Pest control procedures in the food industry

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Pest control procedures in the food industry
Pest control procedures
in the food industry

January 2009
Pest control procedures in the food industry
Contents

Introduction                                3

Food safety                                 4

Rodents                                    8

Cockroaches                                 10

Flies		                                    12

Ants		                                     14

Stored product insects                     16

Birds and other vertebrates                 20

Inspection and auditing of food premises   22

Pest prevention                            28

Non-chemical control methods               37

Chemical control methods                    40

Pest control contracts                     46

Acknowledgements                            50

Useful addresses                            51

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Pest control procedures in the food industry
1   Introduction

    The presence of pests in food production and
    preparation areas has always been unacceptable.
    Yet while the pest management industry has seen
    many advances in monitoring and baiting techniques
    in the past 30 years, some of the practices in the food
    industry have not kept up with these new techniques.

    Concerns for the environment and the requirements
    by regulators for improved practices in the industry
    have meant that new methods to control pests have
    had to be devised.

    The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
    (CIEH) has assessed these developments and
    feels that now is the time to consider whether the
    techniques that have been common in the food
    and pest management industries need to be revised.

    Since many of the people involved in maintaining
    and regulating food safety are environmental health
    practioners (EHPs), the CIEH has taken the lead in
    devising the standards which it believes should now
    operate in the food industry.

    These guidelines have therefore been drawn up by
    the National Pest Advisory Panel (NPAP) of the CIEH
    after full consultation with all those involved in food
    production, preparation and retailing, together with
    representatives of the pest management industry.
    Advice has also been sought from government
    agencies involved in research and enforcement,
    as well as the main bodies which lay down auditing
    standards.

    These guidelines are aimed at the food manufacturing
    sector. While the principles are the same for production
    (farmers and growers), raw material and ingredient
    suppliers, warehousing, distribution and retail, the
    level of pest control contract specification will vary.

    The CIEH would like to thank all those who have
    contributed to the preparation of these draft
    guidelines.

    Dr Stephen Battersby
    CIEH President

                                                               3
Pest control procedures in the food industry
2   Food safety

    2.1    Overview                                                   Article 5 of the regulation requires that the
           The presence of pests in any food handling                 procedure or procedures be based upon the
           premises is unacceptable. The risks posed by               HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)
           pests include:                                             principle.

           •	The spread of disease – pathogens are                   However, it does not necessarily constrain food
              transferred from the gut or external surface            business operators to implement a HACCP
              of the pest                                             system if this is not appropriate.
           •	Damage to property
           •	Contamination of work surfaces and                      Pest management is part of the Good
              foodstuffs                                              Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for food
           •	Adverse public opinion and loss of                      businesses, which is a prerequisite for the
              reputation                                              HACCP-based procedures in place. As an
           •	Prosecution and closure                                 integral part of the GMPs, it should be
           •	Poor staff relations                                    carried out with due diligence and properly
                                                                      documented.
           The objective of the Pest Management
           Programme should be to prevent, as far as           2.4	Pest Management Standards in the
           practicable, the introduction of pests onto the          Food Industry
           site and to reduce the conditions that may               Food safety audits may be carried out by
           encourage their presence.                                auditors from within the company or from
                                                                    an independent organisation. The audit is
    2.2    Food Hygiene Regulations                                 generally based on a series of criteria set out
    2.2.1	Regulation (EC) 178/2002 of the European                 to ensure the highest standard of compliance
           Parliament                                               with a specific aspect of food safety. The
           This regulation lays down the principles and             section which deals with pest management
           requirements of food law.                                will usually require zero infestation and
                                                                    conformity with criteria covering type of pest
           Article 14 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 deals             management programme; permitted materials
           with unsafe food. It is an offence not to                and techniques and record keeping.
           comply with article 14 under the General Food            Care is essential when setting criteria to ensure
           Regulations 2004. Food shall be deemed                   that they achieve the required result. Over
           unsafe if it is considered to be injurious to            –prescriptive criteria may place unnecessary
           health or unfit for human consumption.                   restrictions on the pest management
                                                                    programme, extending the period before
    2.2.2 Regulation (EC) 852/2004                                  control is achieved.
          These regulations lay down general hygiene
          requirements for all food business operators         2.4.1 Risk-based standards
          and state that:                                            If standards and guidelines for pest control
                                                                     are to achieve the aim of promoting best
           • The layout, design and construction of food            practice they must be practical and flexible.
              premises are to permit good food hygiene               The standard should be risk-based in order to
              practices including protection against                 address the issues raised by the following:
              contamination and in particular, pest control.
           • Adequate procedures should be in place to               Risk to public health due to activities of pests
              control pests                                           Pests are known to carry a range of pathogens
                                                                      which can be transmitted to humans either
    2.3	HACCP – Hazard Analysis Critical                             through contaminated food or their presence
         Control Point                                                in the environment.
         According to EC Regulation No 852/2004 on
         the hygiene of foodstuffs, with the exception                Risk to food safety
         of activities at the level of primary production,            This will be the priority for all engaged in the
         food business operators are required to put in               production, storage, transport, processing and
         place procedures, which manage food safety                   sale of food. The risks include:
         within their establishment.

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Pest control procedures in the food industry
• P hysical contamination of product by rodent             • P
                                                                     resence of non-target species. Are there
         droppings, insect parts or other foreign                   records or reported sightings of protected
         bodies                                                     species of birds or mammals? Are there
      • Introduction of micro organisms                            areas away from the buildings where the
      • Damage to product or packaging                             presence of toxic rodenticide baits may
                                                                    present a risk of secondary poisoning?
      Risk to public safety and the environment
      The irresponsible or inaccurate use of               2.4.3	Environmental management and
      pesticides may present a hazard to technicians,             pesticide reduction
      site staff and members of the general public,               There should be an increased reliance on
      as well as to the environment through                       environmental management and inspection
      contamination of water, damage to plants and                of the site to reduce the attraction to pests.
      the effect on non-target species of animals.
                                                                  Pest management programmes should aim
2.4.2 Application of standards                                    to reduce the use of pesticides, particularly
      When applying the relevant standard to pest                 outdoors, by enhanced prevention programmes
      management such as rodent control, reference                based on proofing and hygiene.
      should be made to the following:
                                                                  For example, reliance on toxic rodent baits
      • A re rodents active on site at the time of the           outdoors as a permanent indicator of rat
         inspection? (Evidence of, or bait taken by,              activity is no longer acceptable. Knowledge of
         field mice or voles away from the buildings              the site, its history and potential for infestation
         should not constitute an infestation)                    through regular and thorough inspections will
      • Past history of site. Is there documented                replace perimeter baiting as the first line of
         evidence that rodents have been active in                defence.
         the last two years?
      • Site potential for infestation. Does the          2.5    Pest Awareness and Staff Training
         layout, construction, manufacturing process,             Training should be given appropriate to the
         hygiene practices or product lend the site               personnel concerned, for example using the
         liable to infestation? Are there water courses,          CIEH DVD Pests on the Menu.
         railways, amenity sites nearby. Is the site
         situated within or adjacent to a high risk               As a minimum all departmental personnel
         area?                                                    should be aware of the pests that they are likely
      • Status of neighbouring properties. Are                   to encounter in their part of the process and
         the activities of adjacent properties or                 the importance of pest prevention. Particular
         businesses liable to attract pests into the              attention should be given to incoming goods
         vicinity?                                                such as raw materials or packaging.

                                                                                                                   5
Pest control procedures in the food industry
Pests and their habits                                     The pest sightings record should be checked
           Training on the identification and habits of               and signed on each contractor visit to the site
           the more common pests of the food industry                 and daily where an in-house programme is in
           can be given by the pest control contractor or             place. The contents of the pest sightings record
           through independent consultants. This is best              should be part of the management review
           achieved in the form of a brief presentation               process.
           rather than distribution of literature, and
           where appropriate can be tailored to particular     2.6.2 Pest control report
           industry segments for example, bakery or                  Inspection reports must be concise and legible
           confectionery.                                            and stored in an easily accessible binder.
                                                                     A typical pest control report will contain as a
           Pest prevention                                           minimum:
           The importance of pest prevention through
           good hygiene, stock management and                         • T reatment date
           exclusion practices should be emphasised. Site             • Details of the pest control contractor and
           personnel have the day to day responsibility                  name of technician servicing the site
           of ensuring a pest management programme is                 • Details of the customer and name of the
           maintained.                                                   contact person on site
                                                                      • Type of visit: scheduled, follow-up, callout, etc
           Information posters                                        • Pests found
           In addition to training sessions the posting               • Action taken
           of information at individual workstations                  • Pesticide used
           or sensitive locations such as rest areas and              • Location of baits and monitors (this may be
           goods-inwards doorways can act as a reminder                  in the form of a checklist or plan)
           of the requirements of the Pest Management                 • Quantities used
           Programme. These can remind staff of pest-                 • Risk assessment
           related risks and preventive measures such as:             • Post treatment precautions
                                                                      • Recommendations on proofing, hygiene and
           • D oor and window disciplines                               storage
           • Hygiene and housekeeping                                • Details of follow-up inspections
           • Stock storage and rotation
                                                                      Individual specifications may include
    2.6	Reporting and Record Keeping                                  additional reports such as analyses and trends
        The organisation of a reporting system and                    for each bait or monitor.
        maintenance of records is essential if Good
        Manufacturing Practice (GMP) status is to be                  The report must be signed by the pest control
        achieved.                                                     technician and the customer.

           Records must be kept for the following reasons:            Where anticoagulant rodenticides are used
                                                                      outdoors the following additional records
           •    o highlight any recommendations
               T                                                      should be kept:
           •   To demonstrate compliance with legislation
           •    To monitor pest management processes                 • A site plan identifying areas where bait has
           •     As evidence of compliance to third party               been laid
                  auditors                                            • Details of the active ingredient, formulation
                                                                         and quantities used
    2.6.1 Pest sightings log                                          • Inspection reports, which demonstrate the
          A record should be kept of any pest sightings,                 treatment frequency to check and replace
          including those made by personnel other than                   baits and to search for and remove dead
          those involved in pest management. This can                    rodent bodies where appropriate
          be in the form of a book or a folder where the              • Reports of any effect on non-target species
          following information can be logged:                           and action taken to reduce risk
                                                                      • Reports of any interference or removal of
           •    ame of person making report
               N                                                         baits
           •   Date and time                                         • Reports on conditions, which may adversely
           •    Location                                                affect treatment and remedial actions
           •     Pest seen                                           • Evidence that control has been achieved
           •      Any other relevant information                        within the prescribed timescales

           In addition to entering the sighting in the book,   2.6.3 Other records
           the sighting must be reported to the appointed            • Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for pesticides used
           manager in charge of pest management who                     on site
           will decide on further action.                            • COSHH Risk Assessments*
                                                                     • Site Risk Assessments*
           Where a pest control contractor is employed               • Environmental Risk Assessments*
           the sighting will normally result in a request            • Qualifications, insurance membership
           for service. In the case of an on-going                      and accreditation documents
           riddance programme the reports will provide
           information on the success of the treatment.               *	These may not be relevant for each site
                                                                         or may be in a combined form.

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Pest control procedures in the food industry
7
Pest control procedures in the food industry
3   Rodents

    3.1	Rats                                                  3.3    Squirrels
        In Britain, there are two species of rat; the                In the UK the grey squirrel (Sciurus
        Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus)                      carolinensis) is regarded as a pest species. The
        and the ship or black rat (Rattus rattus). The               red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is fully protected.
        Norway rat has largely replaced the ship rat
        over the past 100 years.                                     The grey squirrel was introduced into the UK
                                                                     in the mid 19th century and has now become
           Norway rats eat on average one tenth of their             a major pest of forestry. In addition they may
           body weight each day. They are considered                 enter buildings in search of food and shelter
           omnivorous but if available, cereals are                  resulting in damage to products and structures.
           preferred. Rats must drink water daily unless             Under the Destructive Imported Animals Act
           the food source is extremely moist. Due to their          1932 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act
           water requirements, runs to a water source                1981 it is illegal to release the grey squirrel into
           may be evident and give an indication of                  the wild.
           harbourages.
                                                              3.4	General biology and behaviour
           They explore locations quite freely but                Rodents have the ability to adapt themselves
           have a fear of new objects. This is known as           to almost any environment. Their great
           neophobia and should be taken into account             reproductive potential, natural cunning and
           when baits are checked initially after a               survivability puts them among the most
           treatment.                                             successful animals on earth.

           On farms, stored animal feed and crops,                   Rodents use the five senses of smell, touch,
           bedding, even animal waste will present                   hearing, sight and taste in order to survive.
           an ideal environment to support rodent
           infestations. Rats living and feeding outside             The sense of touch is considered the most
           may enter buildings with the onset of the                 highly developed of the rodents’ senses using
           winter months.                                            the vibrissae or whiskers on the muzzle and
                                                                     guard hairs that are found among the fur.
           Ship rats are very good climbers and are                  These organs help rodents orientate in the
           usually found indoors, often high up. Although            dark and help them judge shapes and sizes
           they are rare in the UK, they are still found in          of objects. After a short learning period on
           some port areas.                                          the whereabouts of objects in the immediate
                                                                     environment, runs become well established.
    3.2    Mice                                                      Smell will also play a part in the forming of the
           The house mouse, Mus domesticus, is the                   runs. When danger threatens, automatic use
           common pest in urban environments, although               of this information will be vital.
           field mice (wood mice and yellow-necked mice,
           Apodemus spp) can be a problem in autumn           3.4.1 Problems associated with rats and mice
           and winter. Where these enter premises,                  The main reasons for control are to reduce or
           control is the same as for house mice.                   eliminate:

           Mice will drink water if available but can                •	Spread of disease
           survive on food with a moisture content of                •	Contamination of products
           15 percent. They are omnivorous; feeding from             •	Damage to food stocks and property
           a number of different points during the course
           of a night’s feed. Whole wheat, which has been            Rodents can cause damage to food intended
           partly eaten by mice, has a kibbled appearance            for humans, by consumption, contamination
           while whole grain, partly eaten by rats, has a            with faeces and urine, as well as other physical
           cut or chopped appearance.                                and microbiological contaminants.

           In domestic premises, locations favoured by               Rodents have the capability to spread many
           mice are food storage and preparation areas               human pathogens, such as Salmonella spp,
           such as kitchens and pantries. Airing cupboards,          Listeria spp, Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium
           sub floor areas, enclosed pipes, baths and loft           parvum, Leptospira spp, Hantaviruses, Bubonic
           areas are also favoured locations.                        plague and Toxoplasmosis.

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Pest control procedures in the food industry
All rodents have a pair of incisor teeth in their
       upper and lower jaws. These teeth continue          Rodents can cause damage to
       to grow throughout their life to make good
       the wear caused by gnawing. Almost every
                                                           food intended for humans, by
       type of food commodity is subject to rodent
       attack. Damage is also caused to the fabric of
                                                           consumption, contamination
       buildings, to electric wiring and plumbing.         with faeces and urine
3.4.2 Problems associated with grey squirrels
      Grey squirrels are less cautious than rats and
      will readily enter buildings during daylight.
      They are physically larger and stronger and
      are capable of breaking through poorly fitted
      proofing materials.

       As with rats and mice considerable damage
       can be caused by their powerful jaws and
       sharp incisor teeth.

                                                                                      9
Pest control procedures in the food industry
4    Cockroaches

           Based on fossil records, cockroaches have                   It is not as cold tolerant as Blatta orientalis
           remained little changed for 200 million years.              and Blattella germanica. Typical infestations in
                                                                       the United Kingdom are port areas, where it is
           There are over 4000 different species of                    introduced via ships. Sites infested include food
           cockroaches worldwide – not all are regarded                premises, greenhouses, zoos, large centrally
           as pests. Those species, which are now classed              heated humid environments, etc.
           as pests originated in tropical climates but
           have now become cosmopolitan in temperate                   Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae)
           zones, having been distributed by commercial                Adult size 25-35 mm; Adults are reddish brown,
           activities.                                                 fully winged with a yellow to pale brown band
                                                                       around the pronotum and a yellow streak
     4.1   Common cockroach species                                    on the outer edge of the base of the front
           The cockroach species commonly found in the                 wings. Late instar nymphs have pale yellow
           UK are:                                                     markings on the lateral margins of the thorax
                                                                       and abdomen. This species closely resembles
           Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis)                      Periplaneta americana. Not yet widely
           Males are approximately 25mm long, females                  established in the United Kingdom, it requires
           approximately 32mm long; shiny and very dark                hot, moist conditions to survive. It is found in
           brown, nearly black in appearance, nymphs                   greenhouses, therefore potted plants may be
           (immatures) may be reddish brown; they                      a source of infestation. Pet shops, particularly
           are poor climbers on smooth surfaces, which                 those with large numbers of heated fish tanks,
           may limit their distribution within a building;             can also be a source of infestation for this
           they appear to be cold tolerant in that they                species.
           are often found outside buildings, in drains,
           gardens, sewers, external brickwork etc, a factor     4.1.1	Egg case (oothecae) development
           which should be remembered when controlling                  in cockroaches
           them.                                                        Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis)
                                                                        The female Oriental cockroaches carry the
           German cockroach (Blattella germanica)                       oothecae for about 30 hours, after which time
           Adult size 13-16mm; the adult is light brown                 she deposits them, dropping or attaching them
           in colour with two dark almost parallel                      near to a food source. Each ootheca contains
           longitudinal stripes on their pronotal shield;               16 eggs which hatch in approximately six
           they are found throughout buildings but show                 weeks, but this period may be greatly extended
           a preference for warm humid areas; they are                  in cool conditions. In this situation the egg
           good climbers, being able to climb vertical                  case represents a biological time bomb waiting
           glass or tiled surfaces; an infestation of these             to hatch and continue an infestation.
           cockroaches can be quickly established once
           they have entered any premises.                             German cockroach (Blattella germanica)
                                                                       The ootheca, containing 35-40 eggs, is carried
           Brown-banded cockroach (Supella longipalpa)                 by the female until it is within one to two days
           Adult size 11-15mm; this cockroach is small,                of hatching. Small 1st instar nymphs emerge
           light brown in colour and is often mistaken for             from the ootheca and easily infest tiny cracks
           the German cockroach; this cockroach needs                  and crevices in the immediate area.
           hot conditions to survive, it prefers 27°C and
           over but it is becoming more common as a pest               American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
           in the UK; it is typically found in light switches,         The female deposits oothecae a few hours or
           electrical appliances, motor housings, etc.                 up to 4 days before the 1st instars emerge.

           American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)                  The ootheca, containing 10-15 eggs, is dropped
            Adult size 34-53mm; the adult is is reddish                or glued to a suitable surface, usually in a
           brown in colour and is fully winged. Male                   pocket of high humidity near a food source.
           wings extend beyond the tip of the abdomen;
           female wings do not. There is a pale brown                  Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae)
           to yellowish band around the edges of the                   The female cockroach deposits the egg case
           pronotum. This species is not well established              containing around 16 eggs which hatch after a
           in Britain.                                                 period of approximately 80 days.

10
4.2	General biology and behaviour                              This behaviour is influenced by them finding
                 Cockroaches are omnivorous. In addition to                 the same suitable harbourage. They also
                 conventional foodstuffs, they will feed on a               produce an aggregation pheromone, which is
                 wide range of organic matter including other               a chemical messenger to other cockroaches
                 cockroaches. Their activity peaks during hours             of the same species, who respond by being
                 of darkness.                                               attracted to the source of the pheromone. As
                                                                            this pheromone is present in cockroach faeces,
                   They exhibit incomplete metamorphosis; the               cockroaches will also be attracted to areas
                   juvenile stages or nymphs resemble the adults.           previously contaminated by cockroaches.
                   Each cockroach moults several times in its life
                   cycle producing a larger nymph and eventually            The development of cockroaches is affected by
                   moulting to the adult stage. Some species are            food quality, humidity, temperature, and day
                   fully winged in the adults, others may have              length.
                   reduced wings or wing buds. When wings are
                   present, they are leathery and veined.            4.2.1 Food contamination problem
                                                                           Cockroaches foul their environment with
                                                                           faeces, regurgitated food and they taint
                                                                           materials with their characteristic smell. The air
Cockroaches foul their environment with                                    in infested premises may contain fragments of
                                                                           their exoskeletons and cockroach excrement.
faeces, regurgitated food and they taint
                                                                            Cockroaches also contaminate food directly as
materials with their characteristic smell                                   they move from filth to food indiscriminately
                                                                            and are therefore implicated in the mechanical
                                                                            transmission of many pathogens, such as those
                                                                            causing food poisoning and wound infections.
                   The females of those cockroaches classed as
                   pests all produce egg cases or oothecae, which           Because residual allergens can remain as
                   contain eggs, which hatch inside the case from           active contaminants for some time following a
                   which nymphal cockroaches emerge.                        treatment, a thorough cleaning regime should
                                                                            be carried out afterwards.
                   During the daytime, cockroaches spend most
                   of their time in harbourages grouped together.

                                                                                                                          11
5	Flies

     5.1   Common fly species                                  stored meat as a larviposition site. Carcasses
           Common housefly (Musca domestica)                   of birds and rodents are used by these flies
            Adults are 6-8mm long, with a wingspan             as food sources for their larvae and therefore
           of 13-15mm; the thorax is grey with four            adults may be encountered as a nuisance in
           longitudinal dark stripes; the sides of             houses, though they are rarely found indoors in
           the abdomen are yellowish and may be                normal circumstances.
           transparent; the larva also known as a maggot
           – undergoes larval moults, gradually increasing     Fruit flies (Drosophila spp)
           in size and changing colour from white to           Adult fruit flies are small, yellowish/brown
           cream; pupa is about 6mm long and may be            with a darkly striped abdomen; they have
           yellow, brown or black. Houseflies are potential    prominent compound eyes that are generally
           vectors of a wide range of diseases such as         red in colour, although darker variants occur;
           dysentery, gastroenteritis and tuberculosis         the wings have two clear notches in the front
           and can also transmit intestinal worms. These       border, which can clearly be seen with a hand
           flies move from filth to food indiscriminately      lens. Fruit flies are commonly associated with
           and may therefore move pathogens from dirty         human food preparation and storage areas.
           to clean areas. Fly spotting is produced when       They are a source of annoyance in many
           feeding and defecating.                             kitchens, restaurants, etc. They are attracted
                                                               to alcohol and waste fruit, and can build up to
           Lesser housefly (Fannia canicularis)                very large numbers when these food/breeding
           Adults are 5-6mm long, with a wingspan of           materials are present.
           10-12mm and with a grey thorax, which has
           three indistinct longitudinal stripes on it; the    Moth flies (Family Psychodidae)
           abdomen has an extensive area of yellow at          Adults are 3-4mm long with a wingspan of
           its base. Potential vectors of a wide range of      10-12mm; they are greyish/brown in colour
           diseases, such as dysentery, gastroenteritis and    with wings covered in scales, as is the whole
           tuberculosis, they can also transmit intestinal     body, giving the fly the appearance of a small
           worms. As with the housefly they may                moth; the antennae of the moth flies are hairy
           move pathogens from dirty to clean areas.           in appearance with large hairs emanating
           Fly spotting is produced when feeding and           from the intersegmental junctions. The adult
           defecating.                                         flies are frequently abundant in sewage works.
                                                               Females lay their eggs in a suitable medium,
           Blowflies (Calliphora spp)                          typically the wet organic matter found in
           Adults are 9-13mm long with a wingspan of           drains. In a kitchen/food processing area
           18-20mm; adults are large robust flies with a       these flies are often found breeding in the
           stout abdomen; the thorax and abdomen are           slime layer in floor traps. As flies are breeding
           black/blue and dusky in colour. Blow flies are      in such areas, there is a possibility that they
           attracted to rotting animal remains on which        can transfer bacterial particles. These flies are
           they lay their eggs. In their search, they can      really only a nuisance pest and not of any
           mistake stored meat as a suitable ‘host’. The       great public health significance.
           possibility of disease spread is similar to the
           housefly.                                           Phorid flies / Scuttle flies (Family Phoridae)
                                                               Adults are 3-4mm long with a wingspan of
           Flesh fly (Sarcophaga carnaria)                     9-10mm; the thorax is usually dark brown/
           Adults are 10-18mm long with a wingspan             tan in colour with a distinctive humped
           of about 22mm; they are bristly grey with           appearance. Phorid flies are found in
           three distinct black stripes on the thorax; the     association with moist decaying organic
           abdomen has checkered patterning, which             matter. They are often indicative of blocked or
           changes according to the angle of view. The         broken drainage systems. The adult flies have
           hind end of the larva is rounded and the            a characteristic habit of scuttling in a fast run
           posterior spiracles are sunk into a deep pit        instead of immediately taking to wing when
           surrounded by fleshy lobes. Flesh flies exploit     disturbed, hence their name ‘scuttle flies’.
           decaying organic matter for larval feeding          Because they frequent unsanitary sites, there is
           sites, for example, rotten meat, open wounds,       always the potential of these insects carrying
           dung and carrion and they will also parasitise      disease-causing bacteria.
           insect larvae and molluscs. They can also utilise

12
5.2	General biology and behaviour                        5.2.1 Pest status of flies
                 Flies have a complete life cycle, consisting of 4          The fly is a highly mobile pest, able to fly from
                 main stages – egg, larva, pupa and adult. The              filth to food carrying with it a wide range of
                 duration of each developmental stage is very               disease-causing organisms on its body.
                 much dependent on temperature and food/
                 moisture availability.                                      There are many thousands of species of
                                                                             flies; however, relatively few interact with
                                                                             humans. Those that do are among the most
                                                                             destructive of pest species, spreading diseases
The increase and ease of international                                       to man and domesticated animals as well as
                                                                             contaminating food and packaging.
travel in the air and on the oceans means
that there are very few barriers left to stop                                The increase and ease of international travel
                                                                             in the air and on the oceans mean that there
the spread of insects worldwide                                              are very few barriers left to stop the spread of
                                                                             insects worldwide.

                                                                             The mobility of flying insects is the primary
                    All true flies (adult stage) can only ingest             reason why their status as pests is so
                    liquid food. Should they land on a solid food            important. This allows them to visit many
                    source, they produce large quantities of saliva          diverse and contaminated habitats within the
                    together with regurgitated gut contents.                 course of their relatively short life span.
                    The mixture, rich in digestive enzymes, is
                    vomited onto the food together with any living
                    bacteria, viruses and protozoa present in the
                    gut. The resulting liquid food is then sucked
                    back up. This process may be repeated several
                    times during which time the fly may defecate
                    to reduce the overall body weight in readiness
                    for flight. This feeding mechanism underlies
                    the principle mode of food contamination with
                    disease pathogens and spoilage organisms.

                                                                                                                           13
6	Ants

     6.1   Significant species and habits                             numbers on window-sills and in fly killer
           Ants belong to the order of insects known                  catch trays.
           as Hymenoptera which includes some of the
           most highly evolved insects such as wasps and              Pharaoh’s ant queens have wings, but rarely
           bees. They have a caste system by which nest               fly. They form new colonies by “budding”,
           building, nursing of young and foraging for                taking a few workers from the parent nest and
           food is undertaken by workers (sterile females).           moving to a new site a short distance away.
           Reproduction is performed by fertile females               Both garden ants and pharaoh’s ants lay
           (queens) and males.                                        pheromone trails which are then followed by
                                                                      other worker ants to food sources. Proteins
           All ants possess:                                          (meat, nuts, cheese, and blood) are the
                                                                      preferred foods of Pharaoh’s ants.
           •	Elbowed antennae
           •	Biting mouthparts                                       Garden ants also feed on these foods, together
           •	A narrow waist between the abdomen and                  with sweet foods. Like some other insects they
              thorax                                                  also collect seeds and nectar and feed on
                                                                      “honeydew” from aphids.
           Three main species may be encountered in and
           around food premises:                                      Roger’s ant does not follow scent trails and
                                                                      seems to feed exclusively on protein such as
           Pharaoh’s ant (Monomorium pharaonis)                       dead insects, also small insect pupae and
           Of tropical origin and has taken advantage of              springtails, which they sting, then drag back to
           heated premises, notably hospitals and high                the nest.
           rise flats.
                                                                6.2   Pest status of ants
           Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis)                        Although considered as a nuisance pest, the
           Also requires high temperatures but can thrive             presence of ants can still have an impact on
           on a variety of foods.                                     the safety and saleability of food.

           Roger’s ant (Hypoponera punctatissima) Prefers             Contamination of foods
           damp locations, particularly in crevices around            Ants find their way into kitchens and
           drains, and is not confined to heated premises.            production areas and there is a risk that food
                                                                      may become contaminated by ant bodies.
           Black garden ant (Lasius niger)                            Many infectious organisms are present in
           Native of the UK and readily enters buildings in           hospitals and these may be transmitted to
           search of food.                                            patients by ants crawling on infected surfaces
                                                                      and used dressings.
           Ants live in colonies founded by a single, fertile
           female or queen. In some tropical species,                 Waste
           several new queens remain in the parent nest.              Food containing ants must be discarded to
           All spend most of their time laying eggs.                  prevent contaminated product being sold or
                                                                      served.
           There is generally only one queen in colonies
           of the garden ant. In contrast with most other             The presence of ants in packaging will also
           insects, the larvae of ants are fed until they             make the product unsaleable. The disposal of
           become adult.                                              waste food may result in a greater chance of
                                                                      rodent infestations.
           A particular feature of mating in the garden
           ant is the swarming which usually occurs in                Lost reputation and employment
           summer, when winged males and females                      Most food business staff handle foods which
           leave the nest. The swarming period of flying              are highly attractive to ants. Prosecutions by
           ants is of short duration and signifies the                environmental health departments, stopped
           beginning of the breakdown of the nest.                    production and the adverse publicity from
                                                                      product recalls will lead to damage to the
           Swarming also occurs in the Roger’s ant. At                company’s reputation and financial loss. It
           such times the winged females (the few males               will also lead to job losses if premises are
           are wingless) may be found in considerable                 closed down.

14
15
7	Stored product insects

           Stored product insects (SPI) are significant             Particular species of SPI normally, but not
           pests as they spend the majority of their time,          always, infest specific types of product:
           including breeding, hidden in their chosen
           food type. Inspection and early detection can
                                                                     Beans, peas and         Bruchid beetles
           therefore prove difficult. The group known as
                                                                     similar foods
           SPI in this context include mites. Commodities
           attacked include cereals, nuts, dried fruit and           Coffee, cocoa           Flour beetles,
           pulses.                                                                           Merchant grain
                                                                                             beetles, Warehouse
     7.1	Categories and Common Types of                                                     moths
          Stored Product Pests
          SPI fall into two main categories according                Cheese                  Mites, Larder beetle,
          to their ability to infest product:                                                Copra beetle
                                                                     Dried fruit             Indian meal moth,
           •	Primary – those having the ability to                                          Merchant grain
              penetrate whole grains. These are further                                      beetles, Tobacco
              sub-divided into:                                                              beetle, Dried fruit
           	Internal - those species whose life cycle                                       beetle, Mites
              is completed within the grain or bean
              The hole left by the exiting adult                     Dried vegetables        Indian meal moth,
              is characteristic                                                              miscellaneous
           	External - those whose life cycle is completed                                  general feeders
              outside the grain                                      Flour and milled        Flour beetles, Mill
           •	Secondary – tend to feed on the fungus                 cereal products         moth, Indian meal
              present in poorly stored or damaged product                                    moth, Cadelle, Flat
                                                                                             grain beetle, Mites
                                                                     Grain                   Rice weevil, Grain
                                                                     (Wheat, rice, corn      weevil, Lesser grain
                                                                     and other cereals)      borer, Saw- toothed
                                                                                             grain beetle, Cadelle,
                                                                                             Flour beetle, Indian
                                                                                             meal moth, and
                                                                                             Mites
                                                                     Macaroni and            Rice and grain
                                                                     spaghetti               weevils, Milled cereal
                                                                                             pests
                                                                     Nuts and                Indian meal moth,
                                                                     confectionery           Merchant grain
                                                                                             beetle, Mites
                                                                     Animal materials        Dermestid beetles,
                                                                                             Clothes moths,
                                                                                             Scavenging moths

                                                              7.1.1 Identification
                                                                    Bruchid beetle (Acanthoscelides obtectus)
                                                                    The adult beetle is 3-4mm long. The elytra
                                                                    (wing cases) are variegated with yellowish and
                                                                    dark brown patches of hairs. The hind femur
                                                                    has one large and two small teeth. The eyes
                                                                    are large and emarginated. The elytra do not
                                                                    entirely cover the abdomen. The antennae are
                                                                    serrate. The larva is 3-4mm long, whitish in
                                                                    colour, and crescent shaped with reduced legs.

16
Dried fruit beetle (Carpophilus hemipterus)        wing span of 12-18mm. The mature larva is
The adult is a flattish beetle, approximately      12-14mm long and is creamy white with a
2-4mm long. The short elytra (wing covers)         brown head capsule and brown body markings.
leave some of the abdominal segments               Larvae have three pairs of jointed thoracic legs
exposed. The body is dark brown with yellowish     and five pairs of abdominal prolegs.
patches on the wing covers. The larvae are
elongated, parallel-sided and lightly pigmented,   Warehouse moth (Ephestia elutella)
reaching a length of 9mm before pupation.          The adult is a greyish moth with a pattern of
                                                   two obscure bands across the forewings. It
Flour mite (Acarus siro)                           has a wingspan of 12-18mm. The mature larva
The adult mite is around 0.5-0.7mm in length.      is 10-15mm long and is creamy white with a
It is white in colour with a pearly iridescence,   brown head capsule and brown body markings.
its legs often have a brown or pink colouration.
Its body is divided into two clear sections with   Mill moth (Ephestia kuehniella)
a distinct line between the two sections known     The adult is a greyish moth with a pattern of
as the proterosoma (the anterior end) and the      two obscure bands across the forewings. It
hysterosoma (the posterior section).               has a wingspan of 18-28mm. The mature larva
                                                   is 15-20mm long and is creamy white with a
Leather beetle (Dermestes maculates)               brown head capsule and brown body markings.
The adult is an oval-shaped beetle,
approximately 6-10mm long. The antennae            Brown house moth
are short and clubbed. The colour is black         (Hofmanophila pseudospretella)
with patches of white hairs on the sides of the    Open wing span 15-25mm. Upper side of
thorax and underside of the body. The larvae       forewing bronze-brown in colour with several
are hairy, have six legs, and a pair of curved     dark brown to black flecks or spots.
projections, urogomphi, on the penultimate
abdominal segment.                                 Tobacco beetle (Lasioderma serricorne)
                                                   Length 2-3mm, reddish brown, domed ovoid
White shouldered house moth                        beetle. Head hidden under hood-like prothorax.
(Endrosis sarcitrella)                             Easily mistaken for the common furniture
Open wingspan 10-23 mm. Readily                    beetle, Anobium punctatum, or the biscuit
distinguished from other stored product moths      beetle, Stegobium paniceum.
by the covering of white scales on the head
and thorax. The shining buff upper side of the     Copra beetle (Necrobia rufipes)
forewing is speckled with dark brown.              Adults are 4-6mm long. They are shiny,
                                                   metallic blue with reddish legs and clubbed
Tropical warehouse moth (Ephestia cautella)        antennae. The larva is 10mm long when fully
The adult is a greyish moth with a pattern         grown and has a dark brown head and dorsal
of two bands across the forewings. It has a        thoracic segments.

                                                                                                  17
Merchant grain beetle (Oryzaephilus mercator)               Biscuit beetle (Stegobium paniceum)
                The adult is an active, slim-bodied, dull reddish           Length 2-3mm. Reddish brown, oval beetles,
                brown beetle between 2.5 and 3.5mm in                       with a dense covering of yellowish hairs. The
                length. The thorax has six distinct teeth on                head is hidden under the hood-like prothorax.
                each margin, giving a saw-like edge. Wings are              Easily mistaken for the common furniture
                well developed; adults can fly and are attracted            beetle, Anobium punctatum, or the cigarette
                to light.                                                   beetle, Lasioderma serricorne. The larvae are
                                                                            active initially but become fat, sluggish and
                It resembles the saw-toothed grain beetle,                  eventually incapable of movement. A fully-
                Oryzaephilus surinamensis - care is needed in               grown larva is about 5mm long.
                differentiating the two species.
                                                                            Rust-red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum)
                Saw-toothed grain beetle                                    The adult length is 3-4.5mm. The shape is
                (Oryzaephilus surinamensis)                                 elongated, the antennae have a distinct three-
                The adult is an active, slim-bodied, dull reddish           segmented club. The colour is reddish brown.
                brown beetle between 2.5 and 3.5mm in                       Easily mistaken for Tribolium confusum, the
                length. The thorax has six distinct teeth on                confused flour beetle. The cylindrical wiry larva
                each margin, giving a saw-like edge. Wings are              is 4-5mm long when fully grown and is white
                well developed but it has not been observed                 tinged with yellow. It has a pair of immovable
                to fly.                                                     projections, urogomphi, on the final abdominal
                                                                            segment.
                It resembles the merchant grain beetle,
                Oryzaephilus mercator - care is needed in                   Confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum)
                differentiating the two species.                            The adult length is 3-4.5mm. The shape is
                                                                            elongated, the antennae have a gradual five-
                Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella)                    segmented club. Easily mistaken for Tribolium
                Open wing span about 16mm. The forewing                     castaneum, the rust-red flour beetle. The
                has a broad grey band across the bronze brown               cylindrical wiry larva is 4-5mm long when fully
                wings.                                                      grown and is white tinged with yellow. It has a
                                                                            pair of immovable projections, urogomphi, on
                Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)                             the final abdominal segment.
                The cylindrical body has the head produced
                to form a snout-like proboscis; the antennae         7.1.2	Life Cycles of common stored product insects
                are elbowed and clubbed. The elytra (wing                   in the food industry
                cases) have four dull reddish spots. Adults are             See table on page 19.
                2-3.5mm long, averaging 2.5mm and can fly at
                high temperatures.                                   7.1.3 Preventive measures
                                                                           Due to their close relationship with the
                                                                           product, an infestation of stored product
                                                                           insects can often remain undetected in the
Stored product insects are significant                                     initial stages. In order to prevent spread of SPI
                                                                           the following steps should be taken:
pests as they spend the majority of their
                                                                            •	All incoming raw materials should be
time, including breeding, within their                                         sampled for the presence of insects
chosen food type                                                            •	Strict stock rotation must be implemented
                                                                            •	Thorough cleaning is required to prevent
                                                                               build up of product within plant and
                                                                               machinery
                                                                            •	Monitoring procedures should be in place to
                Grain weevil (Sitophilus granarius)                            identify early signs of infestation
                The adult is 2-4mm long with a dark brown,                  •	Staff must be aware of the high-risk areas
                elongated, cylindrical body. The head has a                    and products on site
                snout-like prolongation with mouthparts at the              •	Accurate identification is essential in order to
                tip. The antennae are elbowed with a club. It                  pinpoint the likely source of the infestation
                is similar in appearance to the rice weevil but
                lacks the dull brown spots on the elytra (wing
                covers). Unlike the rice weevil, the elytra are
                fused, flight is therefore not possible. The larva
                is 3-4mm long, with a white, fleshy, crescent-
                shaped body, and has no legs.

18
7.1.2	Life cycles of common stored product insects in the food industry
                                   Number of days spent as (dependent on temperature)

 Species                           Egg               Larva / nymph         Pupa         Adult
 Bruchid beetle                    5                 14 - 21               5-6          7 - 28+
 Acanthoscelides obtectus
 Dried fruit beetle                1-4               7 - 10                7            90 - 120
 Carpophilus hemipterus
 Flour mite                        3-4               15 - 20 days          N/A          Egg to adult
 Acarus siro                                         through                            30 - 140 days.
                                                     nymphal stages
 Leather beetle                    5                 44                    14           100+
 Dermestes maculatus
 White shouldered house moth       6 - 23            38 - 102              7 - 31       2 - 4 (male),
 Endrosis sarcitrella                                                                   3 - 9 (female)
 Tropical warehouse moth           3 - 15            20 - 64               5 - 12       4 - 20
 Ephestia cautella
 Warehouse moth                    10 - 14           20 - 200              10 - 28      9 - 21
 Ephestia elutella
 Mill moth                         4 - 28            22 - 128              1 - 16       7 - 21
 Ephestia kuehniella
 Brown house moth,                 8 - 110           70 - 150              13 - 98      10 - 20
 Hofmanophila pseudospretella                        (plus 20 - 155
                                                     diapause)
 Tobacco beetle                    6 - 21            18 - 69               4 - 12       25 - 45
 Lasioderma serricorne
 Copra beetle                      6 - 21            18 - 70               4 - 21       20 - 45
 Necrobia rufipes
 Merchant grain beetle             8 - 17            28 - 49               6 - 21       180 - 3 years +
 Oryzaephilus mercator
 Saw-toothed grain beetle          3 - 17            14 - 49               6 - 21       180 - 3 years +
 Oryzaephilus surinamensis
 Indian meal moth                  2-8               13 - 288              12 - 43      7 - 43
 Plodia interpunctella
 Rice weevil                       4 - 14            20 - 70               4 - 10       Up to 150
 Sitophilus oryzae
 Grain weevil                      3 - 21            20 - 143              4 - 23       210 - 360
 Sitophilus granarius
 Biscuit beetle,                   8 - 37            5 - 150               9 – 18       In cocoon 7 - 12
 Stegobium paniceum                                                                     (Non-feeding
                                                                                        42 - 56)
 Rust – red flour beetle           3 - 14            12 - 60               4 - 14       450 (female),
 Tribolium castaneum                                                                    600 (male)
 Confused flour beetle             4 - 30            15 - 98               5 - 22       435 (female),
 Tribolium confusum                                                                     540 (male)

                                                                                                          19
8	Birds and other vertebrates

     8.1	Birds                                                        The only gulls, which may be killed, are the
          Under the European Wild Birds Directive 1979,                greater black-backed, the lesser black-backed
          all wild birds, including their nests and habitat,           and the herring gull. All three are large – in
          are protected. In the UK the relevant legislation            excess of 50cm long, but as gulls can be difficult
          is the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.                    to identify expert opinion should be sought.
          However, birds that are recognised as pests can
          have that protection removed and are listed on        8.1.2 Problems associated with pest birds
          the General Licences, issued by Natural England             Product damage
          each year. Equivalent licences are issued in                The droppings of sparrows and other birds
          Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.                       spoil finished products and packages in loading
                                                                      bays and warehouses.
            The General Licences list the birds that can be
            controlled, for specific reasons (for example,             Maintenance costs
            for the purpose of preserving public health and            Nests and droppings block gutters and down
            public safety) and by specific methods. It is a            pipes. The resulting overflowing water leads
            condition of the General Licences that all non-            to timber decay, broken rendering, ruined
            lethal methods must be considered first.                   decorations and even structural damage.

            The main species of interest in a food safety              Contamination
            context are:                                               Pigeons in grain handling establishments
                                                                       consume large quantities of food. In
            •	The feral pigeon, collared dove                         addition, pigeon droppings, regurgitated
            •	The house sparrow and starling, although                pellets (produced by gulls), feathers and
               these are presently removed from the licence            nesting materials are common contaminants
               in England                                              of grain destined for human consumption.
            •	The three species of large gull; herring gull,          Sparrow and pigeon droppings and feathers
               greater black-backed gull and lesser black-             contaminate food both in production and
               backed gull                                             awaiting dispatch.

            The remaining species of pest bird on the                  Spread of disease agents
            General Licence are predominantly pests of                 The close association of birds with man gives
            agriculture.                                               rise to the possibility of disease transmission.
                                                                       Sparrows, pigeons and gulls may carry bacteria
     8.1.1	Distinguishing features                                    causing Salmonellosis. Pigeons carry Ornithosis,
            of common pest birds                                       a disease similar to viral pneumonia that
            The feral pigeon (Columba livia) is of medium              can be transmitted to man through infected
            size (32cm long); normally blue grey in colour             droppings or respiratory droplets. Ornithosis
            with a white rump and black wing bars.                     is often mistaken for flu in humans and so is
                                                                       possibly far more common than is realised.
            The collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), is
            about 27cm long, fawn-grey in colour with a                Sources of insect infestation
            narrow black band at the back of the neck and              Birds’ nests harbour insects and mites which
            a white tail tip.                                          live as scavengers on the nest material or
                                                                       droppings or as external parasites on the
            The male house sparrow is 14.5cm and                       birds. Prevention of nest building on premises
            recognised by its grey crown, black bib, light             reduces this damage. The following insects
            grey cheeks and under parts, and brown wings               and mites are known to occur in birds’ nests.
            with black streaks. The female is dull brown.              Carpet beetle; fur beetle; case-bearing clothes
                                                                       moth; brown house moth; white shouldered
            The starling is 22cm and has a summer                      house moth; Dermestid beetles; yellow
            plumage of glossy black with metallic purple               mealworm beetle; biscuit beetle; Australian
            and green tints. Generally found in large flocks,          spider beetle; cheese mite; flour mite; dust
            the numbers of starlings has decreased over                mites; lesser housefly; blowflies and bird mites.
            the last few decades.

20
8.2   Other vertebrates                                   Moles are generally considered a pest of
                 Most British mammals apart from rats and            agriculture and amenity sites where their
                 mice pose insignificant risk to food safety.        tunnels and spoil heaps can damage growing
                 Several such as all bat species, water voles, red   crops and machinery and may pose a risk of
                 squirrels and badgers are fully protected and       injury to livestock and horses.
                 may not be harmed.
                                                                     The grey squirrel, American mink and edible
                 Foxes and rabbits, through their burrowing,         dormice may also enter buildings in search of
                 may cause structural problems to buildings          food and shelter.
                 and the former may be drawn to the food
                 opportunities presented by waste areas.             Control of the above requires specialist
                                                                     knowledge of available control techniques and
                                                                     should only be undertaken by persons with the
                                                                     necessary experience of this type of work.

Sparrow and pigeon droppings and
feathers contaminate food both in
production and awaiting dispatch

                                                                                                                 21
9	Inspection and auditing
   of food premises
     9.1	Integrated Pest Management                                    Reference to reports covering the previous
          The phase out of methyl bromide in 2005                      twelve months may be useful in determining
          removed one of the most reliable tools                       seasonal variations in pest activity or focal
          available to the food industry for control                   points of infestations.
          of insects in raw materials. When correctly
          applied, a kill in excess of 99 percent could be      9.2.3 Pest sightings or “complaints”
          achieved – usually over a 24-hour exposure                  Pest sightings or complaints made by
          period.                                                     personnel other than those involved in pest
                                                                      management should be investigated.
            A major consequence in the food industry
            of the phase out has been the switch from a                See section 2.6.1 Pest Sightings Log
            reactive control strategy to one of Integrated
            Pest Management (IPM).                              9.2.4 Thorough inspection
                                                                      The extent of the inspection and the areas
            IPM is a systematic approach to pest                      included should cover the entire site including
            management, which comprises:                              grounds within the perimeter, all buildings and
                                                                      all areas within buildings.
            •	Building, machinery and materials design
            •	Building maintenance and exclusion                      Each site should be divided into high-
               practices                                               intermediate-low risk areas.
            •	Advice on good housekeeping practices.
            •	Inspections and monitoring                              High risk areas
            •	Physical control methods                                Areas where there is a greater risk of
            •	Chemical control methods                                compromising food safety from pest activity or
            •	Habitat/environmental management                        where the product is particularly high risk.

            Early detection of pest activity is essential if           Typical high risk areas and potential pests
            the impact of corrective control measures is               would be:
            to be optimised. A combination of thorough
            regular inspections and on-going monitoring                •	Incoming raw and packaged food and
            using a variety of detectors will provide the                 stored product pests
            information upon which to build control                    •	Finished goods warehouses and mice
            strategies.                                                •	Food preparation areas and flying insects

     9.2	Inspection Techniques                                        Intermediate risk
          and Equipment                                                Areas where there is a risk of compromising
          The inspection should identify anything that                 food safety from pest activity but where the
          might cause or allow contamination of food by                product is not particularly high risk.
          pests or their activity.
                                                                       Low risk areas
     9.2.1 Proper pest identification                                  Areas where there is minimal risk of
           For good pest control, accurate identification is           compromising food safety from pest activity or
           essential. Correct identification of pest species           where the product is low risk.
           and a practical knowledge of pest behaviour
           will determine the source and therefore the          9.2.5 Types of information gathered on-site
           target area for control.                                   The information gathered can be divided into
                                                                      two areas.
            The more common pests can usually be
            identified from textbooks. In some cases                   Information on the pests:
            however, particularly relating to flies or stored
            product insects, more specialised identification           •	Species present
            may be required.                                           •	Location
                                                                       •	Numbers
     9.2.2 Use of generic or historical information                    •	Extent of infestation
           The pest control report book should be                      •	Risk to food safety
           examined prior to commencing the inspection.                •	Proposed control methods
           A site plan and the last report should be carried
           during the survey.

22
Information on the premises:                             are active 24 hours per day over an extended
                                                               period.
      •	Potential entry routes of pests
      •	Exclusion recommendations                             From visible evidence – while detectors can
      •	Hygiene and housekeeping requirements                 provide evidence of pest activity, they rely in
      •	Storage and stock rotation processes                  the main on the pest coming to them. The
      •	Risk assessments                                      information may not be defined whereas an
                                                               experienced inspector has the knowledge
9.2.6 Sources of information                                   of pest behaviour and biology to find and
      Information can be collected from four sources           identify the source of an infestation. A physical
      during the inspection:                                   inspection also allows a risk assessment on
                                                               any proposed treatment to be carried out in
      From the Pest Sightings Log – this is likely to          addition to fulfilling a quality control function
      be historical, as the reported sighting would            on the pest management programme.
      in most cases have resulted in a call-out to
      address the problem.                               9.2.7 Trend analysis
                                                               Inspection checklists and other documentation
      From site management and staff – while this              can be used to record any trend in pest activity
      is a worthwhile source, any information should           and highlight particular problem areas.
      be confirmed by a thorough inspection of the
      area. Third party reports may not be accurate            The information used in the analysis can be
      concerning the type of pest, numbers seen or             obtained from:
      timescale due to the vagaries of the human
      memory.                                                  •	Recorded take from rodenticide bait stations
                                                               •	Catch tray or adhesive trap counts from EFKs
      From evidence found on detectors – this can              •	Moth pheromone traps
      be a valuable source of evidence of recent pest          •	Adhesive insect traps
      activity. On the presumption that the detectors
      were refreshed on the last inspection, any pests         The analysis can assist in targeting control
      found will have emerged in the intervening               strategies, reacting to seasonal increases in
      period. Sticky traps, Electric Fly Killer (EFK)          pest activity or identifying shortcomings in site
      catch trays and pheromone traps have the                 procedures such as door discipline.
      advantage over an inspection in that they

                                                                                                             23
9.2.9 Suggested inspection tools
                                                                            •	Torch (with spare battery and bulb) – pests
                                                                               are by nature secretive and may be deep
                                                                               within recesses or below fixtures where
                                                                               natural light may not penetrate
                                                                            •	Spatula – many Stored Product Insect
                                                                               pests will be found in compressed residues
                                                                               below machinery or in gaps at the wall/floor
                                                                               junction. The narrow blade of a spatula is
                                                                               required to scrape out residues in order to
                                                                               examine the contents for larvae or adults
                                                                            •	x10 lens – many pest insects are small and
                                                                               the distinguishing features not apparent to
                                                                               the naked eye
                                                                            •	Supply of specimen tubes – where
                                                                               identification cannot be made at the time
                                                                               of inspection, samples can be labelled and
                                                                               removed either for identification at a later
                                                                               date or to send for professional advice
                                                                            •	Bait box keys – where a pest control
                                                                               contractor is undertaking the pest
                                                                               management access to bait stations may be
                                                                               required for monitoring purposes between
                                                                               scheduled calls. Care must be taken when
                                                                               handling bait stations and rodenticides
                                                                               and all baits must be re-sealed to prevent
                                                                               unauthorised access
                                                                            •	Supply of cable ties – where bait stations are
            9.2.8	Surveillance of adjacent properties                         secured by means of cable ties replacement
                   and suppliers                                               ties are required to re-secure the bait station
                   Adjacent properties whether occupied or not                 lids
                   and open sites should be monitored as possible
                   sources of infestation. Both insects and rodents          Other items may include:
                   have the ability to migrate from adjacent sites
                   – in the case of flying insects this can involve          •	Folding ladder – for access to overhead
                   movement over considerable distances.                        areas, loft hatches, false ceilings, electric fly
                                                                                killers etc
                   Due to environmental considerations the                   •	Endoscope – to allow inspection of
                   use of permanent perimeter bait stations                     concealed areas, ducting, closed voids etc
                   containing toxic rodenticide baits can no                 •	Insect specimen set – for comparison with
                   longer be justified. Inspection and the use                  samples found during the inspection
                   of a non-toxic monitoring system should be
                   preferred with toxic bait being used only when     9.3	Inspecting for rodents
                   signs of rats are found.                                The following evidence can be used to identify
                                                                           the species and location of both mice and rats.
                   Suppliers should be frequently audited. Close
                   monitoring of all supplier practices should be            Droppings
                   carried out. Appropriate sampling techniques              The shape and size of droppings will help
                   of received goods should be implemented.                  you to identify the species. Rat droppings are
                                                                             approximately 10-12mm long, up to 5mm in
                                                                             diameter and spindle shaped. The droppings
                                                                             produced by mice are approximately 4mm
Both insects and rodents have the ability                                    long and much thinner at around 1mm.

to migrate from adjacent sites – in the                                      Are they soft and glistening? This will tell you
                                                                             that live rodents are still present. The presence
case of flying insects this can involve                                      of large droppings (from adults) and small
                                                                             droppings (from young) indicates a breeding
movement over considerable distances                                         population.

                                                                             How are the droppings distributed (scattered
                                                                             or in groups)? Norway rats regularly use latrine
                   Laundering agents should be closely                       areas to deposit droppings. This will indicate
                   monitored. As they receive garments from a                the species and whether the rodents are
                   wide range of industries and premises, the                moving extensively.
                   possibility of cross-infestation of garments
                   should be considered. Most notable is the                 How many fresh droppings are there? This
                   transfer of cockroaches.                                  will indicate the size of the infestation. Rats
                                                                             produce about 40 droppings each day and
                                                                             mice about 80.

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