Visit the OvoControl booth (#213) on June 23-25 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News, Technical Updates, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Based on US Green Building Council and San Francisco Department of the Environment guidelines, OvoControl P was recently classified as a “Tier 3″ pesticide product. This represents the “least-hazard” class and does not require notification of building residents prior to use. See the “Hazard Assessment” for details.
OvoControl continues to collect certifications, endorsements and other accreditations as property and facility managers adopt the bird-friendly product for larger scale pigeon control.
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News, Technical Updates | 1 Comment »
by Karen E. Lange
Nets. Spikes. A gel with hot pepper. The International Market Place in Honolulu’s Waikiki had tried them all, and still pedestrians at the open air mall dodged swooping pigeons, while customers dining under sunny skies had their meals ruined by droppings.
So when manager Reid Sasaki heard about OvoControl, a contraceptive-laced food that reduces pigeon numbers by half in a year, he was willing to try it, even if the results wouldn’t be immediately evident, and even if he would be among the first adopters in Hawaii.
Encouraged by HSUS Hawaii state director Inga Gibson, in 2011 he invested in $200 solar-powered automatic feeders and in pellets that treat 100 pigeons for about $9 a day. In a little over 12 months, the number of pigeons hanging around the stalls of puka shell necklaces, leis, and oil paintings of palm trees and surf decreased by 60 percent.
Now, after getting required permits from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, OvoControl is on the verge of being adopted by other major businesses in Waikiki, where pigeons flourish around hotel patios, beachside parks, and outdoor buffets, fed by well-meaning tourists who flock to the region’s white sands and turquoise waters.
“It’s a health problem. … It’s a huge financial burden,” says Michael Botha, president of Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions, which is introducing OvoControl to clients in Waikiki, where pigeons rank with bedbugs as an image problem. Businesses are desperate after being cited by the health department or refunding the cost of a dozen pigeon-spoiled meals in a day.
Pigeons on OvoControl lay infertile eggs but continue to roost and nest, keeping other flocks from moving in. Botha notes that it’s the only way to manage pigeons in Hawaii, where the birds normally reproduce four to six times per year and have no natural predators. Adds Erick Wolf, CEO of Innolytics, which developed and markets the contraceptive: “It really doesn’t matter how much you trap and poison and shoot. They breed back.”
Still, it can be a tough sell, as businesses want immediate results. Waikiki hotels also worry if they invest in the product it will provide a cost-free benefit to neighboring competitors. Since receiving the required EPA registration in 2008, Wolf has sold OvoControl to just 200 sites across the U.S.
Gibson is recruiting other businesses in Waikiki. The HSUS has also created a pledge businesses can make promising to use OvoControl, as well as free signs they can post asking people not to feed birds. “There are so many pigeons, and they get killed in such inhumane ways,” Gibson says. “OvoControl is a win-win for all.”
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Just in time for the upcoming pigeon control season, the EPA label for OvoControl P (EPA Reg. No. 80224-1) has been updated. The new label (ver. 11.30.12.A) allows for different grains for pre-baiting, including pigeon’s favorite, cracked corn. See the link for a copy of the new label.
Posted in Company News, Product News, Technical Updates | No Comments »
Another case study has been published illustrating the use of OvoControl at a strip mall in San Diego, CA. See the report.
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News, Technical Updates | No Comments »
More OvoControl case studies have been published by Innolytics. See the details, or click the link for a one page summary of the published OvoControl case studies.
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News, Technical Updates, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Planning to be in Boston for PestWorld 2012? If so, please visit the Innolytics booth (Booth #603) for the latest information on OvoControl. The booth is located just adjacent to the food court — see the link for a map.
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News, Technical Updates, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Many different sites and facilities are reporting success with pigeon contraception as a means to manage pigeons. For example, National Environmental Services in Peoria, AZ started an OvoControl program at the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Station in Arizona nearly two years ago. See the owner’s comments,
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News | No Comments »
Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions in Honolulu is the latest major pest control company to adopt OvoControl for pigeon control. A very serious problem in the island paradise, pigeons are everywhere….especially at the hotels. A member of the COPESAN group, Samwich Isle offers a range of pest control services.
Posted in News Reports | No Comments »
KITV, the ABC News affiliate in Honolulu, reports on the performance of the OvoControl pigeon contraceptive program at the International Marketplace, a large and unique Waikiki shopping area. See the link for the video,
If not familiar with the area, the International Marketplace is a collection of small shops and a food court located in the heart of the tourist area of Waikiki. The site is surrounded by large hotels and other properties all battling a common foe – pigeons.
International Marketplace has been on the OvoControl program since May, 2011. They monitor their population closely and have achieved a 60% reduction since initiating the program 15 months ago. The expectation is that the population of pigeons there continues the gradual and sustainable decline.
Posted in Company News, News Reports, Product News | No Comments »
