Iowa Pest Management Association Published for Members & Friends of the Iowa Pest Management Association вЂў Spring, 2009 How to generate more referrals A In this Issue Letter from the President... 2 l IPMA Scholarship.............. 3 l Shifting Priorities at the Wheel........................ 5 l Industry News.................... 6 l Handing Sales Objections 7 l Bugs вЂ�r Us - Silverfish........ 9 l There has to be a Better Way..................... 10 l Getting to Know Your Board..............................11 l Marketing w/o Marketing..11 l School Pest Control......... 12 l Golf Tournament.............. 13 l Clip вЂ�n Mail - Moths.......... 15 sk any PCO where most of the companyвЂ™s clients come from and theyвЂ™ll answer without hesitation: referrals. Yet when asked about structured referral generation programs, most do not have one in place. Many companies who depend on referrals for their growth are fortunate to receive referrals without doing anything except providing good, effective service. But think of how many referrals you might receive if you put a referral generation plan in place! There are four components to a referral generation program, regardless of the details of the program. 1. Trusted relationships 2. An incentive for referrals 3. Immediate follow-up and care. 4. Remarkable service Trusted relationships Referrals come from people who know and trust you. So the key is to develop relationships through networking, leads groups like BNI, friends, relatives and current customers. Though itвЂ™s not always comfortable to ask for referrals, the truth is, most of your friends and associates do not know all the services you provide. This leaves you with the challenge of educating them about 1) the benefits of your service; 2) exactly what they should say when developing referrals for you and 3) the description of your ideal customer. Be as specific as you can to make it easy for your friends and association. Referral Incentives The most common incentive and most economical for you is a discount on your service. Print referral blanks on the back of by June Van Klaveren your business cards and hand them out. The incentive itself should be accompanied by a personal thank you note signed by the owner or manager. Some incentive ideas include: вЂў Tickets (movie, theatre, sports) вЂў Dinner вЂў Gift cards вЂў Subscriptions вЂў Valuable promotional item вЂў Books вЂў Gas cards вЂў Cash вЂў Grocery store cards вЂў Cards to shopping malLs вЂў American Express gift card вЂў Pet products Immediate Follow-up Once youвЂ™ve received a referral, respond immediately and let the referrer know youвЂ™ve contacted them. Remarkable Service It goes without saying that if your service is not remarkable, you wonвЂ™t get referrals. So including something special (sweep spider webs, pick up newspapers, etc.) will keep you in your customerвЂ™s mind. But, of course, courteous technicians and effective pest control are most important in creating remarkable service. Letter from the President H ave you ever wondered what your company would be like if there were no IPMA? I thought about this the other day with a bedbug account that we have been struggling to get under control. My customer loved the time and effort that our technician put in during the service, but since there were continuing issues with bedbugs, she asked me about getting a second opinion from one of my competitors. ItвЂ™s not the type of situation that I wanted to be in, but I told her that it couldnвЂ™t hurt. She called a fellow IPMA member who subsequently did a very thorough inspection. She called me later and complimented this company because he took the opportunity to support the efforts we were doing and validate that we were on the right track. Many companies would see this as an opportunity to trash another company. I think that as IPMA members, we are building relationships with one another that breaks down the barriers that competition can build between us. We know that there is no benefit in tearing down another by Brad Smith, IPMA President company just to make ourselves look better. What a great organization we have in that we can support and build up each other so that our profession is viewed as a positive, professional workforce. With no IPMA, our businesses would suffer from isolation, price wars, selfishness, and a lack of unity. The IPMA is forging ahead with: вЂў State-wide radio commercials to direct customers to call members, вЂў Top of the line training at our Fall meeting вЂў A golf outing and BBQ this summer вЂў Scholarship awards for college students. I am proud to be a member of the IPMA and I would like to thank all of you for your dedication to our industry and to each other by being a member. Brad Smith IPMA Board President 2009 Board of Directors The Connection is published four times a year as a service to members of the IPMA. It contains organization information, articles and advertisements designed especially to make the job of the Pest Management Professional easier and more profitable. Direct inquiries and correspondence to any of the Board of Directors or to June Van Klaveren by phone: 636394-4148; by fax: 636-438-1357; by e-mail: June@CompelCom.com or mail to Compelling Communications, Inc., 512 Marie Lane, Manchester, MO 63011. Page President Board Member Vice President Board Member Secretary/Treasurer Board Member Brad Smith Preferred Pest Control 5415 NW 88th St Suite 200 Johnston, IA 50131 Phone: 515-276-7277 Email: bsmith@preferredpest.com Keith Gordon Diam Pest Control P.O. Box 4891 Des Moines, IA 50305 Phone: 515-244-3533 Email: gordie692@mchsi.com Jeromy Baumbach ABC Pest Control, Inc. 2024 NW 92nd Ct., Ste #5 Des Moines, IA 50325 Phone: 515-267-9442 Email: bugs@abcpestcontrol.com James L. Gilmore Premier Pest Services Inc. 3707 6th Avenue Des Moines, IA 50313 Phone: 515-288-2850 Email: jamglmr@msn.com Joe Martin Martin Pest Control 1408 Carter Ave Clare, IA 50524 Phone: 515-546-6301 Email: wermartin1@wccta.net William Martin Terminix International 328 E 59th St Davenport, IA 52807 Phone: 563-386-5105 Email: bmartin@terminix.com Board Member Raul Segura Presto-X 1221 S. Saddle Creek Road Omaha, NE 68106 Phone: 800-759-0524 Email: rauls@prestox.com Vendor Representative Mark Bramhall Univar 3002 F Street Omaha, NE 68107 Phone: 402-681-2107 Email: marc.bramhall@univarusa.com Iowa State University Liaisson Donald Lewis Iowa State University Department of Entomology Ames, IA 50011 Phone: 515-294-1101 Email: drlewis@iastate.edu Executive Secretary Dorothy Ohl Lewis PO Box 1202 Ames, IA 50014 Phone: 515-232-5801 Email: iowapestmanagement@msn.com IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Shifting Priorities at the Wheel A special corner of hell is reserved for drivers who weave from one lane to another at a crawl while blithely chatting on their cell phones. Even a simple form of multitaskingвЂ”driving while listening to someone talkвЂ”disrupts ability to navigate a car safely, a new study finds. An intriguing neural response underlies vehicular mishaps associated with such distractions, say neuroscientist Marcel Just of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Attending to what someone says galvanizes language-related brain areas while concurrently reducing activity in spatial regions that coordinate driving behavior. This suggests that people who combine relatively automatic tasks, such as speech comprehension and car driving, exceed a biological limit on the amount of systematic brain activity they can hold at one time, Just proposes. As a result, the less-ingrained skillвЂ”in this case, drivingвЂ”takes a neural hit. вЂњNow we have a biological account of how multi-tasking affects driving behavior,вЂќ Just says. Cell phones stand out as problematic for drivers. Cell phone conversations require a driverвЂ™s constant attention in order not to appear rude to an unseen IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 partner. Just implies that other activities may dent the ability to drive a car: listening to a radio, eating, monitoring children, talking with a passenger. Psychologist David Strayer of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City adds that the new results offer a conservative estimate of the neural impact of multitasking on driving. Strayer documented steep declines in simulated driving skill, and marked drop in driving speed, among volunteers using handheld or hands-free cell phones. вЂњListening to talk radio or spoken directions from a navigation system while driving probably will have similar effects to what we found,вЂќ Just says. вЂњMultitasking puts high demands on the brain.вЂќ Bruce Bower, Science News, Vol. 173, No. 16, p. 7 Page Scholarship Applications Being Accepted T he Iowa Pest Management Association announces the first annual scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage the continuing education of member company owners, employees or their dependents in their enrollment in post secondary school education. Through this scholarship program the Association will recognize the importance additional education and Investing in your Business Growth training has in helping individuals meet their career and life goals. The scholarship is awarded annually and ranges from $250 to $500. Applications are accepted from owners, employees, or their dependents. It can be used for fees associated with accredited secondary education including traditional colleges and universities as well as trade schools, community colleges, or other educational institutions. To be eligible, the company must have been a member of IPMA for a minimum of two years by the date of the application and the employee must have been with the member company for two years at the time of application. The application and recommendation forms are included on page 5-8 of this newsletter. If you or your company is interested in contributing to the IPMA scholarship fund, please contact any of our board members. Your Single Source Solutions Provider Interested in Advertising Opportunities? вЂў Superior, personal customer service before, during and after the sale Committed to helping you succeed Helping attract and retain employees Supplying the best products Experts on staff Speckoz member вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂњOur mission is not only to sell products, but to help you succeed.вЂќ Roland Rhodes, President Page Contact June Van Klaveren june@compelcom.com 800-779-0067 Call Today! 800-255-0051 www.Rhodeschem.com IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 IOWA PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION Iowa Pest Management Association Scholarship Application Section 1: Applicant Information Name: _ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________ Email: __________________________________________________ Section 2: IPMA Member Company Certification of Eligibility (to be completed by owner or manager of supporting IPMA Company)___________________________________ I certify that the following company. ______________________________________________________________, in ______________________________(city) has been a member in good standing of the Iowa Pest Management Association and that the applicant named above is an owner, manager, employee or a dependent of an owner, manager, or employee who has worked for the company a minimum of two years. Signature of owner/manager: _ _________________________________________________________________ Date:___________________ Section 3: Education Plans School, College, or Training Program _____________________________________________________________ Have you been accepted into the program: _ _______________________________________________________ (Attach a copy of the letter or acknowledgement of acceptance) When will you start the program: _ ______________________________________________________________ What degree, certificate, or certification will result from successfully completing this program? _ ______________________________________________________________________________________ What is the tuition or cost of this program per year? ________________________________________________ (Attach a copy of published (web or print) showing annual costs.) (Continued on page 6) IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Page Iowa Pest Management Association Scholarship Application вЂ“ Page 2 Section 3: Education Plans (continued from page 7) What sources of financial assistance have you confirmed as of the date of this application. Include grants, scholarships, and loans. _ ______________________________________________________________________________________ _ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Section 4: Essay (no more than 350 words submitted on separate page) 1) What will this educational program contribute to your long-term goals? 2) Why should you receive this scholarship? 3) Describe any other circumstances that would have a bearing on your application. Section 5: Agreement to terms of IPMA Scholarship I, __________________________, agree to use any scholarship awarded to me by the Iowa Pest Management Association for the purposes described in this application. If my circumstances change and I am unable to participate in the educational program described herein, I will return the scholarship to the Iowa Pest Management Association within 30 days of that change. Signature: __________________________________ Date: _ ________________________________________ Section 7: Please arrange to have the following documents forwarded to: IPMA вЂ“ Scholarship Committee PO Box 1201 Ames, IA 50014. These documents must be received no later than May 15 for your application to be considered. 1) Two letters of recommendation from non-family members (teachers, employers, counselors, or others who can speak to your work ethic, character, or ability to succeed in the course of study you have chosen). Use reference forms provided. 2) A copy of your high school transcript(s) and/or GED certificate. Page IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Iowa Pest Management Association Scholarship Recommendation Form APPLICANT NAME:________________________________________________________________________ Academic Program for which scholarship is being sought: _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Applicant: Fill in your name and ask an instructor, counselor, employer, clergy, or other reference to complete this form. Your scholarship application will not be considered unless two recommendation forms are received to support your application. Please allow your references adequate time to complete the forms. It is your responsibility to make sure your references send the forms to the IPMA Scholarship Review Committee by the May 15th deadline. You may want to provide a pre-addressed stamped envelope to each of your references for their convenience. Reference: Please complete this form and mail it to: IPMA Scholarship Committee PO Box 1201 Ames, IA 50014-1201 Scholarship applicants are required to submit all application materials by May 15th for their application to be considered. Recommendations are extremely important when rewarding scholarships. The absence of this form will constitute an incomplete application and disqualify the candidate. Feel free to add any additional comments under each category. In what capacity and for how long have you known the applicant? _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________ (Please attach separate sheet if needed.) (Complete this form on page 8) IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Page Above Average Average Below Average Poor Unknown Reference Name: __________________________________ Outstanding Applicant Name: __________________________________ Academic Progress or Personal Achievement (grades and/or quality of work) Attendance/Reliability (attendance and/or dependability) Attitude/Cooperation (relationships with others) Communication Skills (ability to express ideas) Leadership and/or Critical Thinking Skills (ability to lead and influence and/or judgment/evaluation) Motivation (initiative, resourcefulness, self-starter) Work Habits/Organizational Skills (ability to plan, manage and execute) Potential for Success (ability to set and achieve goals) Teamwork (respects diversity, opinions of others) Other comments regarding this applicants likelihood of success in his or her chose program of study: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Page The toughest thing is climbing all the way to the top of the box, then hanging tight to the inside walls when the kid pours cereal out of the box. вЂ�вЂ� SaГ‘naàè_]pa`pki]gejc ukqnoq__aookqnêccaop lneknepu(okceraqo]_]hh* SaГ‘nana]ùpkàheran* ?]hh-)4,,)444)0453kn hkckjpk sss*LaopSa^*_ki pkoaadksQjer]n_]j dahlukqn^qoejaoo) Oq__aa`SepdkqpSknnu*OI вЂ™вЂ™ l l l l Professional Products Technical Support Fast Friendly Service Competitive Prices John Bolanos, Vice President, Univar USA PP&S Ejepe]pera* @aherana`ûpdalaklhakb PROVIDING THE PEST MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS WITH WHAT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT IT! CALL TODAY! Chicago Kansas City 1-800-242-1211 1-888-242-1211 ВЎQjer]nLnk?ajpanoВЎ www.pestmanagementsupply.com Ki]d]ВЎG]jo]o?epu(IK ВҐ.,,4Qjer]nQO=Ej_*=hhnecdponaoanra`*PdaQjer]nj]ia(dat]ckj(I]opanHeja]j`LaopSa^]nanaceopana` pn]ài]ngokbQjer]nQO=Ej_*=hhei]cao(i]ngo]j`j]iaokbQjer]n_qopkiano]naqoa`sepdlanieooekjkbpdaksjan* IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Page Page 10 IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Bugs вЂ�r Us By Laura Jesse Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic Iowa State University Extension Silverfish: They are Silver, But TheyвЂ™re Not Fish S ilverfish are one of the insects that really made an impression on me as a kid. I think maybe it is because they didnвЂ™t even seem like insects, but rather some alien creature with incredible powers of speed. Silverfish always seemed to appear as if from nowhere right in the middle of the wall as if taunting us to see if we could catch them. We always practiced catch and release and I can attest that trying to get a glass clamped over a silverfish on the run is not an easy task. Silverfish and firebrats are about a half-inch long, wingless, flat insects with two long, slender antennae on the front and three long, slender вЂњbristlesвЂќ at the rear of a tapered, carrot-shaped body. As a kid those three bristles held at right angles always seemed to add to my presumption that there were perhaps an alien listening device and not insects at all. Silverfish may be found almost anywhere in the house, but are most commonly found in moist, warm locations (such as around sinks and other plumbing fixtures). They are covered with shiny silver scales that give the body a metallic sheen. They are frequently found in sinks or bathtubs because they fall in seeking moisture and then cannot climb out. Silverfish are most active at night and run very swiftly with a wiggling motion that resembles the swimming action of a fish. they are a nuisance and an annoyance. They may eat or stain foods, fabric, paper, books, or wallpaper. Damage to these items is significant, however, only in cases of very large infestations present over long periods of time. Control of silverfish and firebrats may not be necessary if only a few are present and no damage is noticed. For silverfish, eliminating moisture problems where the pests can develop may be of some benefit. Residual insecticides can be used if conditions warrant. Treat cracks, crevices, wall voids and other likely hiding spots in the areas where the pests are noticed. Is your web site buggy? If not, it should be! Pest Library for Your Web Site Includes info on: вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў Silverfish may be found almost anywhere in the house, but are most commonly found in moist, warm locations (such as around sinks and other plumbing fixtures). Firebrats are similar to silverfish in overall appearance but lack the silvery sheen. The body color is gray or brown, usually with numerous dark markings that give a mottled appearance. Unlike the silverfish that may be found in any part of a house, firebrats prefer areas of high temperature (90В° F and above) and high humidity. Therefore, firebrats are more common in attics and around furnaces, ovens, and water heaters. Silverfish and firebrats are pests primarily because IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў вЂў Ants Bed Bug Box Elder Bug Brown Recluse Spider Carpenter Bee Cockroach Flea Fly House Mouse Mosquito Indian Meal Moth Rat Silverfish Black Widow Spider House Spider Wasps/Bees Information on 16 most common insects. Web-ready files. Information page linked to each photo. One flat fee. Introductory Special. Regular updates. Call 800-779-0067 or visit www.compelcom.com/pestlibrary Compelling Communications, Inc. 800-779-0067 www.compelcom.com Page 11 Get to Know Your Board Raul Segura A fter starting as a technician in central Nebraska, Raul Segura has been with Presto-X for 14 years, currently serving as Service Center Manager of the Western Iowa Service Center. Raul has held several positions with Presto-X including Service Technician, Sales Representative and National Accounts Manager. Raul and wife, Amy, have a total of seven children. Robyn, Ashley, Keaton, Kiana, Karmie, Cassie and Rachel who range in age from 16 thru 25. Raul and Amy have two grand children Jaden and Jordan (twins) age 3. Raul believes that good effective communication is the key to anything successful especially with customer service. вЂњMore than pests themselves, we are in the people business providing safe effective pest services that not only affect quality of life but the health and safety of our customersвЂќ. Raul was elected to Iowa Pest Management Board in November of 2008 and is looking forward to contributing his experience and knowledge to the Iowa Pest Management Association. Page 12 Marketing without Marketing E ver wish you could sell your services without marketing? There actually IS a way to sell without marketing and itвЂ™s called Marketing through Education. Education-based marketing works because people are bombarded with sales pitches, advertising and arm-twisting every day. We come in contact with over 3000 ad messages a day and most of these messages are not educational in nature. Educational information enables customers and prospects to make a wise buying decision. Take a shoe sales person. Usually, they go get your size 9s and hand them to you to try on. What if the sales person came out carrying your size 9s and tells you that there are 214,000 nerve endings in your foot that connect to every organ of your body? WouldnвЂ™t you be interested to know more -- or at least remember the sales person? A member of my BNI chapter, an estate planning attorney, sets himself apart by providing seminars about estate planning. The goal is to provide information so people can make a wise decision by June Van Klaveren about their own estate plans. Another person, a professional organizer, presents educational seminars to help her customers and prospects organize their personal and professional space. When you engage in education based marketing, the sale is not at the top of your mind, but rather youвЂ™re focused on how can you help this person. To do this means you must really know the value of what you do as well as your customersвЂ™ needs. Marketing through education doesnвЂ™t have to involve seminars. It can, like in our shoe sales person example, provide information in small bites to customers and prospects. This builds credibility, memorability AND ultimately, sales. IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 THE IOWA PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION PRESENTS THE 2009 SUMMER GOLF & BBQ EVENT Friday July 17, 2009 Beaver Creek Golf Course 11200 NW Towner Dr. Grimes, IA 50111 NEW N ATIO C O L 8:00 to 8:30 Registration / 9:00 am Shotgun Start BBQ Noon (Lunch location will be announced.) Join IPMA friends and colleagues for a morning of golf and barbeque lunch. If you donвЂ™t golf, come for lunch! Golf fees are $50 per person. There is no charge for lunch. Contact: _____________________________ Phone: ________________ Email: _______________________________ Name: Company: Player #1 Golf & Lunch $50 Lunch only no charge Player #2: Player #3 Player #4 If you have any questions, please contact Jeromy Baumbach at jeromy@abcpestcontrol.com or 515-267-9442 or Dorothy Lewis at iowapestmanagement@msn.com or 515-232-5801. Make checks payable to: Iowa Pest Management Association PO Box 1201 Ames, Iowa 50014-1201 For credit card payment call 515-232-5801. IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 Registrations due: July 1, 2009 Page 13 S:7вЂќ S:9.25вЂќ INTRODUCING A DIMENSION WHERE ANTS AND PERIMETER PESTS CEASE TO EXIST. Now that Tempridв„ў is here, things will never be the same. Temprid delivers unsurpassed ant control and is the only perimeter pest product youвЂ™ll ever need. The dual mode of action works systemically and on contact. In fact, Temprid controls ant food sources better than the #1 ant control product. And with our flexible label, this broad-spectrum insecticide can be applied indoors and out. So get ready to enter a zone of fewer callbacks and increased profits. Satisfaction guaranteed. As always, youвЂ™re Backed by Bayer.в„ў And that means our team of professionals is your team of professionals. All of our research and support is to ensure you have the most effective products available. Superior products and superior support вЂ“ only from Bayer. To learn more about our latest innovation, visit BackedbyBayer.com. Bayer Environmental Science, a business group of Bayer CropScience L.P., 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. www.BackedbyBayer.com, Bayer, Temprid and Backed by Bayer are trademarks of Bayer. Always read and follow label instructions carefully. В©2008 16337_Temprid_7x9.25_bw.indd 1 Page 14 9/18/08 7:58:45 AM IPMA Connection вЂў Spring, 2009 вЂў Clip & Mail вЂў Clip & Mail вЂў Clip & Mail вЂў Clip & Mail вЂў Clip & Mail вЂў This article is formatted for you to stamp your companyвЂ™s name on it, copy and hand or mail it out to your customers. Small Holes in Clothing C o u l d b e C a u s e d b y M o t hs C lothes moth larvae feed on wool, feathers, fur, hair, leather, lint, dust, paper, and occasionally cotton, linen, silk, and synthetic fibers. They are especially damaging to fabric stained with beverages, urine, oil from hair, and sweat. Most damage is done to articles left undisturbed for a long time, such as old military uniforms and blankets and clothing in storage. Serious infestations of clothes moths can develop undetected in a home, causing significant damage to clothing, bedding, floor coverings and other articles. Damaged fabrics have holes eaten through them by small, white larvae and often have silken cases, lines of silken threads, and fecal pellets over the surface of the materials. Moths are destructive during the larvae stage. Adult вЂњmillersвЂќ or moths are entirely harmless. Identification DonвЂ™t confuse the clothes moth with the common food- and graininfesting moths that are frequently seen flying around the house. At rest, clothes moths are only about 1/4 inch in length, whereas most food-infesting moths are about 1/2 inch in length. Clothes moths are relatively easy to catch when they land. When examined with a hand lens, little tufts of hair are evident on their headsвЂ”food and grain moths do not have these tufts. Clothes moths usually only fly around the immediate area of the house where the infestation is found, and their flight pattern is distinctive: they tend to flutter about rather than fly in a direct, steady manner. Adult webbing clothes moths have a wingspread of about 1/2inch. The body is about 1/4-inch long with wings folded and goldenyellow with a satiny sheen. A tuft of hairs on the head is upright and reddish-gold. Eggs are oval, ivory, and about 1/24-inch long. Larvae are a shiny, creamy white with a brown head, up to 1/2-inch long. The larvae spin long threads and construct tunnels of silk. Adult casemaking clothes moths have a 1/2-inch wingspread. Forewings are yellowish-brown, and there are usually three distinct, dark dots on the outer third of each wing. Hind wings are smaller, lighter, and fringed with hair and scales. Eggs are whitish, and larvae are opaque-white with brown heads. The larva spins a small silken case around itself and carries it while feeding. Life Cycle and Habits Clothes moths rarely fly to lights at night and instead prefer darkness, such as a closet or storage chest. Female webbing clothes moths lay 40 to 50 eggs that hatch in 4 to 21 days. Larvae will wander some distance away from their food source to pupate in crevices. The pupa case is silken with bits of fiber and excrement attached to the outside. The life cycle is about 65 to 90 days. Clothes moth development is greatly influenced by humidity. About 75-percent relative humidity in a heated, dark room is ideal. Prevention Good housekeeping is critical for preventing or controlling clothes moth damage. Never allow clothing, rugs, etc. to lie in a neglected pile. Regular use of a strong suction vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool to remove lint, hair, and dust from floor cracks, baseboards, air ducts, carpets, and upholstered furniture is necessary. Keep closets and dresser drawers clean. Regularly clean rugs where they fit close to the baseboards and under the quarter round. Launder and dry clean or steam clean clothes and other items before storage. Cleaning kills any eggs or larvae that may be present and also removes perspiration odors that are attractive to the pests. Egg-laying clothes moths are attracted to soiled articles. Ironing will also destroy all stages of clothes moths. Outdoors, bright, hot sunlight, and wind will reduce larvae and damage. Freezing has been successfully used to control clothes moths. Place fabric in polyethylene bags, squeeze all air out to minimize condensation, and deep freeze the materials for three days. Your company name goes here. IOWA PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION PO Box 1201 Ames, IA 50014-1201 515-232-5801 For Insurance, Experience Matters. At Brownyard Group, we donвЂ™t play dress up. For over 50 years, the BROWNYARD GROUP has been a recognized leader in specialized liability insurance. We work with your insurance agent or broker to provide a custom Pest Control insurance solution вЂ“ through our PCOproSM program. PCOpro provides your business with all lines coverage. And our specialty claims unit minimizes the potential for fraudulent or unwarranted claims against you вЂ“ saving you even more money. You understand that in some professions, experience matters, and so do we. Ask your agent about BROWNYARDвЂ™S 50-year track record, PCOproвЂ™s high value solution, and the proper coverage for your business. BROWNYARD, experience you can trust. 800-645-5820 pestnews@brownyard.com www.BROWNYARD.com