect semiochemical directly from the air with olfactory receptors. In most insects, the receptors are located in sensilla hairs on the antennae. The term “semiochemical” has been in use since 1971. It is derived from the Greek word “semeon,” which means “sign” or “signal.” Semiochemicals were already being studied in the 1880s. Although their chemistry was not yet understood at that time, people already knew about using female insects to lure males into traps. Semiochemical research in its present form has been conducted since the 1950s, when the first pheromones were isolated and identified. From the 1950s up until today, more than 3,000 semiochemicals connected to the chemical communication of insects have been identified.

The chemical analysis of semiochemicals should consider both effect and structure. In terms of effect, semiochemicals can be classified as pheromones or allelochemicals based on how they are used and who benefits. In terms of structure, semiochemicals can be divided into twenty-four classes according to functional groups. Familiarization with the practical applications of semiochemicals is also important to the study of their chemistry.

 CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SEMIOCHEMICALS

The semiochemical database Pherobase contains approximately 3,000 semiochemicals so far. Most of the molecules are small and simple, but some have structures that can be quite complicated. Semiochemicals have molecular weights ranging from 17 to 880 g/mol, but they are usually volatile. The heaviest molecules have the longest carbon chains, but there are fewer than ten semiochemicals in the database with a mass above 550 g/mol. The length of the carbon chains in semiochemicals varies from zero to forty-five carbons. The number of double bonds in semiochemical structures varies from zero to thirteen. Along with double bonds, cis-trans isomerism is a typical feature of semiochemical compounds, although positional and optical isomerism also occur. Based on effect, semiochemicals are divided into two main categories: pheromones and allelochemicals. An examination of semiochemicals must take their functions into account, since the same molecule could act as a pheromone for one insect species and as a kairomone or allomone for another. In nature, a species-specific chemical message could be generated based on an exact molar ratio, a particular form of isomerism, or isomeric mixtures, for example.

PHEROMONES

Pheromones are compounds used by insects for intraspecies communication. The term “pheromone” is derived from the Greek words “pherein” (to carry) and “horman” (toexcite/stimulate). The term was introduced in 1959 by Karlsson and Butenandt and by Karlsson and Lüscher simultaneously. The difference between pheromones and hormones is that hormones are produced in an insect’s endocrine glands. They have an effect on the insect that produces them, whereas pheromones affect other individuals instead. Based on their effect, pheromones can be divided into at least the following categories:

• Aggregation pheromones: compounds that increase the concentration of insects at the pheromone source.
• Alarm pheromones: compounds that stimulate insects’ escape or defense behavior.
• Sex pheromones: compounds that help individuals of the opposite sex to find each other.
• Trail pheromones: among social insects, compounds used by workers to mark the way to a food source, for example.
• Marking pheromones: compounds used by insects to mark the boundaries of a territory. Dragonflies (Miettinen, A., 2006).

The effect of a semiochemical is influenced by its molecular weight. Most of the alarm pheromones, for example, have a molecular weight below 200 g/mol. Once the danger has passed, they evaporate. Trail pheromones, on the other hand, have higher molecular weights. They are not supposed to evaporate immediately.

ALLELOCHEMICALS

The allelochemicals are classified as allomones, kairomones or synomones. Allomones are a class of compounds that benefit the producer, but not the receiver. Allomones are often found in nature as part of a chemical defense, such as toxic insect secretions. Predators also use allomones to lure prey. Kairomones are a class of compounds that are advantageous for the receiver. The term “kairomone” is derived from the Greek word “kairos,” which means “opportunistic” (Nordlund et al. 1981, 18). Kairomones benefit many predators and bugs, for example, by guiding them to prey or potential host insects. Synomones (from the Greek “syn” for “with” or “together”) are compounds that are beneficial to both the receiver and the sender.

SEMIOCHEMICALS AS A POTENTIAL FOR INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

Semiochemicals (Gk. semeon, a signal) are chemicals that mediate interactions between organisms. Semiochemicals are subdivided into allelochemicals and pheromones depending on whether the interactions are interspecific or intraspecific, respectively. Within both allelochemicals and pheromones it is sometimes useful to refer to chemicals as arrestants, attractants, repellents, deterrents, stimulants or other descriptive terms. These terms can indicate what behavior is involved in the response such as a feeding stimulant or flight arrestant. Pheromones (Gk. phereum, to carry; horman, to excite or stimulate) are released by one member of a species to cause a specific interaction with another member of the same species. Pheromones may be further classified on the basis of the interaction mediated, such as alarm, aggregation or sex pheromone. It is the sex pheromones of insects that are of particular interest to agricultural integrated pest management (IPM) practitioners.

The concept of IPM is based on the recognition that no single approach to pest control offers a universal solution, and that the best crop protection can be provided by a fusion of various tactics and practices based on sound ecological principles. Pheromones are a commonly used component of many insect IPM programs (Dent, 1993 and Anonymous, 1995.) The existence of pheromones has been known for centuries, apparently originating in observations of mass bee stinging in response to a chemical released by the sting of a single bee. The two primary uses of insect pheromones are for detection and monitoring of populations and for mating disruption. These uses take advantage of sex pheromones on which a vast majority of insect pests rely to mediate reproduction.

Male annihilation is trapping carried to a seemingly logical conclusion. Place enough traps, catch enough males, and leave the females of the species without mates. This approach has been used against pink bollworms in an isolated area of Arizona with low numbers of overwintering moths. Any untrapped males simply mate more frequently. Mating disruption does not depend on traps for control, although traps are frequently used to monitor the extent of mating disruption in the population. Failure to trap males is taken as an indication that males are unable to find females which may or may not be true. Thus, trap data must always be related to actual levels of crop infestation.

Present commercial formulations of pheromones for both trap baits and mating disruption mimic the natural chemical blends of females as clearly as possible. Most insect sex pheromones are multicomponent with precise ratios of components which may be expensive to manufacture. Thus, insect sex pheromones and products containing pheromones, are commercially available primarily for insects of economic importance.

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated withCombirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

PVC has been used extensively in a wide range of construction products for over half a century. PVC’s strong, lightweight, durable and versatile characteristics make it ideal for an ample range of applications. PVC has a versatility that helps it meet the various needs of modern architecture. PVC was first used as cable insulation as a replacement for rubber during the Second World War, but has now become the superior material through its flexibility, ease of handling in installation and inherent flame retardation. PVC cables do not harden and crack over time and find use in many applications from telecommunications to electric blankets. In Europe, about 25% of all flexible PVC is used in the production of wire and cables for the electrical industries.

As resistant as PVC is to abrasion and corrosion, there is one thing that PVC has absolutely no resistance against-pests! Insects such as ants and termites have been long-standing enemies of PVC who damage and eventually destroy the articles. A number of insects including termites, like beetles, ants, wasps etc secrete formic acid that has the ability to dissolve the insulation of wires thereby destroying them. About 3% of the body weight of termites is made up of formic acid. Termites cause over $2 billion every year in property damage. And that’s not all wood! Termites do not eat plastic; however, the aggressive Formosan termite is known to attack plastic in search of food. Termites often chew through softer plastics. They play havoc with buried cables and sometimes bore a hole through water pipes causing service interruptions and major damage. Tunneling can lead to damage to electrical cords and cause blackouts.

Besides termites, the other species that cause major damage to PVC articles are ants. Ants going about their daily routine grow increasingly frustrated with the presence of underground optical cables and other telecommunications equipment including lawn pedestals and terminating boxes and thereby become a growing problem for telecom companies that can blame local outages on their activities. There have been a lot of incidences where outages have been directly attributed to insect activity. Material brought into the colony can overheat equipment when it blocks air vents, increased moisture from the insects can corrode or compromise sensitive electronics, and insect attempts to push PVC wiring out of the way can ruin optical cables.

Below is an article that sheds some light on the damage caused by these critters on PVC wires and cables.

 

‘Crazy’ Ants, New Invasive Species, Destroys Electric Wiring, Unfazed By Conventional Pesticides

Posted: 06/10/2013 

If you thought fire ants were bad, just wait until you get a load of “crazy” ants.

 Yes, crazy ants, a species of South American ant whose colony movements are so erratic that researchers could only evoke insanity when describing them.

 Also known as raspberry or tawny crazy ants, the insects have spread to Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi since first being spotted in Houston, Texas, in 2002. They “have a taste for everything from livestock to electrical equipment,” according to ABC News. They have been known to infest homes, transformers and even electronic devices such as laptops and smartphones.

 Unlike its cousin the fire ant (also called the red ant), which it has displaced in several locations, the crazy ant is highly invasive. Moving into competitive territory, crazy ants aggressively compete for other species’ resources and establish dominance. Poison bait that works on fire ants is ineffective on crazy ants because the insects won’t take it.

 “When you talk to folks who live in the invaded areas, they tell you they want their fire ants back,” Ed LeBrun, an invasive species researcher at the University of Texas, said in a UT Austin College of Natural Sciences video. “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.”

 LeBrun, co-author of a recent study on how crazy ants have displaced fire ants in Texas’ ecosystems, explained that the insects’ opportunistic nesting habits are a key factor in their biological dominance. That dominance could mean drastic changes to an ecosystem that’s adjusted to the presence of fire ants — also an invasive species — over the past 40 years.

While they are omnivorous, the ants do not actually “feast on” electrical equipment, as has been suggested. The ants damage electronics by “forming bridges between the electrical contacts” and shorting them out, LeBrun pointed out.

 Though the crazy ant threat to electronics has not been lost on the tech media, the insects are probably more a threat to your air conditioner than they are to your iPhone. As CNET notes, “You might want to think twice about leaving your laptop outside in crazy ant territory, but the ants are more likely to get into fixed equipment, house wiring and even recreational vehicles.”

Although these pests have been a source of great concern and annoyance, killing them using poisons or traps somehow seems ethically wrong, not to mention unsafe and toxic. Thus we need to find a way to protect our wires and pipes from the action of these critters, without causing any harm to them or the environment. PVC has been under attack by the action of insects for decades; however we are no closer to finding a solution for this problem than we were hundreds of years ago-until recently. C Tech Corporation provides an exceptional solution for this dilemma!

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated with Combirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Rodents are one of the most important vertebrate pests which directly and indirectly cause distress to the production of crops and storage of grains. Rodents cause severe damage to various crops by gnawing, spoilage, contamination and hoarding activities. The effects of rodent damage cause a huge amount of crop losses and food shortages in many parts of the world. Rodents cause millions of dollars in damages to field crops, stored grain and farm equipment each year. In addition, they are the major carrier for more than 60 diseases that are transmissible to humans, companion animals, and livestock.

In Asia alone, annual food losses due to rodents would be enough to feed 200 million people each year. Rice pre-harvest losses are estimated to be between 5-10% in most Asian countries, however, in some countries, it is expected to be significantly higher, such as Indonesia where yield loss estimates are around 19% which is the equivalent of enough grain to feed 39 million more Indonesians. However, the destruction caused by rodents on a localized level can be devastating where rodent outbreaks can wipe out entire harvests and lead to famine like conditions.

While there are different causes of rodent outbreaks, all lead to a situation whereby there are higher than normal amounts of available food which rodents has access to. Rodent outbreaks have been categorized as being cyclical or evolutional, climatic, or anthropogenic Rodent outbreaks which occur due to natural cycles include the masting or flowering of plants such as bamboo. In 2007, many poor rural communities in India, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Laos PDR were affected by such events and required food aid.

Unusual climatic events such as heavy rainfall early in the wet season or flash floods and cyclones can cause rodent outbreaks. Heavy rainfall before the beginning of the crop season, for instance, can allow the rodents’ breeding season to begin earlier due to better than usual food supply, therefore, the breeding season is extended which increases rodent numbers in the fields.

The third cause of rodent outbreaks is due to the management of cropping systems whereby there is an anthropogenic response to an extreme climatic event or market forces. The expansion of cropping areas and the intensification of cropping systems increasing the number of crop seasons per year are seen as major inducers of anthropogenic rodent outbreaks.

Let us look at some recent news articles pertaining to rodent damage in the agricultural sector.

Rodents destroy crops in district, paddy worst-hit
May 20, 2015, TOI, India

MADURAI: Rodent infestation is causing severe damage to crops across the district, specifically in paddy fields where the damage is estimated to be the highest.

Entomologists said 4.6 to 54% of paddy crops were lost due to rat infestation. The ‘bandicota bengalensis’ variety of rats is the most common troublemaker, found in crop and residential areas alike. These usually thrive in wetland areas. Another species ‘millardia meltada’ is mostly found in dry land areas.

Assistant professor of entomology at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Usha Rani said, “You know there is a rat problem when the seeds on the planting or the rice tillers, which are grain-bearing branches formed on the base of the plant, are eaten. Rice panicle, which is a kind of flower seen on the top part of the plant, will also be missing.”

“Rodents stock about 0.5kg to 4kg of grain in their burrows in special chambers,” she added.

The rodent problem has been severe in Chellampatti and surrounding areas of the district. Crops are usually damaged when it is about 45 days old. “The maximum damage is caused to rice crops. The rodents cut the seedling in patches,” said farmer from Chellapatti area D Pandiarajan.

Rodents play havoc with paddy ryots
August 4, 2016, TOI, India

Guntur: For J Venkata Rao, a paddy grower from Ponnur mandal in the district, the last couple of years had not been great in terms of returns. While he lost his investment due to lack of adequate rainfall in 2014, rodents ate away a part of his field last year.

This year too, as Kharif season began, he is anxious as he is yet to find an effective method to eradicate the rodents.

“As soon as the transplantation of the crop begins every year, I spend sleepless nights. I grow paddy on 2 acres and I lose about six bags of the crop due to rodents,” he lamented.

Let us now look at some current methods that are used to control the rodent menace in the agricultural sector, particularly in rice fields. Throughout South and Southeast Asia studies have shown that rodents are the number one pest or the pest which causes the most damage to the rice yields. The most common technique used to control the damage caused by rodents is the use of rodenticides. However, studies show that many rodenticides have adverse effects on the health of the farmers. Rodenticides and pesticides also are responsible for the environmental degradation by polluting the soil and ground water reserves. These rodenticides also kill the non-target beneficial species like bees, earthworms etc.

So the question that arises is what should we use? This question has been answered by CTech Corporation’s Combirepel™.Combirepel™  is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly product of C Tech Corporation  that helps to keep rodents at bay.Combirepel™ does not kill the animal, it only repels them! In fact, it is completely safe for the target as well as non-target species. This innovative product, in masterbatch form, can be incorporated with the drip tapes, tubes, pipes, agricultural films, mulches. The product does not leach out, thus preventing soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also, the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

Our product in lacquer form can be coated over tree guards, fences, various PVC surfaces etc. which would ensure complete protection against these creatures. Our products provide a safe and environmentally friendly solution to avoid rodent infestation in agriculture.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

The grey squirrel is a common mammal that can delight you by its acrobatic movements and annoy by damaging trees, feeding on flower buds, bulbs, fruits and vegetables at the same time. Sciurus carolinensis, a common name grey squirrel, is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus. It is native to eastern North America.

These furry terrorists attack a wide range of ornamental plants, fruits and vegetables. Tulip bulbs, crocus corms, sweet corn, strawberries, apples, pears, nuts, sunflower seed heads and flower buds of camellias and magnolias are affected the most.

Grey squirrels damage trees by gnawing at the stem to get to the sweet, sap filled layers (phloem tissue) just beneath the bark with their sharp incisors as a part of their oral maintenance. This tissue is responsible for the movement of sugars around the plant known as translocation. If this gnawing extends around the stem, then the movement of sugars around the plant will come to a halt and the tree will die.

Bark stripping damage usually starts at the end of April and continues until the end of July. Trees are stripped anywhere on the main stem and branches, with vigorously growing and dominant trees generally being most affected. Damage levels vary between years and across sites within the same year. Planted or naturally regenerated trees aged between 10 and 40 years, especially sycamore, beech,  oak, sweet chestnut, pine, larch and Norway spruce, are most vulnerable to damage. Other species, especially broadleaves may also be damaged. The damages caused by bark stripping act as a major discouragement to the planting of broadleaved and coniferous trees for timber as it reduces the value of the final crop.

Up to 5% of damaged trees may die and many more will have degraded timber value through stem deformation, rot and broken tops. Oak, poplar, Scots pine and Norway spruce are particularly vulnerable to stem breakage. The fungal invasion at the damage site results in staining and rotting, reducing the value of the timber. Damage to branches in the canopy may cause dieback, affecting the timber yield.

Other damages caused by grey squirrels include digging up and feeding on bulbs and corms. Squirrels can also affect populations of small birds in woodlands by eating eggs and nestlings. Also these little critters damage lawns by burying or digging up winter food stores and gnaw on plastic, such as hosepipes and plastic netting as a part of their oral maintenance. In addition, there may be indirect competition, e.g. for food, between grey squirrels and the red squirrel. Grey squirrels also carry squirrel pox virus, an infection fatal to red squirrels.

• Forest hit by fresh outbreak of deadly squirrel pox virus

By Linda Stewart, March 26^th 2016, Belfast Telegraph, Ireland

Tollymore Forest in Co Down has been hit by an outbreak of squirrel pox five years after the virus wiped out 90% of its native red squirrels.

The disease is carried by the invasive grey squirrel, which appears to be immune to its effects, but red squirrels that contract the virus have little natural resistance and often die within 15 days of infection.

Members of the public have been urged to be on the alert for signs of infected squirrels and to report them to the authorities.

Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) Wildlife Inspector Declan Looney said: “The red squirrels in this forest had recovered well following the first outbreak five years ago but this is a further blow to them.

“Sick red squirrels will appear lethargic, approachable, with painful sores on their faces and paws. Unfortunately, there appears little natural resistance to the virus within the local population and sick animals tend to die within 10 days to two weeks. If you have squirrels entering your garden to feed at bird feeders, please either remove these or clean them daily to reduce the spread of the virus.”

• Grey squirrels are damaging Britain’s native trees, warns Prince of Wales

By Louise Gray, April 3^rd  2009, The Telegraph, UK

As patron of a new charity, The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST), the Prince spoke out about the damage greys can cause. Grey squirrels strip the bark from native broadleaved trees like beech, oak, and sweet chestnut and can even kill the trees as well as eating bulbs and seeds in large quantities.

In a letter of support for the new charity, the Prince wrote: “The grey squirrels, which exist in far greater number than the reds, are causing incalculable damage to our native trees particularly the beech.”

The Prince recalls seeing reds in Sandringham, Norfolk, as a child but can now only see the species in the Royal estates in Scotland.

There is an urgent need for an effective solution against this little four-legged mammal which continues to destroy the trees, fruits, and vegetables without any sign of repentance.

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated with Combirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Grey squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus.  As the name suggests, the grey squirrel has predominantly grey fur, but it can have a brownish color. It has a usual white underside as compared to the typical brownish-orange underside of the fox squirrel. It has a large bushy tail. Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white and black-colored individuals are quite often found. Grey squirrels are mainly herbivorous, eating acorns and hazelnuts, berries, fungi and even bark, buds, and shoots.

Squirrels sometimes gnaw on trees as well. They are blessed with a pair of continuously growing incisors. In order to avoid their overgrowth which could cause injuries to them, they need to constantly gnaw on something hard. They strip off the bark which causes unsightly damage to the tree. Grey squirrels damage trees by gnawing at the stem to get to the sweet, sap-filled layers (phloem tissue) just beneath the bark. This tissue is responsible for the movement of sugars around the plant and the process is known as translocation. If this gnawing extends around the stem, the tree is ‘ringed’ i.e. if a complete circle of bark and underlying tissue is removed, then the movement of sugars around the plant will come to a halt and the tree will eventually die. Some of the damaged trees will die; some will succumb to fungal infection. Where the fungus enters, the wood becomes stained and may rot. Callusing commonly found in trees disguises the damage or staining present in the timber at felling age.

The bark stripping usually occurs between late April and the end of July. Very young trees or saplings are generally not attacked as they cannot support the weight of a squirrel, the main stem of older trees are usually safe as the bark is too thick for the squirrels to strip. The most vulnerable trees are sycamore, beech, oak, sweet chestnut, pine, larch and Norway spruce. Bark stripping is a problem in woodland where the squirrel numbers are greater than 5 squirrels per hectare. The risk of damage may be greatest where there are vulnerable trees next to mature woodland that produces a good seed crop, which in turn supports a high density of squirrels.

In many cases, the stems are deformed which reduces the value of the timber. Oak, poplar, Scots pine and Norway spruce are particularly vulnerable to stem breakage.

Such damage caused by these grey squirrels acts as a major disincentive to the planting of broadleaved and coniferous trees for timber as it reduces the value of the final crop. Increasingly wider impacts are being recognized as potentially of major significance to woodland conservation, biodiversity and sustainability. T is also predicted that the damage may lead to a loss of particularly vulnerable species (e.g. beech) within the mature canopy of woodlands and this may be accompanied by loss of associated fungal and invertebrate fauna and their predators. In addition, there may be indirect competition, e.g. for food, between grey squirrels and native fauna. Grey squirrels also carry squirrel pox virus, an infection fatal to red squirrels.

Theories as to why the squirrels go after the bark range from them simply seeking some sweet, sugary sap during summer heat and drought, to the need to continually sharpen their ever-growing teeth, or possibly to obtain the calcium in the sap of the tree phloem tissue needed to satisfy their own calcium deficiencies. Trees growing most vigorously are at increased risk of damage, possibly because they contain more calcium in their sap. It is likely gray squirrels have a requirement for additional calcium during the bark stripping season when adult females are under pressures such as lactation, and juvenile squirrels are going through their main period of bone growth, both of which likely represent a requirement for calcium.

Let us look at the following news article pertaining to the damage caused by grey squirrels.

Squirrels doing bark-stripping damage to trees

Mike Klahr, July 2016, Cincinnati.com, USA

Honey locust trees are a frequent target, possibly because of their sweet sap, although many different species can be attacked

Question: I recently noticed thin strips of bark laying on the ground around the base of my honey locust tree. The bark has been almost totally stripped off large sections of major limbs, leaving bare wood exposed at least halfway around some of the limbs. What could have caused this? What can be done to prevent more damage? Will we lose the limbs that were damaged?

Answer: Unfortunately, the branches that have been debarked more than one-third their circumference will probably die, especially from that point outward. This type of severe bark damage, with thin strips of bark torn off in pieces 1/2 to 1 inch wide, and 2 to 4 inches long, is caused by squirrels.

There is an urgent need for an effective solution against this little four legged mammal which continues to destroy the trees, fruits and vegetables without any sign of repentance.

C Tech Corporation  can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Rodrepel™ is a non-toxic, non-hazardous rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.

The fencing and tree guards can be coated with Combirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing.Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.

The number of hotels infested by rodents is increasing day by day. The adverse impacts of such invasions by these notorious pests not only affect the hotel owners but also the travelers. Hotels have been facing problems due to rodents since long, but the use of appropriate measures to get rid of them is rarely seen.

One certainly visits the hotel recommendation websites for reviews about the desired hotel for a stay. Many complaints regarding rodents breeding in hotel rooms are found there. Less are the complaints about the room pricing, while more are about the pests and rodents enjoying their long vacations there. However negative customer reviews and feedbacks due to rodent encounters can seriously damage the hotel reputation which is highly undesirable in any hospitality industry.

You plan for a vacation stay in these hotels thinking you will rest and relax, but then you are offered with terrible nightmares due to pests like rodents and bedbugs.

Though this doesn’t mean one needs to stop vacationing. Instead, the hotels must implement methods to stop the occurrence of such scenarios.

A new research study reveals some interesting findings of the economic impact of rodents and bed bugs on the hotel industry.

The researchers put some hard numbers on the economic impact of online reports of bed bugs in the hotels, as well as the value of protective services. Results show that on average, a single report of a rodent or bed bug in recent travelers review lowers the value of a hotel room by $38 and $23 per room per night for business and leisure travelers respectively.

Rodents are one of the most widespread groups of mammals, found all over the world. One pair of rodent can give rise to about 2,000 in one year. Business in which food is stored or handled is especially prone to rodent invasion. Hotels are one of those. Rodents not only cause damage to food but also to the decors, electrical insulations, plumbing and structures in the hotels.

They obtain access to the hotels from windows and vent. Even utility pipes, electrical conduit, drains, water and gas lines, and communication cables generally have large openings that permit entry to these creatures.

From the moment they set their foot in a hotel, it never takes long before they invade every single room. Light, being their biggest enemy, rodents hide in dark places in the hotel rooms. They hide in the closets and attics.

In hotels, specific problem areas include poorly sealed heating and air conditioning ducts.

Hotel kitchens are equipped with several refrigerators. Mice and rats are sometimes found using freezer and refrigerator compressor areas for harborage and water.

Though carnivores, they tend to chew all kinds of materials so as to restrict the growth of their incisors.

Rodent-infested goods in hotel pantries commonly include cereals, flour and baking mixes, waxed carton drinks, dried fruits and nuts, paper goods, charcoal briquettes, and damaged goods. As rodents serve as vectors of a variety of diseases like leptospirosis, swine dysentery, brucellosis, sarcoptic mange, tuberculosis and many more, such contamination of food items by them is very dangerous.

In spacious structures like hotels, complete eradication of rodents can be an uphill task. In order to maintain the reputation of the hotel precautionary measures are must which would repel rats from entering the hotel territory.

Rodents Removed at Radisson, Kitchen Reopens After Infestation

January 13, 2017, Local news, Florida

The kitchen at the Raddison Riverside Hotel in downtown Rochester is back up and running after a rodent infestation there.

The Monroe County Health Department shut down the food operation after it said a routine inspection found a mouse problem.

The Department of Health required a pesticide company to come in a rid the rodents.

Rodent issues force closure at Wyndham Hotel in Deerfield Beach

September 28, 2015, TWC News, New York

Records show a roach issue at the Hotel Astor in South Beach and a rodent issue at the Wyndham Hotel in Deerfield Beach.

Both places had food service areas shut.

Young boy bitten by rat in hotel

A Lake District hotel faces legal notice after two members of a family, including a three year old, were bitten by rat.

May 20, 2006, England, BBC News

Steve Harris was with his wife and son Cameron at the scenic Windermere Hydro hotel, which overlooks Bowness. Mr. Harris, from Dudley, West Midlands, says he and his son required hospital treatment after the November incident. The hotel said it offered the family a full refund and had done all it could to control pests. The family said they had been traumatized by the incident, which left their son requiring steroid treatment.

Hotels do need effective and durable repellents. Then why not use Combirepel™, an extremely low at toxicity, non-carcinogenic and non-mutagenic compounds, non-hazardous, non-dangerous and environmentally safe rodent repellent.

Our product is available in the form of a masterbatch, which can be directly incorporated in the application while manufacturing and in form of lacquer that can be directly applied as a top coat on the surface of application.

Combirepel™ does not kill but only keeps the rodents away by making use of the sensory mechanisms. The product functions from a distance due to the peculiar smell which generates a typical fear response in rodents. Rodents are further restricted from biting the applications treated with our products due to advanced mechanisms like dermal irritation, extremely bitter taste, sensory stimuli modification etc. Further, they acquire a fear towards the Combirepel™containing products which makes them stay away from the application. Thus, Combirepel™ actually helps in modifying rodent behavior. Rodents being social animals also communicate the bad experience to their population in the vicinity.

Thus using Combirepel™ can give along-term relief to hotel businesses from rodents.

It is surprising that many are unknown to a rodent called vole which is so widespread and poses a huge potential of causing an extensive damage to trees, lawns and gardens. They have even managed to put the blame for their destructive acts on moles, which do not even eat plants as voles do!

Voles, often confused with moles and shrews, are more mouse-like. These small, stocky brown rodents have short tails, small ears, and a blunt, rounded snout.

Voles are dark furry creatures about the size of a mouse. They make little runway-like paths on the surface of your yard. Their eating includes insects, slugs, snails, roots, bark, seeds, and bulbs. Voles are the guilty ones who eat your hostas, bulbs and roots of perennials. They often eat succulent root systems and burrow under plants or ground cover and eat away until the plant is dead.

Voles can cause extensive damage to orchards, tree plantings, and field crops. Voles eat crops and also damage them when they build extensive runway and tunnel systems. Voles also can ruin lawns, golf courses and ground covers. Voles rarely come in contact with humans and therefore pose no major public health hazards; however, they are capable of carrying disease organisms, such as plague and tularemia.

Voles live in a wide variety of habitats at elevations ranging from sea level to high mountains. In North America they range from Alaska southward to the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. In Eurasia they can be found in the British Isles and across Europe and Asia to southern China, Taiwan, and Japan.

Voles breed quickly. A female vole can have a litter of ten young up to ten times a year. This reproduction rate makes a vole infestation something that can occur in a very short amount of time.

Let’s have a look at the evidence revealing damage caused to lawns by voles:

Gopher, vole populations on rise in parts of Idaho

By Brad Carlson | May 2, 2018

A mild winter gave burrowing rodents such as pocket gophers and meadow voles a productive early start to what could be a big year for the pests.

The mounds Travis Tyson sees popping up on his family’s 10-acre spread south of Nampa, Idaho, are starting to remind him of the gopher-heavy 2015.

Idaho State Department of Agriculture Program Manager Sherman Takatori said he has received reports of some higher vole populations in parts of eastern and southcentral Idaho.

“The (vole) population has a nasty habit of exploding when conditions are favorable” due to their high capacity for reproduction, he said.

Vole Presence High in Nut Orchards Thanks to Wet Winter

October 19, 2017

The wet start to 2017 ensured that much vegetation would grow in and around almond, walnut, and pistachio orchards, resulting in elevated vole – commonly known as meadow mice – activity. Girdled trees, eaten nuts, and chewed irrigation tubing reports were at all-time highs. Individually, each of these disorders may cause a nuisance, but collectively their impacts can result in economic tree losses, reduced production, and increased labor costs.

Eaten nuts are a sign of voles in your orchard. (Photo: Wes Asai)

 And the control measures applied include; all sorts of electronic, ultrasonic, and vibrating pest control devices; stuffing the tunnels with brambles, moth balls, broken glass, rat poison, and cat poop; flooding the tunnels. None of these are good ideas. Using traps and rodenticides

The logistics of using traps or exclusionary fences is only practical for small yards or gardens.

Care is needed to avoid affecting non-target species, pets, or children.

Many farmers suffering damage to their crops and grasslands from large populations of voles attempt to control them using bromadiolone, a chemical that inhibits the coagulation of their blood. Small mustelids such as stoats and weasels are often regarded as specialist predators of voles and eating prey affected by bromadiolone treatments can expose them to the effects of the anticoagulant rodenticide (AR).

At C Tech Corporation we provide you with the effective solution. Our product Combirepel™ is developed by using green technology. It is an extremely low concern, low toxic, non-hazardous and non-mutagenic animal aversive. It is durable at extreme climatic conditions.

Our product is ROHS, ROHS2, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:1996, APVMA, NEA complaint and FIFRA exempted. Our product does not cause harm to targeted as well as non-targeted species. It just repels them from the applied product. It works on the mechanism of repellency.

Combirepel™ is available in three forms namely masterbatch, liquid concentrate, and lacquer.

Masterbatch can be incorporated into applications like fencing, water pipes, agricultural films, polymeric tree guards, wires, cables, etc. This would result in the final application being rodent repellent.

Liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a pre-determined ratio and be applied to the interior and exterior of houses, gardens, farms, etc. to repel voles from the area required.

Lacquer form can be directly applied on the application such as wooden fences, guards, pipes etc. The lacquer is compatible with most of the surfaces like metal, wood, concrete, polymer, ceramic etc.

The product triggers a fear response in rodents thus protecting the application. It causes severe temporary distress to the mucous membrane of the rodents due to which the pest stays away from the application. The product triggers an unpleasant reaction in case if the pest tries to gnaw away the application. After encountering the above-mentioned emotions, the animal instinctively perceives it with something it should stay away from and stores this information for future reference. The fact that certain rodents are repelled is mimicked by other rodents as well. Thus, the other rodents too stay away from the applications. The unpleasant experience is imprinted within the animal’s memory and passed on to its progeny.

Hence by using Combirepel™ the lawns, farms and gardens can be prevented from vole damage effectively and considerably.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:

1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel