Creepy crawly -- insect alert!

Stored food pests, such as the biscuit beetle and flour beetle, are notoriously difficult to detect until they are present in large numbers.

In a food production unit, these pests -- which can be as small as 2mm for an adult biscuit beetle -- can also cause considerable extra use of resources and costs for disposing of contaminated ingredients and finished product.

Other costs that can occur accumulate from down-time for machinery, intensive cleaning programmes, loss of production and insect eradication treatments.

An effective early warning system to prevent an infestation is essential. And that's exactly what the scientists at Rentokil Pest Control have come up with. Using infrared technology, the Insect Monitor Unit (IMU) lets staff know when a crawling insect pest is present long before they will see it.

Placed in or near to the locations where pests lurk, the IMU contains a sticky pad that traps it. The insect's presence triggers an infrared sensor, which in turn sets off a flashing light on a separate signal box, placed where staff can see it.

A pest control technician can then be alerted to investigate further and propose how to deal with the problem before a serious infestation can take hold.

Tony Stephens from Rentokil Pest Control says: "Early detection of insect pests is crucial in nipping the problem in the bud before your premises is affected by a larger infestation that can damage your company and its reputation."

Contact: Rentokil Pest Control, Tel: 0800 3897696​