Rodent Management at Food Distribution Centers, 2019
Rodent management programs at food distribution centers often conform to third party auditing schemes. Auditor guidelines provide recommended distances for the interval between control devices on the interior and exterior of a facility, including exterior fencerows. Although flexibility in device placement is possible with inspection-based justification, professional pest management companies use interval placements for convenience. Unfortunately, these placements do not consider the complex biological drivers of rodent behavior and movements, and devices may not provide the protection presumed by a three-tiered baiting and trapping system. Therefore, this project examined the features associated with rodent management devices to determine what conditions enhance bait take or trap capture. Overall, we found that 36.8% of observations on exterior rodent bait stations represented “no feeding,” and less than half of indoor traps caught a rodent during the study period. These results indicate that rodents are not evenly distributed on the exterior or interior of food distribution centers, providing an opportunity for improved device placement. Furthermore, we found that proximity to categories of shelter and warmth increased feeding on exterior bait stations, and proximity to categories of pathway (located in a corner), near pest proof structures (specifically rodent proof single doors and poured cement walls), and warmth (on the south and west side perimeter walls) all increased trap capture for interior devices. We discuss our findings on the relationship between management equipment placement and conducive conditions in the context of an integrated rodent management project.