ER3 by EcoRaider is a new professional pest management product with a triple-action green formula. It is being introduced to help PMPs combat the rapidly growing mosquito problems.

Blame it on the rain! Heavy rains and hurricanes kicked the door wide open for increased mosquito populations in 2018, and as a result, the fall was abuzz with difficult-to-control mosquito issues. The Louisiana Department of Health planned to utilize a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help combat mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and West Nile virus. Also, the governor of North Carolina recently ordered $4 million in funding to help battle the massive mosquito problem that arose in the state after the devastation of Hurricane Florence.

The National Weather Service reported that the majority of locations in Northern and Central Georgia were warmer and 3 to 6 inches wetter than normal this summer. In early September outside of Atlanta, Dekalb County public health officials announced news of two deadly mosquito-borne viruses: first, a man was infected with the West Nile virus, and second, a mosquito tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis virus. Among many safety warnings resulting from these findings, the county officials reminded the public that standing water and tall grass and vines pose a danger to humans because they are breeding grounds and living quarters for mosquitoes.

 

A New Mosquito Solution

As wet weather persists, pest management professionals recognize that the need for an efficient and lasting resolution to the mosquito problem is becoming increasingly impera-tive to their businesses. With a well-timed November launch date, EcoRaider, located in North Bergen, New Jersey, has created a new product called ER3, which is a triple-ac-tion, breakthrough formula designed to kill adult mosquitoes on contact, kills mosquito larvae with a residual while delivering a long lasting spatial repellency.

Prior to the official product launch, EcoRaider conducted successful tests of the ER3 product in several mosquito-infested areas. JR Jackson, pest control supervisor of Allgood Pest Solutions in Atlanta, Georgia, tested ER3 by EcoRaider in Duluth and Atlanta where “he gets hit the most” with huge mosquito problems. The combination of weather and mosquito issues have been “pretty brutal because we’ve had tons of rain; it’s been heavily infested with mosquitoes, especially in that area,” he says. After selecting the perfect mosquito-ridden test spots, Jackson said the product worked “really well” with both immediate and residual mosquito kill. He also received “positive feedback from the customers” and “didn’t get any callbacks.” Additionally, the technician involved with the test liked the product as well because “it seemed to have [stuck] to the shrubs better,” Jackson said.

With one troublesome test site in particular, Jackson’s crew had been required to visit the customer’s residence on a weekly basis to spray for mosquitoes. As a result, the company was losing money on this particular site because of the frequent visits. The testing of ER3 by Eco-Raider at this location proved to be successful and “worked out great” because the team was not called back to the site, Jackson said. Acknowledging the importance of residual in terms of time required between mosquito treat-ments, Jackson says that “the customer will be calling me back if I don’t have something there for residual for future mosquitoes.” In addition to the immediate killing of mosquitoes, ER3 has been designed to provide a lasting effect.

Similarly, Randy Martin, service manager for Hometec Exterminating in Alpharetta, Georgia, was pleased with ER3 by EcoRaider and “didn’t have any callbacks” on his test sites. Martin “liked being able to treat drains and plantings with one product.” He also notes that having a residual as part of mosquito control is import-ant in reducing and eliminating callbacks. “The only way you’re not going to have callbacks with mosquitoes is if you have a pretty decent residual to keep them from being able to breed,” Martin says.

Triple Action

To kill mosquito larvae and adult mosquitoes, plus keep existing mosquitoes at bay, pest management professionals sometimes need to use multiple products. With its breakthrough formula, Eco-Raider’s new ER3 product contains a larvicide and an adulticide in one product, enabling PMPs to knock down adult mosquito popula-tions, as well as kill larvae. ER3 also delivers lasting spatial repellency to keep mosquitoes from the treated areas.

Martin said he “really liked the idea that (ER3) did have a larvicide effect along with an adulticide” because two different products were not re-quired for mosquito treatment. Normally, when Martin performs mosquito treatment, “I’ll treat with an adulticide and a larvicide.” Using ER3 by EcoRaider with the 3-in-1 adulticide, larvicide and repellent application, however, enhanced the mosquito control service provided and “made the treatment easier and faster,” he says.

Jackson, too, explains that beyond the test phase, future usage of ER3 with its triple-action formula would be easier for mosquito treat-ments. “What I like about it is that I wouldn’t have to keep buying another product for the standing water,” thus saving money on his bottom line. “I like the idea of a 3-in-1 product because it could cut costs,” says Jackson.

With ER3’s combination of larvicide, adulticide and repellent, the product saves pest man-agement professionals money and time while maximizing profit with the reduction of product costs and unnecessary callbacks. Additionally, beyond mosquito control service contracts, PMPs are able to increase revenues by offering additional services for special events, like festi-vals, weddings and outdoor parties.

Going Green

In addition to providing a 3-in-1 solution, ER3 is also a green pest control product. EcoRaid-er is all-natural, has been tried and tested for other pests, and has emerged as the leading green solution in pest management. This naturally led to the formulation of ER3 for mosquitoes. ER3 is safe to be used around children, pets and wildlife. Plus, the product has low odor, low impact and minimal risk. Jackson shares that customers “really liked the smell” of their yards after the treatment.

“Customers want green solutions as long as they work,” Jackson said. He explains that this year, more than any other, customers had been canceling pest control services because they were afraid of the potential harm found in the chemicals of the products utilized. When Jackson provides a green option for customers, however, “they jump all over it.” As a result, he concludes that the ER3 product as a green option will most likely be “a hit” with customers over the course of the next few years. “We really like the product,” says Jackson. He adds that EcoRaider could be used in his company’s mosquito program be-cause ER3 “gives the customer a green option that we can trust and count on to work.”