This is certainly an interesting development in the world of contraband scent detection as the need for highly effective security measures is an ever growing and ever changing necessity of modern life. The system works using cassettes to capture and filter odors to the mice, and uses 4 to 8 “biosensors” (mice) kept in a mechanical enclosure. The odors are delivered via a mechanized system that streams air through the chamber holding the bomb and contraband sniffing mice. When mice detect a contraband odor, something the mice are trained to respond to, the mice run away from the compartment with the odor (a fear response) and into a compartment that is equipped with special signals that transmit the mice fear response (data) that is then captured in a computer and then analyzed and reported as good odors or bad odors (contraband) and alerting the operator.

The system was tested in a mall with 1,000 volunteers, many of which were outfitted with clothing items that carried the scent of explosives. The results speak for themselves as the test produced only one false positive. Those are good numbers by any measure! Rodent control has a new meaning with the advent of this cutting edge technology and if it is widely accepted, that’s even better.

Because most of us respond to mice in pretty much the same way, a loud gasp or shriek, the mice are not visible to the public. This is a very important job usually performed by bomb sniffing dogs and or expensive detection systems, so mice in a mechanical box, producing similar or better results than dogs or detection machines should garner a lot of attention and hopefully save a lot of lives.

Incidentally, the mice used for this work are bred and maintained in a sterile environment and cared for quite well. Bedding, food and water are all replaced on regular schedules, and the mice are retrained when and if necessary. The mice also work four hour shifts (not a bad deal if they get paid for eight hours) and are swapped out with a fresh workforce. While we normally dispense advice on how to get rid of mice in your home or getting rid of mice in your business, it’s nice to see that some mice have a higher calling than that of common pests.

Mice Declare War on Drugs and Terror is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

It would be almost selfish to assume that we are the only life form in the universe that is supposedly infinite.

So my mind wandered to the thought of how Rentokil would adapt to doing business or pest control services on other planets? Would all technicians be provided with the latest space vehicles equipped to battle intergalactic pests in people’s homes and businesses?

On planets with low gravity the pests could possibly be 5-8 times bigger. How gross would it be having cockroaches the size of your fist in your dwelling?

Or rodents the size of Maltese poodles? That’s if our pests are even similar to the ones that could be found in the far reaches of the galaxy. Or what about planets with high gravity?

Bedbugs may have evolved to be microscopic and Rentokil would have to use specialized space-age nano-bot pesticides to combat these invaders! I certainly would not be very keen on space travel if the accommodation on other planets had these sorts of pests!

One has to wonder if humans do eventually start inhabiting other planets one day whether we might be the pests of more developed life forms.

No one really knows what the future holds, but I think it would be safe to assume Rentokil is protecting you from most pests on earth right now. And with the amount of time and effort we pour into R&D, we’ll be well-equipped for the day humans do start colonizing other planets and have to deal with extraterrestrial pests.

Extraterrestrial Pest Control is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Apparently the first known design of its kind, the pair have developed the concept of home appliances feeding off matter to gain energy. What is different about this design however is the fact that in this case, ‘matter’ refers to insects and rodents.

These ‘carnivorous domestic entertainment robots’ have been on show at recent science exhibitions and have received mixed reactions. The most popular items include a clock that catches and feeds off flies, and a table that feeds off the energy of mice.

I am not sure how I personally feel about it all really. The idea that my clock is catching flies, and my dining table could be home to mice is not really something I feel comfortable with. I know we are very environmentally conscious and this is most definitely a way to save energy, but I am still not convinced. Will this be a fad or is it the way of the future? At this stage I am unsure.

Perhaps these robotic home furnishings could double as pest control appliances, that way at least you are making full use of the product. A clock is also far less likely to draw attention to the fact that you have a fly issue… maybe in time this idea could rub off on me, but at this stage I think I still definitely need more convincing.

Carnivorous Robots Disguised as Home Furniture? is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Hello my name is Edward Kwong and I am the Technical Support Officer at a company named Ichiban. It’s my job to make sure there aren’t any pests in the factory and everything is shipshape and spick and span.

You may not have heard of Ichiban but if you have ever purchased a ready made pack of sushi from your local supermarket then it more than likely came from my factory which is the UK’s largest producer of fresh sushi.

We make over twenty different types of sushi, but the three main types we produce include:

Maki sushi (California Roll) – which is a cylindrical shaped piece of rice that is then wrapped in Nori (sea weeds) and is filled with a range of different fillings including  cucumber, pepper, prawns or fish.

Nagiri sushi- which consists of an oblong mound of sushi rice that is pressed into a small rectangular box and is typically topped with salmon,tuna or other seafood.

Hosomaki -  a thinner version of the Maki sushi which usually only contains one filling, a varieties of ingredients such as tuna, pepper or cucumber.

Along with a range of other specialised product this sushi is normally pre-packed with soy sauce, wasabi (a hot paste made from the grated root of the Wasabia japonica plant), and gari (sweet pickled ginger) which is eaten with the sushi to both cleanse the palate and aid in digestion.

Although sushi is simply just rolled rice, fish and vegetables the technical challenges we face in making an excellent quality product on mass are numerous. There are processes at key stages of production that could go wrong including the risk of product contamination from foreign bodies. Insects may be a delicacy in many parts of the world but they have no place in my finished product.

The potential risk of product contamination is one of the main reasons why we use Rentokil Pest Control as our pest control provider and we have been using the services of Rentokil at this site since it opened years ago and I must say that I am a fan as we’ve received an excellent level of service from their local technician and field biologist over that period.

Now, I must point out that Ichiban has a reputation for producing high quality chilled ready to eat sushi and is committed to upholding that reputation and ensure that all products are safe and high quality, but we need to make sure that we’ve taken all the necessary steps to prevent pests from accessing our products before, during and after its production.

We use PestNetOnline as our reporting system as it allows us to quickly monitor, online, all of the areas at risk of pests, from raw materials to chilled storage. By monitoring all of the control points including mouse bait stations, moth pots and fly control units we can be happy in the knowledge that our site is well equipped to deal with any encroaching pest issue.

I’d like to leave you with a small tip before I go: although sushi should be stored below 5C, it tastes better if you leave it out of the fridge for an hour before eating, that really brings out all the different flavours.

Anyone for Sushi?

There’s Not a Fly in My Sushi is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Rentokil now offers a new chemical free pest control process called Entotherm which can be used across various industries as described by Savvas Othon. This chemical free treatment is quick, efficient and reaches all areas of an infestation. It can eliminate insects, mould and pathogens (and others including wood-boring insects) through the application of dry heat.

The Entotherm heat treatment eliminates all lifecycle stages of an insect including eggs, larvae and adults. The heat kills insects by denaturing the proteins within their bodies and disrupting the waxy outside layers of the insects, causing them to dehydrate. As Entotherm requires only a single application, it causes minimal disruption to a business. The chemical free process also allows treated areas to be re-used immediately with no residual side effects.

The process works by heating an infested area to a predetermined temperature using strategically placed heat exchangers. Heat probes and thermal imaging technology are then used to confirm all targeted insect pests have been effectively eradicated.

Turn Up The Heat For Cockroaches And Bedbugs is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Most units on the market use UV lamps to attract the flies – it seduces them far better than “normal” light. So what’s so great about our units? Allow me to summarise the best bits below, but for more specific details on our fly killers and testing criteria click here.

Luminos Sapphire: This is brand new to the range. It’s basically billed as a discreet unit which can be used front of house. To be honest, I don’t think you would spot it as a fly control unit if you were sitting enjoying your meal in a restaurant, it looks more like a funky light with a patterned shade.

Luminos 1: This has been updated so it can be serviced without tools which makes servicing on site much faster = less disruption for our customers – and their customers.

Luminos 3: New to the range, it has a high quality glue board to up the ante in terms of catching flies with a front cover that is available in different colours to fit well with the décor.

Luminos 3 Plus: This uses technology that automatically winds on a super sticky adhesive film (called “encapsulation technology”) to show a new clean surface, hiding all the old, trapped insects. An optional glueboard helps to increase catch rates.

Luminos 4: This is the heavy duty “nothing’s gonna get past this sucker” industrial unit. The adhesive film now sits behind the lamps, catching all and sundry flying pests that approach it and it is one of the best performing units we have!

For more info, a demo or a quote, click here.

Flies & Summer Go Hand In Hand For Rentokil is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog