Initial Service – Apartment and condominium complexes

1. Park onsite, try to find an unreserved parking spot close to the office if there is one. Confirm the location to make sure that you are servicing the correct complex.
2. Clock in and review all documents (field sheet, tech notes, and service agreement) from the bid. Also, make sure to review the Location Notes and Order Instructions pertaining to today’s service.
3. Check in at the office if there is one. If not, then notify the onsite contact that you have arrived. This is a good time to confirm which buildings are being started on service. Ask for a blank site map if we do not have one already. Continue through the following steps to complete their exterior service.
4. Web mop:
   Using your web mop pole, circle all buildings brushing off any spider webs and old wasp/hornet nests. Pay special attention to lights, entryways, and high peaks of the eves. Also, make sure you get the backside of the facia where it is hard to see. If the buildings are especially tall, use the larger extension pole stored on top of your truck. Be sure to take mental note of any areas of particularly high pest activity. You will take this into account when servicing. These accounts should be web mopped 2x annually.
5. Non-repellant perimeter treatment:
   Using your backpack sprayer apply a perimeter treatment around the footprint of all buildings being serviced. This is the foundation and an area extending out from it on the surrounding ground. Consult your label for these parameters. In the summer you can use Termidor to include carpenter ant elimination (see PS.184), and for colder months use Advion WDG. Make sure to include all connected items like posts, fences, and overhead wires. The goal is to complete a perimeter application in which the pests must cross the material to access the structure. This provides a “clearing out” effect for any ants that may be trafficking into the structure without locking them in.
6. Repellant treatment: (Be extremely cautious in using repellant materials if the client has ANT activity)
   Using your repellant backpack, you can now work your way around the buildings applying a repellant to the areas where other pests can harbor. You may treat around in the eves, behind downspouts, and around windows and lights. This will provide protection from spiders and wasps as well as other seasonal insects. Pay special attention to the areas that had shown particularly high activity when you were web mopping. You can also treat in front of doors to discourage crawling insects from entering.
7. Granular treatment (Optional):
   If you are in an area that is known for high small ant activity, or the client mentions that they have had them in the past, it's not a bad idea to be proactive and apply a granular bait such as Niban around the buildings. It can be applied to most non-paved areas like planters, grass, gravel, and bushy areas. This will help crash the exterior population of ants and many other pests and decrease pest pressure.
8. Rodent monitors (if applicable): Some apartment/condominium complexes will have exterior rodent monitors as part of their service program. Typically, the number of stations needed will be noted in the bid and they will be installed during the initial service. There may already be a map with suggested monitor locations from the bid, use this as your guide. If not, place them in areas of high rodent activity such as:
   1. Communal refuge areas
   2. Along buildings that back up to fields, green spaces, or creeks
   3. Near or under low decks
   4. Adjacent to bird feeders, gardens, or compost areas

Remember: Rodenticides are some of the most dangerous materials that we handle and need to be applied with extreme diligence and care. Rodent monitors should be placed in areas where they will not be compromised or disturbed. Do not place them in areas where children play, where there is a high level of foot traffic, or where dogs are present. Be discrete in your placement.

9. Begin with a low level of rodenticide in each monitor unless you can confirm high rodent activity through inspection. Refer to PS.105 Exterior rodent baiting for guidance on choosing the proper rodenticide.
10. Create a diagram of all monitor locations including numbers. A site map is very useful for this.
11. Return to your vehicle when done and secure all equipment and make it is safe to travel.
12. Reconvene with our contact person and report your findings and the measures you took to address them.
13. Enter all required information on the material applied into PestPac Mobile. Also, enter notes on the service provided today as well as any client concerns, observations you made, or necessary environmental changes (see PS.102 Entering material information and notes into PestPac Mobile). You are the first tech to be servicing at this account, be sure that you update the location instructions with any pertinent information that other techs should know. Remember: Clients have access to your notes so they should always be professional and appropriate.
14. If it was a particularly pleasant interaction be sure to send a review invite via the Podium app (see PS.150 Sending a review invite using Podium Mobile).
15. Check off the account on your service route log.